Conservar el sonido para difundir la memoria

Abstract

This article examines the historical, cultural, and technological significance of sound recording and reproduction in Spain, from early phonographs and gramophones to digital formats. It explores how recorded sound transformed listening practices, cultural dissemination, and collective memory while emphasizing the materiality of sound media. Particular attention is given to the collections of the National Library of Spain and its work preserving, restoring, and digitizing fragile sound heritage. The article argues that conserving recordings and playback technologies is essential to safeguarding the cultural memory and sonic identity of past societies.