Harpsichord

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  • 1.  Harpsichord at 445

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 09-04-2022 11:15
    Hello.

    We have a chamber music group coming and their rider states they want a
    harpsichord tuned at 445.?? Has anyone ever tuned a harpsichord so
    sharp??? I plan to start doing that about 2 weeks before the show, but
    should I expect it to go well??? I thought it might be a typo, that they
    really want 435, but the last time I questioned something on a rider the
    management got kind of snippy with me, saying just do what it says.?? So
    I will, but I'm still nervous, it being the sharpest it's ever been.

    I appreciate any thoughts on this.

    Thank you.

    Robert Callaghan


  • 2.  RE: Harpsichord at 445

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 09-04-2022 12:07

    Management know nothing about harpsichords!  I'll bet it's supposed to say 435.  Refuse to raise any harpsichord to 445. It's nowhere you want to go.

     

    Paul






  • 3.  RE: Harpsichord at 445

    Posted 09-04-2022 12:08
    How well do you know the harpsichord and the environment?
    Are you prepared to replace broken strings?
    There are harpsichords that raise their own pitch much higher than 445 when the humidity rises. Some can do this in a few hours. Some can break their own strings this way.
    Some will break the highest brass string with slight overpull.
    Who owns the harpsichord?
    It is your right and responsibility to be certain that any extreme process you undertake is requested by the performers and approved by the instrument owner.

    ------------------------------
    Ed Sutton
    ed440@me.com
    (980) 254-7413
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: Harpsichord at 445

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 09-04-2022 16:05
    I think you should confirm that that is the pitch they want. Have a thick hide and ask the production manager to check the rider to be sure. To my mind, it is far more likely to be a request for 415 that someone has read and conveyed wrong to you. 

    445 is quite rare outside of Austria (the Viennese oboe is built to 445). 415 is quite common for Baroque groups playing original instruments. Even if management checks and the rider does say 445, I'd still be skeptical and think it might be a typo. I'd find out the name of the group and make contact myself, to confirm. I think that even if they did want 445, they would appreciate your professionalism in doublechecking. 

    About raising pitch to 445, it shouldn't be an issue on instruments strung with modern wire (other than possibly the highest brass strings) - as Ed says, they go sharper than that seasonally in response to humidity. I've observed that for over 30 years with Hubbard and Zuckermann kit instruments with modern wire, with zero breakage. If it is strung with low tensile wire, I'd worry.

    If it turns out they actually want 415, definitely lower pitch a week ahead, It is common for a brass string or two to break during that large a pitch lower. Do the pitch lowering slowly and steadily rather than a quick turn of the pin to help avoid this problem. A week should give time for it to stabilize well enough, and for any string that had to be replaced to come to a reasonably stable condition.

    Regards,
    Fred Sturm
    "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness." Twain






  • 5.  RE: Harpsichord at 445

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 09-11-2022 16:16
    I have already read many of the other fine comments on this topic of pitch if I am out of order.

    I just checked the pitch on one of my harpsichords that hasn't been used for 3 years last tuned at 440 pitch. It is now about 40 cents sharp! hopefully no strings are broken.
    When I worked for a Milwaukee university (UWM) the Paul Irvin harpsichord would rise 150 cents or more over the summer from tuning in May. Often in August I would find several strings broken and of course I would do a major pitch lowering followed by a 150 cent pitch raise in the winter.

    Regarding the rider instructions, don't assume it's correct. I provided a harpsichord for the Venice Barouque when they performed here a few years back. The management confirmed that it specified 415 pitch. This was good because my 440 instrument was in use for the weekend at another venue ( harpsichord uses here might be only once or twice every two or three years). After delivering, setting up and tuning the instrument, the musicians arrived and I took a much needed break. I came back and the confused harpsichordist was leaning over the instrument fumbling about. I asked if there was a problem. He said 'where is the transposer'. There is none. This is a 415 harpsichord which is what was asked for. 'We play at 440'. I confirmed with the house manager that indeed it did clearly say 415 pitch.

    It was 5PM, I checked with the group on the other side of town where the 440 instrument was. They weren't using it that night and I had a key to the venue. Called my mover, he was available, my trailer was already hitched. I had a crazy crosstown drive on a Friday night quickly loaded the instrument and had and even crazier ride back to the western suburb. Several blocks were shutdown by the fire department and I had to go on narrow parked up side streets. We took the 415 Keith Hill off the stand and placed the 440 instrument. A quick tuning since it was in a mean-tone tuning and they wanted equal. I sat through the performance of Vivaldi's Four Seasons and the harpsichord solo sounded especially good. Afterwards we loaded both harpsichords and took the 440 instrument back to the venue where I re-tuned it early in the morning and again before the performance that evening.

    There were extra charges to the group and I assume the management has changed the rider that they had been using for many years to now say 440 pitch.

    Jonathan Moberg
    Registered Piano Technician
    Moberg Piano Sales & Service
    414-962-2227