Books › A descriptive catalogue of the musical instruments recently exhibited at the Royal Military Exhibition, London, 1890 …, 1891 › scan 267
Scan 267
A descriptive catalogue of the musical instruments recently exhibited at the Royal Military Exhibition, London, 1890 …, 1891
56 lines. Read by computer on 1 October 2026. Printed page 247. See the scan on archive.org.
1remembered that if a cornet is made so sharp as to give the Kneller Hall b'b directly it is blown upon at 60°, it will be four or five beats sharp by the time it is warm; and further, will rise another four or five beats in a hot concert-room, say at 80°; it will be seen how important it is, if Philharmonic pitch is to be observed, that the precaution should be taken of comparing instruments with the standard in the way suggested above.
3For some years past the writer has taken observations of the comparative pitches of different wind instruments, when warm with actual use, and at various external temperatures ranging from 40° to 80°; the results are summarised in the following table, in which b'b has been selected as the pitch note, as it is the most convenient one for military band instruments:—
5VARIATION OF PITCH IN WIND INSTRUMENTS.
7<table>
8 <tr>
9 <th>A rise of 10° Fah. in external temperature increases the pitch of</th>
10 <th>Per cent. of number of Vibrations.</th>
11 <th>Vibrations on b'b 479.3.</th>
12 </tr>
13 <tr>
14 <td>Flute and Oboe</td>
15 <td>.31</td>
16 <td>1.50</td>
17 </tr>
18 <tr>
19 <td>Clarinet</td>
20 <td>.43</td>
21 <td>2.06</td>
22 </tr>
23 <tr>
24 <td>Cornet and Trumpet</td>
25 <td>.51</td>
26 <td>2.45</td>
27 </tr>
28 <tr>
29 <td>French Horn and Trombone</td>
30 <td>.60</td>
31 <td>2.88</td>
32 </tr>
33 <tr>
34 <td>Euphonion</td>
35 <td>.66</td>
36 <td>3.16</td>
37 </tr>
38 <tr>
39 <td>Bombardon</td>
40 <td>.73</td>
41 <td>3.50</td>
42 </tr>
43 <tr>
44 <td>Mean of Full Wind Band</td>
45 <td>.54</td>
46 <td>2.60</td>
47 </tr>
48 <tr>
49 <td>Organ Flue Pipes</td>
50 <td>1.05</td>
51 <td>5.04</td>
52 </tr>
53</table>
55The mean here given for b'b, 2.60 beats for 10°, is equal to 2.91 on c''; but as the larger wind instruments which alter most are seldom used in the orchestra, an allowance of 2.5 beats on c'' for every 10° is sufficient for orchestral variation. As concert-rooms are usually warmer than 60°, the standard temperature, "concert pitch" pianos are usually
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.