Tuning the World
The Rise of 440 Hertz in Music, Science, and Politics, 1859–1955
By Fanny Gribenski | Publisher: University of Chicago Press
About the book
Tuning the World tells the unknown story of how the musical pitch A 440 became the global norm.
Now commonly accepted as the point of reference for musicians in the Western world, A 440 hertz only became the standard pitch during an international conference held in 1939. The adoption of this norm was the result of decades of negotiations between countries, involving a diverse group of performers, composers, diplomats, physicists, and sound engineers. Although there is widespread awareness of the variability of musical pitches over time, as attested by the use of lower frequencies to perform early music repertoires, no study has fully explained the invention of our current concert pitch. In this book, Fanny Gribenski draws on a rich variety of previously unexplored archival sources and a unique combination of musicological perspectives, transnational history, and science studies to tell the unknown story of how A 440 became the global norm. Tuning the World demonstrates the aesthetic, scientific, industrial, and political contingencies underlying the construction of one of the most “natural” objects of contemporary musical performance and shows how this century-old effort was ultimately determined by the influence of a few powerful nations.
Editions of Tuning the World
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780226823263
- EBook
- ISBN 9780226823270
Read an Excerpt
Tuning the World tells the unknown story of how the musical pitch A 440 became the global norm.
Now commonly accepted as the point of reference for musicians in the Western world, A 440 hertz only became the standard pitch during an international conference held in 1939. The adoption of this norm was the result of decades of negotiations between countries, involving a diverse group of performers, composers, diplomats, physicists, and sound engineers. Although there is widespread awareness of the variability of musical pitches over time, as attested by the use of lower frequencies to perform early music repertoires, no study has fully explained the invention of our current concert pitch. In this book, Fanny Gribenski draws on a rich variety of previously unexplored archival sources and a unique combination of musicological perspectives, transnational history, and science studies to tell the unknown story of how A 440 became the global norm. Tuning the World demonstrates the aesthetic, scientific, industrial, and political contingencies underlying the construction of one of the most “natural” objects of contemporary musical performance and shows how this century-old effort was ultimately determined by the influence of a few powerful nations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Tuning the World about?
Tuning the World tells the unknown story of how the musical pitch A 440 became the global norm.
Now commonly accepted as the point of reference for musicians in the Western world, A 440 hertz only became the standard pitch during an international conference held in 1939. The adoption of this norm was the result of decades of negotiations between countries, involving a diverse group of performers, composers, diplomats, physicists, and sound engineers. Although there is widespread awareness of the variability of musical pitches over time, as attested by the use of lower frequencies to perform early music repertoires, no study has fully explained the invention of our current concert pitch. In this book, Fanny Gribenski draws on a rich variety of previously unexplored archival sources and a unique combination of musicological perspectives, transnational history, and science studies to tell the unknown story of how A 440 became the global norm. Tuning the World demonstrates the aesthetic, scientific, industrial, and political contingencies underlying the construction of one of the most “natural” objects of contemporary musical performance and shows how this century-old effort was ultimately determined by the influence of a few powerful nations.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Tuning the World?
The Arts > Music
Where can I read a sample of Tuning the World?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780226823263
How long is Tuning the World and how many pages does it have?
Tuning the World has 272 page(s)
Is Tuning the World part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series New Material Histories of Music
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Tuning the World?
Fanny Gribenski
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Tuning the World is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780226823263) and ebook(ISBN 9780226823270)