A new look at Maltese high pitched folk singing 'La Bormliza'

Abstract

Traditional music performance on the Maltese islands of Malta and Gozo, better known as għana, is predominantly vocal, covered in a limited melodic repertoire and with a strong emphasis on textual content related to a local audience. It includes different types of sub-genres, partly singing and improvised in words without further preparation. In particular is a loose term for performing words with forced and tense voice, over long melodic lines and stretched and distorted across long ornamental passages. So far three theories have focused on the origin of Għana la Bormliża : (1) the Spanish,Sicilian origin (assuming that any other Maltese folk music is non,existent); (2) the Arabic,European symbiosis; (3) the indigenous origin. The performance merits attention only while performed locally (and in Australia by Maltese migrants). Until recently it contained attitudes in the affiliation to distinct class division, but it is virtually incomprehensible to any but the initiated in a distinct music milieu. The presentation will focus on the collision and opposition between music and performance, and on possible influences from European and non,European context. Furthermore, its social function is changing within a new cultural context while been recently resuscitated in a process of proactive enculturation.