The Maltese Wind Band

On the Mediterranean island of Malta, wind bands are found in great abundance. There, the wind band tradition is central to everyday life. This work discusses a multitude of topics relating to the history and development of wind bands, including Maltese social and political values, and the island’s entertainment culture and recording industry.

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Wind bands are common around the world, and the small Mediterranean island of Malta is no exception. Their abundance in Malta testifies to the popularity of the wind band tradition among the locals. It is central to everyday life, particularly during the village feast, which is synonymous with Maltese bands. These ensembles are not made up merely of performers and musical instruments but encapsulate a rich and intricate tradition embedded in the local community.

This book describes the history and development of Maltese wind bands, social and political values, the Maltese march, entertainment, and the recording industry. Chapters demonstrate how local communality, partisan political division and rivalry, foreign influences, continuation of past practices as well as the introduction of new ones, and other interests have coalesced to shape the contemporary Maltese wind band tradition.