Chickering tone

Horace Greeley hgreeley@leland.Stanford.EDU
Fri, 18 Apr 1997 10:37:53 -0700


Dave,

You are right, as to more contemporary pianos.  On older instruments, such
as those referenced below, the temperature, humidity, and related issues
take on greater importance.

The Brinsmead book I referred to earlier speaks to these issues.

Best.

Horace


>> Date:          Thu, 17 Apr 1997 22:20:42 -0400 (EDT)
>> From:          Gilreath@aol.com
>> Subject:       Re: Chickering tone
>> To:            pianotech@byu.edu
>> Reply-to:      pianotech@byu.edu
>
>Well I'm not sure but if A442 is about 8 cents sharp then A435
>is about -20 cents to A440.  I doubt that the temperature is
>going to have that much to do with it.
>
>David ilvedson, RPT
>Pacifica, CA
>
>> In a message dated 97-04-17 19:13:28 EDT, you write:
>>
>> << Remember that this piano was designed for a maximum of A=435.  Going
>> higher
>>  than that will, at the very least, change the balance of the tone, with a
>>  possibility of some structural damage.  >>
>>
>> Horace,
>>
>> Maybe I'm wrong on this and someone can correct me, but I seem to remember
>> reading somewhere in the journal that A 435 was at about 59 degrees F
>>while A
>> 440 os measured at 72 degrees F.  This change in temp makes them about the
>> same.  Perhaps someone with a much better memory than mine can remember
>>which
>> issue this was brought up in.
>>
>> BTW, I personally enjoy that "old" Chickering sound and even the ones from
>> the late 1800's (since, as you mentioned, it is a different sound).  That's
>> one of the things that I think is of great importance, and is often
>> overlooked, when people try to give an "authentic period" performance
>>just by
>> retuning to a different temperament.
>>
>> Allan
>>
>> Allan L. Gilreath, RPT
>> Gilreath Piano & Organ Co.
>> Berry College
>> Gilreath@aol.com
>> Calhoun, GA USA
>>
>>




Horace Greeley			hgreeley@leland.stanford.edu

	"Always forgive your enemies,
		nothing annoys them so much.

			-	Oscar Wilde

LiNCS				voice: 725-4627
Stanford University		fax: 725-9942






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