1950s and earlier Archives - Between Air and Electricity

December 21, 2017July 2, 2019

112 loud-speaking telephone receivers and other early sound reinforcement systems by Ralf Ehlert

The picture above was made in 1919 during the Victory Liberty Loan and the lamp-like objects hanging above the crowd are so-called loud-speaking telephone receivers. The crowd had “the unusual sensation of having spoken messages come to them out of … read more

March 10, 2017March 3, 2019

An active loudspeaker by Hermann Scherchen

Through his intensive occupation with recording and reproducing music, the conductor Hermann Scherchen (1891-1966) became aware of the enormous amount of people listening to music through loudspeakers. He was concerned with the difference between the complex sound diffusion during a … read more

January 31, 2017February 7, 2017

p. 88 Philips Pavilion by Le Corbusier, Iannis Xenakis and Edgar Varèse

Philips Pavilion (1958) by Le Corbusier, Iannis Xenakis and Edgar Varèse:

January 31, 2017December 21, 2017

p. 76 Neo Bechstein

Neo Bechstein demonstration from 1933 “it is heard through the medium of a loud-speaker” (I love how she pronounces loud-speaker!).

January 31, 2017May 16, 2019

p. 65 Apparat by Hermann von Helmholtz

David Pantalony plays on the 19th century Apparat zur künstlichen Zusammensetzung der Vocalklänge invented by Hermann von Helmholtz and built by Rudolph Koenig. This device was used to do research on the synthesis of vocal sounds.