All the Noise

This week our readings explored the study of sound in history. Surprisingly, sound is something that I never thought about in relation to history. My focus within my anthropology degree was "anthropology of the senses", so it's funny that I've never thought about combining my studies of the senses with my studies in history. After reading a lit review of three books focusing on the study of sound within history, and the book The Soundscape of Modernity: Architectural Acoustics and the Culture of Listening in America, 1900--1933, by Emily Thompson, I was reminded that the point of studying history is to expand our understanding of the human experience.

In Sound - So What? by Mark Smith, three works were discussed relating to the study of sounds in three different periods; Colonial sound, nineteenth century sound, and twentieth century sound. Smith first looked at Rath's piece on the way worship sounded during colonial times. The main point of this reading involved both space and sound - seating within colonial churches. Colonial elites manipulated the auditory environments of churches and meeting houses to reinforce deeply held spiritual beliefs, and reaffirm social hierarchy. Those seated in the front had the best view and the best auditory spot to hear the minister, while the lower classes and races sat in the back, hearing only "noise", rather than sound. I had already read about the front vs. back of the church affect on social hierarchy, but I never considered the manipulation of sound. An interesting note came from page 136 - "Quakers used hexagonal meeting houses so that the acoustics were sharp and audible for everyone at all times".

Next Smith discussed Keyes's piece on listening to the nineteenth century. This essay focused on the "wild" west, and the familiarization of the "foreign" west by naming landmarks in Anglo-auditory terms; ex. Echo Canyon and Steamboat Springs. This made me think a lot about our shared memory of what it was like in the "old west" during the nineteenth century - I can picture and hear the sounds of whips, horses, hollers, gunshots and whistles!  

"Flappers - The Roaring Twenties"

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The final work examined was Thompson's piece about the sounds of the twentieth century. Thompson looked at the idea of modernity and sound. The premise is that the "past" is associated with multiple senses - such as hearing and smell. There was a strong oral tradition which is associated with being "primitive". Modernity is now associated with the written word. This created a highly ocular society - with  the need for control over noise. (143). Although The Soundscape of Modernity focused on the period from 1900-1933, it made me think a lot about the 1920s. Change was the word of the season, and electronic (radios!!) sound was now invading the streets of cities all over the US, along with the sounds of other new technologies - heavy machinery, motor vehicles, and construction. The Roaring Twenties was just that - roaring with sounds and noise. Thompson talked a lot about control and efficiency.  Those who could insulate themselves from the noise from the streets could focus on sound - like music on the radio or conversation among friends  - this was afforded by new amounts and types of leisure time. Thinking about the human experience on a grander scale, and thinking deeply about the role of sound in the human experience had quite an effect on me. I've spent the last few days deep in my thoughts about the 1920s and what it must have sounded like on the streets of NYC - the buzz of music and brand new motorcars mixed with jackhammers and street vendors. It must have been an amazing time to be a young person with time on your hands and money in your pockets.  I'm glad we had this opportunity to think about the role of sound within our studies of the past.

A Victor-Victrola Oak Phonograph
Photo Courtesy of {https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/11543415_victor-victrola-oak-phonograph-with-tin-horn-diam}