New Philharmonic Pitch

music

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Last updated

July 23, 2026

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The "new philharmonic pitch" refers to a musical tuning standard adopted in Britain in the late 19th century. It set the pitch for A above middle C to vibrate between 435 and 439 times per second, replacing an older, higher standard known as the "old philharmonic pitch".12

In music, pitch is the highness or lowness of a sound, determined by the frequency of its sound waves. A higher frequency means a higher pitch, and a lower frequency means a lower pitch. For example, 880 Hz is a high pitch, while 55 Hz is a low pitch.2

Standard pitches are used to help musical groups tune. The current international standard is A = 440 Hz, adopted in 1939. Before that, for about eighty years, A was set at 435 Hz. The rise in pitch during the 19th century made an international agreement necessary.2

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pitch
…in 1896, adopted the “New Philharmonic Pitch” at a′ = 439 and, in 1939, adopted the U.S. standard pitch of a′ = 440. In the mid-20th century, pitch again tended to creep upward as some European woodwind builders used the pitch a′ = 444.
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…in 1896, adopted the “New Philharmonic Pitch” at a′ = 439 and, in 1939, adopted the U.S. standard pitch of a′ = 440. In the mid-20th century, pitch again tended to creep upward as some European woodwind builders used the pitch a′ = 444.
Read More