🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1i50piINNl3s@golem.wcc.govt.nz> ngan_m@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz writes:
 > In article <1993Jan1.104912.46019@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu>, rsl11@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu writes:
 > >	I would like to know what the fundamental frequencies of the musica
 > >notes are if someone is aware of them. Tha is what frequencies do they
 > >correspond to the notes
 > >
 > >C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C
 > >
 > The frequency of A above middle C is 440hz, semitone is a factor of 2^(1/12) 
 > higher/lower, so A# is about 466.1638 hz and G# is about 415.3047hz. 
 > As there are 12 semitones in an octave, the A in the octave above is 880hz.
 > 
Alas, this is only a very small part of the story.  It entirely depends on
the kind of music you want to play!

The frequency of A' at 440 is currently indeed standard, but for older music
you would like to have a lower pitch.  In 1858 A' was standardized at 435 Hz;
put a bit higher after the second world war.  Before 1858 there were different
pitches in use (excuse the English, it is only a translation): Chamber pitch
(C ~ current B), Choral pitch (C ~ current C#) and Cornet pitch (C ~ D).

Further, the relative frequencies as given above are first used by Bach in
his 'Wohltemperiertes Klavier'.  Currently keyboard instruments generally
use these (except for the carillon).  An older list of relative frequencies is:
	C   D   E   F   G   A   B   C
	24  27  30  32  36  40  45  48
(multiply by 110 to get the current pitch).  This can be found from the
chord do-mi-sol: 4:5:6, which gives C:E:G = 24:30:36 amongst others.  By
extension median tones are found but the frequency you find depends on the
way you look for it!  Other methods are the Pythagorean one, methods by
Kirnberger, Euler, Huygens, Mercator and Haba amongst others.  When playing
old music you are well advised to learn the method used by the composer.
-- 
dik t. winter, cwi, kruislaan 413, 1098 sj  amsterdam, nederland
home: bovenover 215, 1025 jn  amsterdam, nederland; e-mail: dik@cwi.nl