Books › A descriptive catalogue of the musical instruments recently exhibited at the Royal Military Exhibition, London, 1890 …, 1891 › scan 274
Scan 274
A descriptive catalogue of the musical instruments recently exhibited at the Royal Military Exhibition, London, 1890 …, 1891
14 lines. Read by computer on 1 October 2026. Printed page 252. See the scan on archive.org.
1all bands play sharp, cannot, therefore, be used with the large church organs, which are about half a semitone, or rather more, below this; but if band instruments were re-tuned to the proposed standard a' 449, there would be no serious difficulty in using them with church organs on special occasions, for the amount of flattening required would not exceed the limits named above.
3Many wind instruments exist and are in use which were made when the pitch was somewhat lower than it is at present. Such of these as have been cut to agree with the present high pitch, and have suffered in consequence, would be improved rather than deteriorated by being re-tuned to a' 449.
5The substance of the considerations given in some detail above, is summarised in the following notes:—
7The present Philharmonic and Kneller Hall pitch is practically in universal use in this country, in India, and in the colonies for all wind-band music. Such deviations from it as are to be found are usually and unfortunately in the direction of a still higher pitch. The most important exceptions are Her Majesty's private band and the band of the Royal Italian Opera, Covent Garden, which are tuned to French pitch.
9A lowering to the Diapason Normal, which is about two-thirds of a semitone lower than the Kneller Hall standard fork, and very nearly a semitone lower than the highest wind-band pitch in actual use, has been suggested, but has been found impracticable on account of the expense that would be incurred.
11In the event of any renewed attempt to adopt a general standard of pitch in this country other than the present Philharmonic, it is submitted that a standard based upon G = 100 presents the advantage that in computations the ratios of the equal temperament scale give at once the frequency of each note without further calculation.
13This proposed pitch is closely in agreement with that used in all the chief European opera houses for many years during this century, and with the Society of Arts' standard c'' fork as made and widely copied. It is a quarter of a semitone higher than French pitch.
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