Searching for Ludwig Wittgenstein: The Quest for His Voice
As of late 2023, there are no known video or audio clips of the pioneering philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. Despite intensive research and numerous inquiries, scholars and enthusiasts have yet to discover any recordings of his voice or even his presence captured on film. Wittgenstein, a major figure in the 20th-century philosophy, lived from 1889 to 1951, and most of the knowledge about his thoughts and ideas comes from his writings and the accounts of those who interacted with him.
The Elusive Wittgenstein
One notable attempt to locate recordings was made by the composer Steve Reich. With extensive resources, Reich's quest was to find a voice recording of Wittgenstein, only to conclude that no such recording existed. In an interview, Reich discusses his efforts to locate the voice of Ludwig Wittgenstein for a piece he was composing for the Kronos Quartet. At first, he thought of using the voice of Béla Bartók but decided against it due to potential rights issues. He then turned to the idea of using Wittgenstein's voice, fascinated by his philosophical work and imagining an interesting voice.
Reich writes, 'I knew I would do a piece for sampled voices and Kronos Quartet but I didn’t know whose voice it was going to be. At first I thought it was going to be the voice of Béla Bartók and I went and got a recording that he made at WNYC years ago during the time he was at Columbia University. He was also at Boosey Hawkes but there turned out to be a problem with rights at which point I just said to myself “Do I want Béla Bartók looking up over my shoulder while I try to write a piece for string quartet? It’s hard enough as it is.” Then I thought about using the voice of Ludwig Wittgenstein because I had studied his philosophy and imagined that he must have had a very interesting voice. But after corresponding with people in the United States and England nobody knew of Wittgenstein recording anything. He would have had to do it with a wire recorder and it turned out that he hadn’t.'
Nearest Approximations and Hints
The search for Wittgenstein’s voice continues in the virtual realm. Composer Mark Glimel, in one of his interactions, mentioned a rough vinyl recording of Wittgenstein's voice. He recalls that the recording was on a DVD from the University library and has since been unable to find it online. Despite the extensive efforts, the recording remains unverified, and it's possible that it exists somewhere, perhaps in the archives of a library or university.
m spite of these unverified leads, the British Library has been queried and their sound recording list does not contain any recordings of Wittgenstein. This absence suggests that potential audio and video recordings may have been lost, or that none were ever made in the first place. Some speculate that the technological limitations of the early 20th century may have played a role; recording technologies were not as advanced, and the reluctance of philosophers to be recorded might have further diminished the likelihood of such recordings.
Conclusion and Future Prospects
The quest for Ludwig Wittgenstein's voice, while fruitless thus far, continues. The desire to hear his unique and profound thoughts directly is a testament to his enduring influence on philosophy. The efforts of composers and scholars to locate his voice reveal the human connection to these great thinkers that transcends the written word. Whether such recordings exist or not, Wittgenstein’s legacy as a philosopher and thinker remains intact, and his words continue to guide and challenge contemporary thought.
As technology advances and archives are digitized, the possibility of uncovering lost recordings may increase. Yet, the fact that no definitive recordings of Wittgenstein have been found so far underscores the importance of his written works in preserving and disseminating his ideas.