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In the Klingendes Museum Bern ("Sounding Museum"), there is a collection from the first half of the 19th century, consisting of 20 wind and percussion instruments and 49 handwritten music notebooks. The four-year project aims to trace the genesis of a then-new form of wind music, which has continuously evolved into its modern form, using this uniquely multifaceted source as a model.
This “Hundwil Collection” originates from two music societies in Eastern Switzerland that cultivated this new form of wind music, featuring clarinets as melody instruments and extensive use of percussion. The interconnections between the preserved instruments, over 450 musical pieces (including various marches, waltzes, and pieces from operas), and the numerous details in the notebooks (e.g., names of players, concert dates, and programs) make the collection a particularly compelling source. Its three distinct historical layers also allow for the reconstruction of the early development of military or civilian wind music, such as the continuous addition of new pieces to the part books or the incorporation of modern brass instruments with valves by the mid-19th century.
The research team examines this from three perspectives: instrument studies, historical research, and musicological analysis. The findings will be shared with both the academic community and the broader public through a symposium, publications, an exhibition, concerts featuring the music on historical instruments, and published editions of the scores.

Research poster (pdf)

Figure: The earliest date mentioned in the collection can be found in the music book of the drum: “In the year 1811, the present music society has gathered in the ‘obere Bleiche’, before …” © Klingendes Museum Bern