I have written this before, I believe, but quite a long time ago there was a performance in San Francisco at the Geary Theatre (I don't remember the name of the show?) Anyway a piano was tuned 1/4 step flat and it only played when evil was on stage. I helped the tuner set his initial pitch with my SAT...I never actually heard the piece but I can imagine it would have quite an effect... David Ilvedson, RPT Pacifica, CA 94044 ----- Original message ---------------------------------------- From: "Tom Sivak" <tvaktvak at sbcglobal.net> To: pianotech at ptg.org Received: 5/8/2009 5:52:53 AM Subject: Re: [pianotech] Question about perfect pitch >Depends on the person. I think it would distract me, at least at times. Distract me in >the sense of, wait a minute, what key is this piece in, now? >My ear, or actually my brain, I guess, will quantize the pitches up or down. At 60 >cents flat, basically right in the middle, my brain would recognize some of the >pitches/chords up a half step, and others down. This would make it difficult in a >piece, like Bach for instance, that modulates from one key to the next. >I have recordings of the Berlin Philharmonic performing the Beethoven Symphonies. >I don't know how sharp they tuned, but at times I start to hear things up a half step >from where I know they are written. Like the 7th Symphony in A Major for >instance--in the exposition of the opening movement, Beethoven stays in the key of >A and finishes in E---my ear/brain easily goes along with the ride, sharp though it >may be. Sounds like A major to me, because I know that it's in A. >But once I hear the development section, and Beethoven starts going through the >circle of fifths, I realize that I am recognizing some of the chords up a half step. I >know this because as we approach the recap, it sounds like it's going to be in Bb >major instead of A. >Of course, at the instant of realizing this, I instantly flip back into the right key in my >head and all is fine through the end of the movement. >So, for me, a piano that was specifically 60 cents flat would bother me in certain >musical situations. If the music was a popular tune or something that basically stays >in one key, it wouldn't bother me all that much. >At least not as much as out of tune unisons, or a bass section that was 20 cents >sharper than the steel strings. THAT drives me nutz! >Tom Sivak >Chicago >--- On Fri, 5/8/09, KeyKat88 at aol.com <KeyKat88 at aol.com> wrote: >> From: KeyKat88 at aol.com <KeyKat88 at aol.com> >> Subject: [pianotech] Question about perfect pitch >> To: pianotech at ptg.org >> Date: Friday, May 8, 2009, 12:38 PM >> Greetings, >> >> Are people with "perfect pitch" really >> bothered by music played >> on an old upright that is tuned say, 60 cents or a half >> step flat because it >> cant be brought up to pitch? >> >> >> Thank you, >> Julia >> PA >> **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See >> yours in just 2 easy >> steps! >> >(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1221322931x1201367171/aol?redir=ht >tp://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=115&bcd >> =May5509AvgfooterNO115)
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