No reason not to call an instrument in B Flat; historically they more often used terms like alto, tenor, followed by hexachord syllables, then "pitches". The reason is that they used a transposing system. So if you really want to think like they thought, it is better to think in a transposing system, but even though I can transpose anything, I still have trouble making that total leap, so for example there are four theorbos here tuned a half step apart, I never think that one is in F sharp, But the 465 instrument is a "G" theorbo for the vespers and an "A" theorbo for Scarlatti at 415, the 440 instrument is a "G" theorbo for modern opera or 440 vespers that couldn't quite get up to 465, and the 392 theorbo is in G for French music or even in F for singers at Festivals in which the pitch has been set at 440.
So each instruments letter name depends on the mode, and each instruments number name depends on the gig--the A theorbo is at 465 if playing the Vespers and thinking in G. So even though there is no reason not to call it an F sharp instrument, I never think in F sharp. But I do think in B Flat, even though that is a fairly rare transposition it is one that I have studied because historically, musicians were required to transpose by tone, third and fourth. Theoretically, F sharp is a minor third transposition from A, but the ones normally used in the third transposition are G goes to E in minor, G goes up to B Flat in Major. I never bothered learning the F sharp transposition, although I was asked once to sight read a Handel aria with a countertenor making the transposition to F sharp minor. It happens, maybe better to sit it out. dt At 04:35 PM 11/18/2009, you wrote: >Got a question for the collective wisdom. > >When describing an instrument, one of the common points of distinction is >nominal pitch, one speaks of an alto recorder in G, a clarinet in C, or a >Lute in G for example. > >I can see reason for a nominal pitch to involve one sharp or one flat >(clarinet and many brass instruments are in Bb and Eb) but can anyone >think of a reason to consider an instrument to be in, oh, say, Bbb ? > >-- >Dana Emery > > > >To get on or off this list see list information at >http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
