# Terminology for Period vs Modern Instruments and Tunings



## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

Apologies if this has been done before (I couldn't find it).

What are the proper terms for the following:


1) Period instruments with historical tuning (A=415/430)

2) Period instruments with modern tuning (A=440) (is this even a thing?)

3) Modern instruments with historical tuning (A=415/430)

4) Modern instruments with modern tuning (A=440) (my guess this is just called 'standard')

5) Modern instruments with modern tuning but using historical research for interpretation


One of these is called HIP I guess but does that mean "Historic Instrument Performance" or "Historically Informed Performance"

Just trying to use the correct terms.


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

No responses again? Well just call me the thread killer. :/ If anyone wants their thread to die let me know and I'll be happy to post something.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

Olias said:


> Apologies if this has been done before (I couldn't find it).
> 
> What are the proper terms for the following:
> 
> ...


As far as I know there are only two terms in common use: 1) HIP, i.e. *historically informed performance* and 2) *period instrument performance*. Regarding HIP, this is best done using period instruments but there have been a number of recordings using modern instruments but employing period performance practice to some extent.

HIP considerations in general involve tempo, tuning, vibrato/articulation, and phrasing, and for keyboard music limited use of the sustain pedal. Period instrument concerns involve general set-up, lack of chin rests, use of gut strings and period bows, as well as, the use of keyboards such as the fortepiano, as opposed to the modern grand, for 18th century music, and period pianos such as Erards and others for 19th century music.

I may have left some things out, but these are the what I understand to be the basic concepts.


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

That's what I needed, thanks. :tiphat:


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

I think your categories 2 and 3 are mostly empty. Probably some of the older 1960s&70s early HIP recordings would fall under 2? and some more recent hybrids (the first was Harnoncourt with the European CO around 1990) would use old brass along with modern woodwinds and strings, so the tuning is probably modern.


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

I was going to respond when there were 0 responses but thought you'd just take it as a joke. What I was going to say was: You nailed it! — meaning 1-5 are already in the proper words.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Olias said:


> 2) Period instruments with modern tuning (A=440) (is this even a thing?)


Some baroque organs were retuned in a more modern way in the c18 and c19 centuries;


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Olias said:


> 3) Modern instruments with historical tuning (A=415/430)
> .


Examples would be arguably Cedric Pescia's Art of Fugue and less arguably Hans Georg Schaeffer's Well Tempered Clavier. There are tons of modern organs with baroque tunings on record.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Olias said:


> 1) Period instruments with historical tuning (A=415/430) *Authentic instrument with authentic tuning*
> 
> 2) Period instruments with modern tuning (A=440) (is this even a thing?) *Authentic instrument with inauthentic tuning*
> 
> ...


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Olias said:


> Apologies if this has been done before (I couldn't find it).
> 
> What are the proper terms for the following:
> 
> ...


Interesting project to apply this thinking to the voice.


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## premont (May 7, 2015)

Mandryka said:


> Some baroque organs were retuned in a more modern way in the c18 and c19 centuries;


Yes, in the same way that they were also rebuilt and re-intonated to accommodate a more romantic taste. Shame that many original pipes were also discarded at the same occasion.


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## premont (May 7, 2015)

Mandryka said:


> Olias said:
> 
> 
> > 1) Period instruments with historical tuning (A=415/430) *Authentic instrument with authentic tuning*
> ...


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