* Recordings of folk music from the region of Kazanlak at the Music and Folk Archive of the Institute of Art Studies, BAS (fieldwork recordings from Todor Djidjev’s trips)

01 February, 2014 – 01 April, 2016

Author: Asst. Prof. Diana Danova-Damianova, National Research Centre for Cultural Heritage Preservation

The selected object sets the structure of the planned task, which will be divided into two parts: a basic one (digitalized and structured originals in a digital compilation, containing audio recordings, inventories, scanned fieldwork diaries, copies of the lyrics of the songs and the notes of the copyists) and a research one: a comprehensive study based on the materials at the Music and Folk Archive and particularly, on those from Djidjev’s trips. Enclosed therein will be a detailed archival reference to the recordings from the region of Kazanlak.
Working principles will be two as well: restoration (conservation), including apart from technical work and devising of a model for the structuring of the copies and an analytical one, where relevant conclusions will be drawn on the ground of the samples arranged according to the chosen criteria (by villages, functions, etc.).
The songs from the region of Kazanlak kept at the Music and Folk Archive, have-not been either published or thoroughly explored probably due to the special location of the region, belonging formally to the Thracian Folk Music District (according to Elena Stoin), but also transitional in many aspects. The specifics of the folk music of the valley of Kazanlak will be revealed in the process of a through research on the recorded songs, which in its final version would stir up interest among professionals, local historians, etc.
The digitalisation of the said recordings will allow for selecting and short-listing of the most typical examples that could be compiled in a collection.
At the final stage of the planned task, publication will be possible (in case of receiving funds) as a book or e-book with a CD, containing about 100 pages of text and examples.
The first stage of the task is supposed to last two years. The large number of original fieldwork materials suggests long technical and restoration works along with which the digital copies will be structured, which will be used for analyses and conclusions.
I need additional funding for the work at the archive to accomplish my task.
Funds for the publishing of the collection will be supposedly granted under a project.