According to an article in today’s sciencedaily, whales have more accurate pitch than most humans! After studying 4,378 blue whales songs, scientists have discovered that their most common pitch is a note that is exactly four octaves below middle C.
The difference between a C and a C-sharp is a 6% variation. Blue whales can maintain their pitch with only 0.5% variation. That’s Juilliard graduate caliber control!
Another other interesting fact is that Blue Whale pitch is gradually getting lower. Since 2001 it has dropped 0.02 Hz. In Classical music pitch keeps getting higher. In the time of J.S. Bach, the standard pitch for an A above middle C was 415 cycles per second. Now most orchestra tune to A440. That is about what Bach would have heard as a B-flat. Some orchestras in Europe now tune as high as A444.
In Bach’s time, the pitch was primarily set by the local organ. Since these were all hand-built, the variation of pitch was far greater than blue whales would find acceptable. From city to city it could vary by as much as a whole step.
Most musicians attribute the rising pitch today to the need to project in larger concert halls. Composers writing for larger orchestras have also played a part. String instruments sound louder and brighter the tighter you tune the strings. The invention of steel strings has made it possible to raise pitch quite a bit higher. In fact, the increased tension of violin strings has caused the violin to be altered. The neck on a modern violin is longer than it was in Stradivarius’ time. Most Strads have been altered to accept the modern tension. Only a few HIP (Historically Informed Practice) groups that like to imitate the authentic sounds of earlier eras, play Strads at the original pitch.
Brass and woodwind plays always complain that the violins are raising the pitch. The oboe will give an A440 at the beginning of a performance and by the time the concert is over, the pitch may have risen to A442. Doesn’t sound like much, but it drives the wind players crazy. Now, if only violinists had as much pitch control as blue whales…
For more blogs by Jack Fishman visit: www.sasymphony.org/blog
The SLL era begins October 2!