Her majesty, the queen of sounds

Cultural sustainability and heritage in organ craftsmanship and music

Bibliographic Data

ID4283175
AuthorsMaya Gerner (0000-0002-9439-1879, Technische Universität Dresden, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume28
Issue2
Pages285-310
Publication date2021-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Cultural Property (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0940-7391 • E-ISSN: 1465-7317
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s094073912100014x
OpenAlexW3194005117
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited31

Organ craftsmanship and music are inextricably linked with each other. In Germany, a particularly rich symbiosis between craftspeople, composers, and performing artists has evolved over the centuries. In recognizing the transmission of this intangible cultural know-how from generation to generation, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) inscribed organ craftsmanship and music together in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017. This article elucidates how this inscription influences the perception and self-concept of organ craftsmanship and music, both in theoretic-intellectual and in virtual terms. Complementing the qualitative content analysis of literature and documents, narrative first-hand accounts/expert interviews with organ craftspeople/organ builders have been conducted and interpreted. Taking into account a dual nexus of cultural sustainability and intangible cultural heritage, sustainable value creation, substantial claims, multi-perspective visibility, and facilitative reassurance were analyzed and assessedvis-à-visorgan craftsmanship and music. Including organ craftsmanship and music in UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity demonstrates an appreciation for sustainable value creation related to the quadruple bottom-line of sustainability - that is, addressing economic, environmental, and societal aspects, including culture as a fully integrated dimension; claims substantial rights for safeguarding and invoking/activating heritage; enhances visibility of performing organists, assigned organ builders, frequent practitioners, and nominated organ experts; and enables reassurance of passion and self-positioning with organ craftsmanship and music

Aesthetics · Art · Cultural heritage · Environmental ethics · Intangible cultural heritage · Majesty · Political science · Sociology · Sustainability · Value (mathematics · Visual arts · Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation · Diverse Musicological Studies · Law · Musicians’ Health and Performance

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Open DOIOpen Access