E.F.F. Chladni's experiments and observations with sound and vibrations profoundly influenced
the development of the field of Acoustics. The famous Chladni diagrams along with other
observations are contained in Die Akustik published in German in 1802 and Traité d'Acoustique
a greatly expanded version published in French in 1809. This is the first comprehensive
translation of the expanded French version of Traité d'Acoustique using the 1802 German
publication for reference and clarification. The translation was undertaken by Robert T. Beyer
PhD (1920-2008) noted acoustician Professor of Physics at Brown University and Gold Medal
recipient of the Acoustical Society of America. Along with many other projects completed over
the course of his career Dr. Beyer translated Von Neumann's seminal work Mathematical
Foundations of Quantum Mechanics from the original German spent 30 years translating Russian
physics treatises and journals served as editor of the English translation of the Soviet
Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics and also authored Sounds of our Times: Two
Hundred Years of Acoustics.
