Expo Soundscapes
Technique, Sound and the Question of National Identity
Patricia Jäggi
How does Switzerland sound? The article posits music and sound as carrier of a national signification, and researches the acoustic representation of Switzerland in the national exhibitions of 1939 and 1964. Whilst the “Landi” of 1939 was still very much steeped in sounds linked to tradition and patriotism, the sonic landscap of the 1964 Expo leaves a surprisingly emotionless and technoid impression. A hint at the great import of modernity in the postwar period, but also a sign of how problematic national identity has become in a global age.
