I agree, Steve, and so noted that in the original message, but my 
assumption (which could be incorrect) was that the compilers of the 
video might have used restored recordings which, hopefully, had been 
properly pitched by the restorer...I know we've been discussing that is 
not always the case.

Even if we throw out the pre-1950 recordings to eliminate the "78" 
ambiguity, it is still quite startling.

Cheers,

Richard



On 2015-05-05 9:43 AM, Steve Smolian wrote:
> Many 78s were recorded at speeds above and, more often, below 78.26.
> This wild card makes such comparisons questionable.
>
> Steve Smolian
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Richard L. Hess Sent: Tuesday, May 05,
> 2015 9:18 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST]
> A-440, was speaking of pitch
> Getting back on topic, my son Robert, the music student, passed on this
> link to me--I don't think that I had mentioned this thread but we had
> been talking about variations in recordings (specifically in regards to
> Dvorak's New World Symphony (9th now after renumbering)).
>
> So here are the opening chords of Beethoven's Eroica (3rd) Symphony,
> recorded between 1924 and 2011.
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnhlQUBsd6g
>
> And here is a similar compilation of a short section from Stravinsky's
> Rite of Spring from 1921-2010
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2TGRtUu8xw
>
> Yes, I know that the recording technology influences the pitch as much
> as the actual playing, but, overall, I think these two are very
> informative peeks into the degree of variation considered "normal."
>
> The first Toscanini performance of the Beethoven really shows off the
> dry acoustic of what I assume to be Studio 8H at 30 Rock...and perhaps
> why, in 20/20 hindsight, it wasn't such a good idea,  though it seemed
> to make sense at the time.
>
> As an aside, my friend the late Dr. Gerre Hancock, after bringing the
> choir of Men and Boys from St. Thomas Church to ABC TV-2 studio on W
> 66th Street in NYC for a holiday season appearance on "Good Morning
> America" asked me why I built studios that sounded like "pillow factories."
>
> Get out your tuners or pitch pipes and enjoy! If you have perfect pitch
> and are offended easily, please don't listen <smile>.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Richard
-- 
Richard L. Hess                   email: [log in to unmask]
Aurora, Ontario, Canada                             647 479 2800
http://www.richardhess.com/tape/contact.htm
Quality tape transfers -- even from hard-to-play tapes.