Sound Souvenirs (Transformations in Art and Culture)

In recent decades, the importance of sound for remembering the past and for

creating a sense of belonging has been increasingly acknowledged. We keep

‘sound souvenirs’ such as cassette tapes and long play albums in our attics

because we want to be able to recreate the music and everyday sounds we once

cherished. Artists and ordinary listeners deploy the newest digital audio

tec...

In recent decades, the importance of sound for remembering the past and for

creating a sense of belonging has been increasingly acknowledged. We keep

‘sound souvenirs’ such as cassette tapes and long play albums in our attics

because we want to be able to recreate the music and everyday sounds we once

cherished. Artists and ordinary listeners deploy the newest digital audio

technologies to recycle past sounds into present tunes. Sound and memory are

inextricably intertwined, not just through the commercially exploited nostalgia

on oldies radio stations, but through the exchange of valued songs by means of

pristine recordings and cultural practices such as collecting, archiving and

listing. This book explores several types of cultural practices involving the

remembrance and restoration of past sounds. At the same time, it theorizes the

cultural meaning of collecting, recycling, reciting, and remembering sound

and music.

Karin Bijsterveld is a professor in the Department of Technology & Society Studies

at Maastricht University. Her publications focus on science, technology, and

sound – including noise and music. She is the author of Mechanical Sound:

Technology, Culture, and Public Problems of Noise in the Twentieth Century

(MIT Press, 2008). With Trevor Pinch, she has just started working on a...

Karin Bijsterveld is a professor in the Department of Technology & Society Studies

at Maastricht University. Her publications focus on science, technology, and

sound – including noise and music. She is the author of Mechanical Sound:

Technology, Culture, and Public Problems of Noise in the Twentieth Century

(MIT Press, 2008). With Trevor Pinch, she has just started working on a Sound

Studies Handbook (Oxford University Press). For her additional sonic projects,

see http://www.fdcw.unimaas.nl/staff/bijsterveld.

José van Dijck is a professor of Media and Culture and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities

at the University of Amsterdam. She has published widely on the relation

between science, technology, and media. She is the author of four books,

including The Transparent Body. A Cultural Analysis of Medical Imaging

(University of Washington Press, 2005). Her most recent book is entitled Mediated

Memories in the Digital Age (Stanford University Press, 2007). Her homepage

address is http://home.medewerker.uva.nl/j.f.t.m.vandijck.