Intonation—the art and science of playing in tune—is a puzzle every cellist encounters, from the first tentative notes to the most dazzling solo performances. But what does it mean to play "in tune"? The answer is far more fascinating and fluid than most people realize, shaped by centuries of musical evolution and the hands of countless musicians.
What Is Intonation?
Intonation is more than just landing your finger in the right spot; it's about how notes relate to each other, weaving together into melodies and harmonies that feel alive. On the cello, there are no frets or keys to guide you—every note is a subtle negotiation, every interval a judicious decision. If you've played chamber music, you know that what sounds perfectly in tune to a violinist might feel off to a cellist, depending on the harmony and context.
A Moving Target: Intonation Through the Ages
The consensus of "in tune" has undergone a significant shift over the past 250 years, influenced by evolving musical styles, advancements in instrument technology, and shifting artistic ideals.
Pythagorean Tuning: In the Middle Ages, musicians built their scales from pure perfect fifths. This tuning made melodies clear and direct, but as music became more chromatic, stacking fifths introduced a small discrepancy—the "comma"—that made some intervals sound sour.
Just Intonation: As harmonies grew richer, musicians turned to just intonation, tuning intervals like thirds and sixths to natural whole-number ratios, like 5:4 and 5:3. The result? Chords that shimmer with purity—at least in certain keys. Move too far, and those same intervals lose their magic.
Mean-Tone Temperament: The 16th and 17th centuries brought compromise. Mean-tone temperament attempted to narrow the perfect fifths to make major and minor thirds more consonant. It
smoothed out some rough edges, but in distant keys, certain intervals became "wolf notes"—so dissonant they were nearly unplayable.Equal Temperament: The modern solution (compromise?) divides the octave into twelve equal steps or, technically speaking, 100 cents for each semitone. This tuning makes it possible to play in any key, but at the cost of the unique colour and resonance that earlier musicians prized.
Changing Pitch Standards: The Tale of A440
Even the pitch we call "A" has evolved. In the Baroque era, "A" could be as low as 415 Hz. Why so much variation? Early gut strings were sensitive to temperature and humidity, and older cellos came in many shapes and sizes, each with its own resonance and tuning quirks. As string makers shifted from gut to steel and synthetic materials, and as cellos became more standardized, the pitch became more stable. This technical progress—and the growing need for orchestras to play together—paved the way for the universal standard of A440, letting musicians around the world agree on what "in tune" means.
Why This Matters for Today's Cellists
Intonation is both a personal journey and a shared tradition. Our sense of pitch is shaped by history, culture, and even our own ears. Understanding the story behind tuning systems helps cellists make more informed, expressive choices—whether interpreting Bach, blending with a pianist, or exploring new repertoire.
Try This in Your Practice:
Listen Across Eras: Find recordings of Baroque, Classical, and modern cello music. Notice how the sound of "in tune" changes. What do you hear in the resonance and colour of chords?
Experiment with Tuning: Play a simple scale or double stops. First, tune using pure fifths (Pythagorean tuning), then try to tune the thirds and sixths as purely as possible (just intonation). How does the character of the sound change?
Reflect on Your Instrument: What adjustments do you need to make to play 'in tune' when playing with the piano, which is tuned in equal temperament?
Developing a heightened sensitivity to intonation is an essential step toward a more nuanced approach to playing in tune.
Listening tracks
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=subbtBVMVm0&list=PLfQvEg8gNwTRQ45LENDwr20KwvRpFChM1
Beethoven: Sonata in A Major for Cello and Piano
©2025. S. Aaron Wong. All rights reserved
