Klarinet Archive - Posting 000246.txt from 1998/09

From: Matt Palasik <mattp169@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Short barrels
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1998 23:01:05 -0400

you know i was reading an article in woodwind quarterly by alec loretto
and he states that there was a convention in london in 1939 to establish
A440.

Bill Hausmann wrote:
>
> At 08:05 PM 9/7/98 -0500, Roger Garrett wrote:
> >No one every argued that A440 is not ideal...I've thought it all along. I
> >just disagree with the contention that it is a later trend to imitate some
> >"stupid trend" in Europe. Something that has been around 45-50
> >years.....now proven to be closer to 100 years (by your own research)
> >does not appear to be a "trend." Now, if you want to say that, out of a
> >600 year history, 100 years of a particular performance practice is a
> >trend, great. But it is neither rising, nor is it getting any worse than
> >it was 35-40 years ago.
> >
> Better re-read Ed Lacy's post. The gradual upward creep of pitch has been
> going on for centuries (Handel A@-----. Every now and again, someone
> attempts to re-standardize the pitch (note all the old instruments stampled
> "low pitch," meaning made AFTER the return to A=440 that occurred early in
> this century). Even with that, apparently the standard had to be
> RE-established in 1953 by international agreement. The trend to rising
> pitch, as Ed Lacy quoted from John Backus, has no "lasting benefit." He
> also said, "Any attempt to raise this standard for any short-term gain in
> 'brightness' or whatever else should be resisted as pernicious and contrary
> to musicians' best interests." This is all I have been trying to say,
> although Backus said it more eloquently.
>
> Bill Hausmann bhausman@-----.com
> 451 Old Orchard Drive http://www.concentric.net/~bhausman
> Essexville, MI 48732 http://members.wbs.net/homepages/z/o/o/zoot14.html
> ICQ UIN 4862265
>
> If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------