Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-09-20
Musical pitch.

COSTA tnat musical pltCu III Lnsianu
rose to the height at or about which it
now stands, and full recognition of
the merits Of that great conductor
should not blind us to the two evil
effects entaied by this supposed gain
of general brilllancy and sonority-Se
mean the harm done to the voices of
public singers, and the wrong inflicted
upon composers whose works had
to be mutiated in order to bring
them within the range Of the hui
man voice. For instance, the enormous
intrinsic difficulties presented to vocal
lists by Beethoyen's mass in ID were so
far enhanced by the pitch adopted by
Costa that at the performances Of that
work in 1854, 1861, and 1870. by the
Sacred Harmonic Society, he was
obliged to transpose, or even alter, GER
tain numbers of the vocal score. The
resolution of the meeting Of the Society
of Arts was a dead letter. and when a
crisis did occur nine years later it may
fairly be said to have been forced on
by the single action Of great vocalist.
Mr.. Sims Reeves declined to sing for
the Sacred Harmonic Society, giving as
his reason. in letter to the AtheHTupi,
the abnormally high pitch then prevail
ing. Detractors were not slow TO in
sinuate that he was merely consulting
the interests Of his own organ and not
those of musicians as n whole. The
Odium mUsicum was aroused. and the
papers of the day were filled with CORE
spondence on tho subject. But the mat
ter did not end here. for this strike"
on the part Of an invaluable artist
gave an entirely practical turn to the
controversy. An cnterprising firm Of
musical publishers took up the cause
and organized series Of oratorio con-
ccrts. with Mr.. Sims Reeves as their
chief attraction, and the adoption Of the
French pitch as the chief novelty Of
their programme. A new organ, tuned
to the d,dpdSoH normal. was built for
the purpose, the necessary wind instru-
mentS were purchased in Paris. and the
services Of Mr.. Bamby secured as con-
ductor. Now, as no mention whatever
was made at the recent public meet
ing held in ST. James's Hall of
this practical test of the lover
pitch, which extended over Seye-
raj seasons and was attended
with remarkable success, we may be
allowed. in order to complete this brief
historical survey of the pitch question,
to summarize the net results Of this
experiment so far as they can be gath
cred from contemporary press notices.
From these it is evident that while un-
doubted relief was afforded to the
singers, no perceptible falling oil in
brilliancy or sorority was apparent.
The critics were almost unanimous in
following the lead set by the writer
in the Timos-presumably the late Mr..
Dayison-who candidly confessed that
the difference between the pitches SEEM
ed so slight as hardly to be worth taking
into serious account. A great number
of these gentlemen took no notice Of
the change at all and after the first
season press references to the altered
pitch were almost exclusively confined
to the statement that it was still upheld.
One newspaper which had assailed the
innovation at the outset was obliged to
admit, on the occasion Of Their per-
Torrance Of the mass in ID, that the
adoption of the French pitch was
great advantage and in another jour
nal the diapason normal was attacked |
for the grotesQue reason that, no grand |
piano tuned to that standard being
available, the "queen Of pianiStes -
Nine. Arabella Goddard-was COM
PEELED to submit to the indignity ofper-
forming the piano-forte solo in the ChO-
raj Fantasia upon Semi-grand. !
Eventually the need OF more ex-
tended accommodation for the perform
ers induced the promoters Of th.;e
oratorio concerts to migrate to /
Exeter Hall. where they were obligel I
to conform to the pitch of the organ,
and abandon the diapason normal. The
general public had ceased to take an in /
terest in the question Of pitch, and the /
musical world at large refused to be .
convinced of the expediency Of the al
teration. Thus the movement may be
said to have died natural death, but
not before it had practically demon
strated the feasibility of the change |
where the question of expense was not
allowed 70 stand in the way.