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"High pitch"

To: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: "High pitch"
From: Nigel Wears <nwears@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 1 Mar 96 23:03:34
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


Here's another one to get the historians amongst us talking!

On April 1st 1964, the Salvation Army and Boosey and Hawkes both announced
that they were to stop making instruments at A=452.5Hz (High pitch), and
so, around 40 years after the rest of the musical establishment, bands
started to go to A=440 pitch. What I would like to know is, who decided
on A=440 in the first place? Was it a committee of some description? When did
the first orchestras start playing in A=440? what were organs and pianos tuned
to around the year 1920? Why were bands so slow to move to the new standard? I
believe that Sir Dean  Goffin wrote to the British Bandsman, to point out the
benefits of the  change over. Does anyone know what he said? I'm sure that
everyone has got some stories about the change over. Who were the first bands
to change? Who was the last?   As Arnold Myers pointed out to us, Brighouse
were playing in high pitch well into the 1960s, and I believe there win at the
Nationals in 1968 was with high pitch instruments.  What were people's
opinions of the change? How did bands all around the world cope? It seems that
American and Japanese manufacturers were producing instruments in A=440 before
Booseys. Is that right? How did players get on playing solos with the piano?
Did the slides have to come out a long way? 

Has anyone got a copy of any press release from Booseys or the S.A. regarding
the cease of production of "H.P" instruments?

Let's have your views!


Oh- by the way - What pitch are Lark instruments made in!!?   :-)

Nigel Wears

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