Where Words Fail is a performance lecture exploring Cathy’s PhD research into C19th sound instruments, both scientific and musical. The piece specifically engages with Alexander Graham Bell’s “speaking harp”, a speculative instrument for transmitting voice over distance that was eventually discarded in favour of the method tympanic resonance as used in the current telephone

We wanted the piece to embody the sound and sonic research methodology within Bell’s work and the performance featured tuning forks, resonant pianos and sung vowel tones, as well as Cathy’s research notes.