Meaning of Kammerton in Music
In music, **Kammerton** refers to a specific pitch standard or tuning system used in chamber music in Germany during the Baroque period. The term "Kammerton" translates to "chamber tone" in English.
During this time, different pitch standards were established for various types of musical ensembles. The Kammerton pitch standard was typically lower than the Chorton pitch standard, which was used for vocal music and organs. The Kammerton pitch was approximately one tone below the Renaissance woodwind pitch.
When different instruments tuned to different pitch standards played together in an ensemble, transposition was necessary to ensure compatibility. For example, in many of Johann Sebastian Bach's cantatas, the organ part was notated a full step lower than the other instruments to accommodate the pitch difference.
It's important to note that the Kammerton pitch standard was specific to Germany during the Baroque period and was not universally adopted. Different regions and time periods had their own pitch standards and tuning systems.
The pitch system used for instruments in Germany during the Baroque period. In this system, A4 was probably about 410-425 Hz as opposed to its modern frequency of 440 Hz.
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