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From: | Hans Aberg |
Subject: | Re: Music Glossary - 1.64 Concert Pitch (2.12.2) |
Date: | Sun, 5 Apr 2009 22:40:43 +0200 |
On 5 Apr 2009, at 20:48, <address@hidden> wrote:
Dont have the OED handy, this library is very small and lacks a copy, butthe dictionary in my mac and the larger one from the shelf both give narrow definitions for the entry 'concert pitch', eg, a=440,internationally agreed on, the pitch at which orchestral instruments aretuned. Neither entry discussed the convention of transposed parts.I suppose the 1960 ISO agreement has to be understood in context. Also, please note, ISO standards are not laws, just a formalized understandingof how things can be done. Just because there is a standard for what means 'inch' and another for 'meter', nothing prevents me from working with brunswicke inch when working with the drawings of Hioronymus Praetorius from his Sytagma Musicum.Yes, whatever meanings our documentation uses for the term 'Concert Pitch' should be discussed in this entry. I appologize for not realizeing my ownunderstanding of that term was narrow.Concert pitch is simply what the non-transposing instruments play, when presented a notated note.I now see two meanings. First is the absolute pitch meaning, a conceptsomewhat misleading for predating the early music movement. Secondaryusage draws on the first meaning and contrasts the actual sounding pitchwith the notated pitch which differ for transposing instruments.
The definition "The pitch at which the piano and other non-transposing instruments play" is from Harvard Concise Dictionary of Music.
Merriam "Webster's Third International..." suggest concerts pitch can mean either tuning standards: "international pitch", from 1939 setting middle A = 440 Hz, or "philharmonic pitch", setting middle A = 450 Hz, of English origin.
It also defines "transposing instrument" as "a musical instrument that sounds pitches different from those indicated by notation".
Since "concert pitch" seems to be ambiguous, it might be better use the two terms "tuning pitch" and "not-transposing instrument" in the manual, with the glossary or index mentioning "concert pitch" so that those that search for it can find the other terms (just an idea).
FWIW, I recall a recent article in Early Music America (might be postedonline, they have a website) discussing the use of varying reference pitches.
It has varied a lot in the past, but A = 440 Hz is also quite old: Harvard Concise mentions is used in 1834 by Scheibler (Stuttgart pitch). The Wikipedia also has some:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitch_(music)#History_of_pitch_standards_in_Western_music
Orchestras can adjust on the flywell, they can try, some instruments will have more trouble than others. unfretted strings and brass have the most flexibility as they are always challenged to play in any particular temperament. Some winds can attemptembouchure changes, the horn has his fist, but woodwinds trade offalacrity when having to bend notes by alternate fingerings or embouchure. The crumhorn, serpent, and cornetto all have notorius flexibility. Itsthe continuo section where we find the least flexible instruments.
I haven't checked all, but for adjusting intonation, some 20-30 cents would suffice. Flutes can do it, and brasses too.
Pianos are tuned with scale stretch in order to compensate for inharmonicity.and how 'best' to do this is subjective, varying with each concert artistand concert tuner.
Modern tuning machines like <http://www.veritune.com/> can measure the overtone spectrum, and do a number of compromises. Traditionally it happens naturally, as one typically tunes octaves and fifths, i.e., partials 2 and 3, which then will be stretched.
The transposing instruments play a pitch other than notated.true when the convention is followed. As our trombone player has noted,some players have to get used to multiple notations.
I think it is orchestral clarinet plays that can learn to transpose on the fly, so that they need only one clarinet. Thus, a compose cannot be sure that a Bb clarinet is used, if if written so - the performer might use on in A. See Blatter, "Instrumentation/Orchestration..."
Viola and celloplayers have to cope with floating c-clefs; Alto recorder players have towork from g2 clefs, floating c clefs, and octave-below g clefs. I have a music engraving reference at home (Ross comes to mind as the author) which gives a fairly complete list of transposing instruments, will try to remember to bring it tomorrow.
You might check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transposing_instrument#List_of_instruments_by_transposition It does not mention the Garmon (type of accordion), though. Hans
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