This is an interesting subject and one to which I think there is no answer (other than 'play in tune') and listen.
As a piano tuner, we tuners in the UK PTA often have the discussion about 'what is perfect pitch' and we never get to the bottom of it save to say that it is something you either have or acquire - the ability to sing a given note, or name a note from a given one without other references. I think for the purposes of argument, you can say the note the person would give, is in 'any' temperament - it's a frequency they know as *A* or *C*, not necessarily A415 (baroque) or C 523.261 (BS). My sister is an oboist and has PP so she never refers to a fork to tune the orchestra, she just blows a good A! For orchestras, intonation is the crucial thing. In our Chamber Orchestra, we (the wind) wince at the string scrapings going on since they tune one string and 3 others from it to what they individually think is OK. After that it is all again individual stopping at an approximation of where the note is - though listen to a pro orchestra and they play as one person - in ours, you hear 8 variations on a theme (the 1sts) and they come in like Mantovani's cascading strings on a note to be played together! So, the solution for the wind dept. at least - I set up a Wind 13tet which is double everything and two tpts (plus a double bass instead of Contra for a 'roomy' sound). Now that we play together as a wind ensemble, our collective intonation is greatly improved when we play in the orchestra since we listen better to each other and at rehearsals for ourselves we are keener listening for clashes. I play 2nd Horn in the ensemble and the orchestra and although my 1st tends to blow sharper than straight, if we are playing in unison or octaves, the notes are beatless because I make it so and it feels really good. It is a 'feeling' - when it's right, it feels good. One excellent method to get all the horn section to play in tune and to listen, try this. Take any 2 players. Get them to stand so their bells are facing each other. Blow a solid G above middle C smack in tune. Beatless, fine. Now, ask one player to raise the pitch very slightly whilst the other maintains the G. The beats will hammer up your arm like you are using a road jack, all through the bell and the instrument! Great fun and it really makes you listen if one player has to follow the other to keep it beatless. Obviously not so easy when all players are in a line 'en orchestre' but it sharpens your wits and will at least ensure the horn dept. is the fine example. Which it is already of course.. Regards from a hot UK, Paul. _______________________________________________ post: [EMAIL PROTECTED] set your options at http://music.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
