Posted by Rob Perelli-Minetti on July 10, 2000 at 14:14:15:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Pitch change posted by Rick Denney on July 10, 2000 at 12:26:58:
Rick: Thanks. Just goes to show what happens when you write from memory without reviewing sources. There is an article from around 1916 on pitch at:
http://www.echo.com/~umlaut/1916/lecture2pitchstandards.html
in which the name International Pitch is clearly applied to the A=435 standard, which was in widespread use at that time. High Pitch, also known as Philharmonic Pitch or Concert Pitch apparently ranged from A=455 to A=461.6!
The A=440 standard is old, going back in Germany to 1834, but it did not become the dominant standard in this country until sometime in the 30's.
I also seem to recall (but do not have at hand) a discussion in the old edition of the Harvard Dictionary of Music discussing the various pitch standards.