In a large number of cities, the tuning standard was taken from the organ (specifically the flue pipes) in the church, the cathedral, or the local ruler's chapel. That pitch in turn tended to be determined by the particular organ-builder - say Silbermann - who "transported" his preferred pitch from one commission to another.
Until well into the 19th century, there was an incredible mish-mash of different pitches from one town/city to the other. (And even within a particular city too - Bach complained of the varying pitches of the organs in Leipzig.) This was not a terrible problem for string players but it certainly was for wind players. Brass players, for example, had to travel equipped with a whole series of "bits" for fine tuning because until the 19th century brass instruments didn't have tuning slides. Flutes had to have "corps de rechange" - alternative middle sections of slightly differing lengths and hole placements for tuning to different pitch standards. So in fact the variety of pitches for the NSP is extremely traditional! Two hundred years ago it wouldn't have been thought in any way remarkable. Cheers, Paul Gretton -----Original Message----- From: lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu [mailto:lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu] On Behalf Of Colin Sent: 09 February 2011 01:37 To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] Re: Tuning/pitch Which were tuned with reference to.................. Colin Hill ----- Original Message ----- From: <gibbonssoi...@aol.com> To: <cwh...@santa-fe.freeserve.co.uk>; <nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu> Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2011 9:27 PM Subject: [NSP] Re: Tuning/pitch > > Before the tuning fork was invented, there were pitch pipes. > > > > John > > > > -- > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > >
