The Oscillating Circuit: The Resonating Provenance of Electronic Media

This research project in music and media studies is focused on the oscillating circuit, the connection between the electronic-technological components of the coil and the capacitor. Retracing the representation of the genesis of the oscillating circuit from the 1750s to the first half of the twentieth century, the project asks to what extent this genesis is made possible by existing musical knowledge and, moreover, conditions the development of innovative media technologies. The development of the oscillating circuit, which the projects assumes to be fundamentally driven by constant feedback between existing musical tradition and innovative technologies, culminates around 1900—on the one hand, in the possibility of sending wireless messages, and on the other in the development of innovative electronic musical instruments. The project takes a media-archaeological approach to examine both source texts from the chosen period and contemporary devices and circuit diagrams.

From 2008–2011, BA in music and media (primary major) and history, followed by an MA in media studies in 2014, both at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

„Das Perpetuum mobile – oder: wie das Provisorische in die Maschine kam“, in: wissenderkuenste.de, Onlinepublikation des Graduiertenkollegs „Das Wissen der Künste“, Nr. 4 „das Provisorische“, November 2015, URL: http://wissenderkuenste.de/#/text/das-perpetuum-mobile-oder-wie-das-provisorische-in-die-maschine-kam-2/.

c.doerfling_ @udk-berlin.de