Klarinet Archive - Posting 000672.txt from 1996/02

From: niethamer@-----.BITNET
Subj: Re: Pitch vs Temperature
Date: Thu, 22 Feb 1996 23:28:51 -0500

On Fri, 23 Feb 1996, John Jarvie wrote:

> In several recent postings, there have been references to pitches
> varying from 440 to 442.
>
> I know some German/Austrian orchestras play at 446 or higher but I had
> thought that 440 was well accepted everywhere else.
>
> I'd like to canvas the list's experiences on current pitches that we
> have to conform to.
>
> Is the 440 standard dead?
>
> What temperatures do we have to play at? I recollect that the A440
> standard had a relatively low temperature specification (65
> Fahrenheit?). Most clarinets that I've tried play well at 65 but
> raise in pitch dramatically at higher temperatures. In my experience,
> many performance locations measure 75-80 degrees and counting.

My understanding is that these pitches are measured at 72 degrees
Farenheit. At 65 degrees, my fingers don't even move! Our stage, under
full concert lighting, is more like 78-80 degrees, and thus we creep ever
higher as the concert goes on. We tune at 442, BTW.

David Niethamer
Richmond Symphony (USA)