Origins of Sound Recording: The Symposium (VIDEO)

The Origins of Sound Recording:
Edouard-Léon Scott de Martinville Bicentennial Symposium
Saturday April 29, 2017
Thomas Edison National Historical Park
National Park Service
West Orange, New Jersey, USA

 

On April 29th 2017, Thomas Edison National Historical Park hosted a symposium commemorating the 200th anniversary of Edouard-Léon Scott de Martinville’s birth. Researchers shared their latest findings with scholars, teachers, students, writers, documentarians, and others who are rewriting the “origins of sound recording” story. American representatives from the National Park Service, French dignitaries from the scientific establishment, and representatives of the two inventors’ families honored the symposium with their encouragement to craft new, accurate narratives.

The program is listed below. ***To view VIDEOS, go to the YouTube playlist.***

 

Welcome & Opening Remarks

Tom Ross, Superintendent; Thomas Edison National Historical Park
Stephanie Toothman, Associate Director for Cultural Resources, Partnerships, and Science; National Park Service
Catherine Bréchignac, Ambassadeur délégué à la science, la technologie et l'innovation; Secrétaire perpétuel de l'Académie des sciences
David Edison Sloane, Great-Grandson of Thomas A. Edison
Laurent Scott de Martinville, Great-Grandson of Edouard-Léon Scott de Martinville

Program Overview

Jerry Fabris, Museum Curator, Thomas Edison National Historical Park

Humanity's First Recordings of its Own Voice

David Giovannoni, First Sounds

It Works Great in Practice, But It'll Never Work in Theory: How Sound Recording Took On Nineteenth-Century Science

Patrick Feaster, Indiana University

Edouard-Léon Scott de Martinville was my Great-Grandfather

Laurent Scott de Martinville

Bicentennial Tributes to Edouard-Léon Scott de Martinville

The book: First Sounds & Archeophone Records
The film: Philippe Nicolet

Edison’s Path to the Phonograph (what did he know and when did he know it?)

Patrick Feaster

Colloquium: Attendee Discussion and Comments

David Giovannoni, discussion moderator

Recording Demonstrations: Phonautograph & Phonograph

Jerry Fabris & David Giovannoni, featuring Bob Ferrel & Tony Wellman

 

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Thank you to videographer Kip Rowan for recording the symposium!