30 Sep
2015
30 Sep
'15
9:10 p.m.
[Dave Phillips]
I pretty much agree with this POV. I'm reminded of
Luis Milan's advice re:
tuning to the novice on the vihuela, it was something like "Tune the highest
string as high as it will go", a rather practical commentary on intonation from
the 16th century.
Yes, this has a long tradition: the higher the tension, the more
energy the string can handle, the louder the sound. Supported by
advances in instrument making and in the materials used, this has lead
to a continuous rise in pitch over the centuries.
Incidentally, virtually none of the famous Guarneri or Stradivari
violins is still in original shape. Almost all of them have been
extensively modified and reinforced in order to accommodate the
high-tension strings and playing necessary to produce the volume that
can fill a modern concert hall.
Cheers, Tim