Genealogie der Klangfarbe

The topic of the single tone in its sound quality is presented here for the first time comprehensively and systematically, incorporating theorists from four centuries. The source analysis sheds light on a complex, interdisciplinary, and discontinuous theory dynamics. The central concepts and theories regarding timbre, which are commonly regarded as achievements of the 19th century today, had all been addressed earlier. In the 17th century, the formation of nodes in vibrating strings, the influence of spectral composition on sound quality, and the multiphonic resonance of the human voice are discussed, while the processing of pitch in the inner ear is interpreted for the first time as a resonance process using a place theory. In the 18th century, the discussion about the application of Fourier's theorem to acoustics is anticipated. The history of timbre theories is a result of attempts to merge insights from various disciplines into a cohesive whole.