Yo-Yo Ma: Inspired by Bach in baroque pitch

[w***@gmail.com]

Over the past few centuries so-called "standard pitch" has risen higher
and higher, to the extent of about a half-step since the early 1700s.
It's likely that this is the reason Yo-Yo Ma recorded the Bach "flat."
The cello responds in an entirely different way when it's tuned down a
half-step.

Stephen Pollard of Downers Grove fame?

[w***@gmail.com]

Over the past few centuries so-called "standard pitch" has risen higher
and higher, to the extent of about a half-step since the early 1700s.
It's likely that this is the reason Yo-Yo Ma recorded the Bach "flat."
The cello responds in an entirely different way when it's tuned down a
half-step.

Stephen Pollard of Downers Grove fame?

[w***@gmail.com]

Over the past few centuries so-called "standard pitch" has risen higher
and higher, to the extent of about a half-step since the early 1700s.
It's likely that this is the reason Yo-Yo Ma recorded the Bach "flat."
The cello responds in an entirely different way when it's tuned down a
half-step.

S Pollard of Downers Grove fame?

[1***@fhps.net]

My friend with absolute pitch told me that his recording of the Bach
cello suites by Yo-Yo Ma was a semitone flat from start to finish.
Has anyone else noticed this? I would like to know whether he simply
had a defective CD, or the entire production was botched. I saw the
film series, and I generally liked his performances, particularly in
the fast movements (above all the D minor Courante); but some aspects
I simply could not understand, like the unbelievably slow tempo he
chose for the D minor Prelude, which robbed that masterpiece of its
passion, resulting in a mere succession of notes. And throughout he
seemed to look very darkly at the suites, when I have always thought
of them as being, as a whole, joyous; particularly the triumphant D
Major, in which the plodding tempo he chose for the Allemande turned a
beautiful, romantic movement almost into a lament. In any case, I
suppose I'm biased toward the Csaba Onczay recording on Naxos, but the
cello suites are among my favourite works of the entire repertoire,
and I would like to hear what others have thought of them.
---
Alex Adams
As you from crimes would pardoned be,
Let your indulgence set me free.

I think your friend was right- I attempted to play along to the Minuets from the suite in G major, and I noticed that.

[Phillip Helbig (undress to reply)]

My friend with absolute pitch told me that his recording of the Bach
cello suites by Yo-Yo Ma was a semitone flat from start to finish.

Note that a' was not 440 Hz in the Baroque time, but lower. Many
Baroque recordings take this into account.

Remember, absolute pitch is just a good memory.

[Phillip Helbig]

Post by Phillip Helbig (undress to reply)

My friend with absolute pitch told me that his recording of the Bach
cello suites by Yo-Yo Ma was a semitone flat from start to finish.

Note that a' was not 440 Hz in the Baroque time, but lower. Many
Baroque recordings take this into account.
Remember, absolute pitch is just a good memory.

Exactly. At least in most cases. When I hear two tones, one can be
higher or lower than the other, but they are qualitatively the same.
Physically, the same applies to light, but I perceive colours as being
qualitatively different. Perhaps some people have a similar perception
of sounds. In this case, absolute pitch is no more puzzling than my
ability to say that something is blue without having to compare it to
another colour of known name. In either case, of course, a' = 440Hz is
a modern convention.

[Phillip Helbig]

My friend with absolute pitch told me that his recording of the Bach
cello suites by Yo-Yo Ma was a semitone flat from start to finish.

Compared to what? Remember that a' = 440Hz is relatively modern. It is
not uncommon to have a' = 415Hz or a' = 392 Hz for Baroque music.