Artikel

The Curious Story of Low Pitch at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis

Anne Smith

Abstract

Although it is well-known that pitch was not standardized before the 19th century, in the world of early music A415 Hz ‒ referred to as low pitch and exactly one tempered semitone below the international chamber pitch established in 1939 ‒ came to hold sway. Taking the history of pitch at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis as a case study, this article seeks to illustrate how cultural, pragmatic, and marketing factors from outside of the world of music, apart from actual historical considerations themselves, came to play a significant role in the acceptance of A415 Hz as the standard early music pitch. Since the nature of the decision-making factors does not support the aura of “authenticity” that A415 Hz has enjoyed for many years, an examination of these factors will hopefully lead to a more open attitude to choice of pitch for music of earlier eras, without banning the pragmatic convenience either of A415 or A440 Hz.

Forschungsprojekt

Ina Lohr (1903–1983)

Quelle

Forschungsportal Schola Cantorum Basiliensis