Musikübertragung mit Hilfe eines Sprachrohrs

A group of musicians performs in a small internal chamber where their music is captured by a large, vaulted acoustic collector. The sound is funneled through a winding pipe embedded within the walls and projected out of a large megaphone-like horn on the exterior. The image uses a series of alphabetical labels to explain the technical path of sound waves from the performers to the listener outside.

This print exemplifies Athanasius Kircher’s 'Phonurgia Nova' and his study of 'magia phonica,' or acoustic magic. It represents the early modern effort to master the laws of nature—specifically harmonics and physics—to create architectural wonders that could transmit or amplify sound across great distances.