Studies in Maltese Popular Music

<p>This book examines the diverse facets of popular music in Malta paying special attention to <i>għana</i> (Malta’s folk song) the wind band tradition and modern popular music. Ciantar provides intriguing discussions and examples of how popular music on this small Mediterranean island country interacts with other aspects of the island’s life and culture such as language religion history customs and politics. Through a series of ethnographic vignettes the book explores the music as it takes place in bars at festivals and during village celebrations and considers how it is talked about in the local press at group gatherings and on social media. The ethnography adopted here is that of a native musician and ethnomusicologist and therefore marries the author’s memories with ongoing observations and their evaluation.</p>