Voices in Wax explores the earliest developments in commercially-recorded music and phonograph recording technology (c.1885–1915) from a technical perspective, using hands-on experiments to contextualize historical recordings.

The symposium “Voices in Wax” is a direct outcome of the research project Voices in Wax: Recording the Acoustic Era (funded by SNF Spark and HMB, FHNW, active from 01.01.2024–30.06.2025). The project explored the earliest period of commercially recorded music (c. 1885–1915), employing historical, empirical, and technical research methods. It involved comparative studies of original sources and experimental recordings using original historical phonograph equipment. The symposium aims to bring together scholars, performers, and practitioners to share findings, discuss the impact of early recording technologies on music performance, and engage practically with historical recording practices. It will also open discussions about how this knowledge can shape present and future performance practices, and the listening of historical recordings.

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Neue Erkenntnisse über das Liedrepertoire des Codex Buranus und vergleichbarer Quellen sollen den Weg für ein umfassenderes Verständnis seines musikalischen Erbes und seiner Stellung innerhalb der mittelalterlichen europäischen Kultur ebnen.