Models for collaborative engagement in the recovery and preservation of Maltese folk music (seeking new media practices to preserve and disseminate endangered musical genres)

Borg, Stephen

Abstract

The research focuses on the recovery and preservation of an endangered European music genre that, as intangible heritage, is threatened by a lack of political will to implement a planned strategy in order to establish a national audiovisual archive and fulfill international cultural obligations. In addition to safeguarding intangible heritage, as a facet of collective memory within a digital repository and through the use of new media technology, a model will be proposed, though not necessarily institutional, which may provide a stimulus for its revitalisation and continuity. This study emphasises on Maltese folk music and the important recovery by this author of a substantial magnetic tape open reel collection from the 1957-1988 era. Enthusiasts term this period as the golden age of this genre. The research draws from models of open source collaborative engagement, digital audiovisual practices and new media dissemination to fill this existing black hole in national archiving. With prime folksingers passing away, unique recordings in analog magnetic tape reels and other formats deteriorating, a proposal to address this scenario becomes all the more urgent. Since this musical genre is still active in Malta and no designated repository exists as of yet, new digitally-created folk recordings are also remaining orphaned, and the amount of retrospective material that shall need eventual recovery is ever-increasing.
These tangible results attained by this author will be presented throughout the proposed model, based on various examples, including strands of DIY archiving and online collaboration. It shall also prove that the small nucleus of enthusiast archivists can, with a limited budget, apply the successful workings within it to other endangered musical genres, through trusted long-term preservation plans and use of new media in its many different facets as a tool that prolongs their continuity.

Citation

Borg, S. (2018). Models for collaborative engagement in the recovery and preservation of Maltese folk music (seeking new media practices to preserve and disseminate endangered musical genres). (Thesis). University of Hull. Retrieved from https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4500263

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Jan 4, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 4, 2024
• Keywords: Music; Intangible cultural heritage; Collective memories; Trusted repositories; Long term preservation; Archiving; Citizen curation; Online collaboration; Dissemination; Maltese folk music
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4500263
• Additional Information: School of Arts; University of Hull
• Award Date: May 28, 2018