Klarinet Archive - Posting 000305.txt from 2000/08

From: "Tony Wakefield" <tony-wakefield@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] My memory /Tony Pay`s Weber
Date: Sun, 13 Aug 2000 12:53:26 -0400

Mark,
You`re logic seems to be quite reasonably sound, in observing that organ
pitches probably set the general pitch for the rest of the towns` musicians.
However, there still remains the dilemma of where an organ was not required,
only the accompanying orchestra, when travelling musicians` visited to
perform the newly composed concerti.
I expect that the orchestras` had less hassle than what the soloist would
have had to cope with, >he, (Baermann) probably having to carry another case
in addition to his clarinet(s), stacked full of different length barrels. (I
suppose travelling horn players` crook cases rattled around a bit in transit
also).
There also is the dilemma of the opera houses - and again, no organs. Their
pitch levels also varied widely, as you may have observed. (I don`t suppose
the singers` noticed too much tho`).
I really only wanted to know if it is >known if Baermann`s pitch >was 430.
And also for what reason (if any) Tony
Pay chose 430 for his Weber (period) recording and concerts. At present, he
doesn`t seem to be very forthcoming with the "horses mouth" offer to put my
mind at rest.
Please Tony, can you come in at this point? Do you know if these
differences in pitch would have disturbed the soloists` to any great degree?
Best,
Tony W.

----- Original Message -----
From: Mark Charette <charette@-----.org>
Subject: Re: [kl] My memory /Tony Pay`s Weber

> Actually, Tony, I thought that your question:
>
> > > > > Was the pitch of the >19th century lower than today`s pitch?
> > > What
> > > > > was it? Was it 430? When did 430
> > > > > end, and what took it`s place? Were there any different "trends"
> > before
> > > > 430?
> > > > > Is 430 a kind of guess as to what pitch Baerman was playing at?
>
> was answered relatively well by that page - the standard pitches were
_all_
> over the place - literally and geographically.
>
> If I may be allowed to speculate a bit, I might partially blame it on the
> organs installed in many towns. The organs were expensive, so whatever
pitch
> they were tuned to originally might affect the town's pitch standard.
Organs
> last a _long_ time if kept in reasonable repair, and the cost of retuning
> all the pipes every time someone said there should be a new standard would
> be prohibitive - especially if the new tuning was lower than the organ's
> tuning!
>
> Again - just speculation, tempered a bit with things I've read (pun
> intended). It doesn't explain all the local variances or why people tuned
so
> wildly different.
>
> Mark C.

>

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