Contributions to the History of Declamation Research: S.I. Bernsteins Manuscripts and the History of The Institute for Artistic Speech Research

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Walter Koschmal
• Subject Area: General and Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies
• Term: from 2014 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 248410388

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Russian formalist S.I. Bernstein (1892-1970) analyzed recordings of the most prominent Russian poets readings of their own poems. He developed his own methodological approach for the analysis of the spoken word and applied it to the material. His Theory of Artistic Speech with its very specific methodology and terminology, known as the theory of declamation, was soon forgotten.Bernstein s recently discovered archive contains comprehensive and unknown notes for planned articles as well as documents, of the Institute for Artistic Speech Research (Kabinet izucenija chudozestvennoj reci (KICHR)).The projects goal is to produce two publications. The first publication will include all of Bernstein s recently discovered materials that are directly related to his theoretical research and practical teaching of the Theory of Artistic Speech. The second will be a detailed study of the history of the Institute for Artistic Speech Research drawing on archive materials. The project will thus bring new insights into both the research and the history of research on the spoken word.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants