Blog 2 – Analyzing DH Projects (Jasmine Maldonado)

(the homepage of Paisajes sonoros históricos)

Imagine walking through the busy streets of Granada or lively markets of Seville in the past. What did these areas sound like and how did it shape the cities identity? These were questions explored in the project Paisajes sonoros históricos (Historical Soundscapes) which is an interactive website that explores historical urban soundscapes digitally. Users are able to examine several historical locations and see their soundscapes through documents, videos, and sounds. Originally, in 2016, the goal of the project came from Juan Ruiz Jiménez, musicologist and member of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes of Granada, and Ignacio Lizarán Rus, computer engineer who works at the Centro de Documentación Musical de Andalucía, to “include thematic self-guided urban itineraries that direct users through a thematic, physical, or virtual tour in which spaces and sound experiences are interconnected within the perimeter of the urban fabric of a city” (Paisajes sonoros históricos, Geoffroy-Schwinden). They wanted to connect the cities of Granada and Seville with the music that was being created at the time and showcase that in an online space. It was an independent and unfunded project they eventually expanded by letting users put their own historical soundscapes of different cities. This made the website have a global outreach. The academic fields the project might be in conversation with includes historians and musicians. Alongside those, the main target audience would be museums, academics, and tourist boards who want to gain a deeper understanding of urban culture. Through Historical Soundscapes, historians are able to see how different cities viewed sound and musicians are able to recreate sounds of the past. The project was based using Django (Python framework), Vue (a Javascript framework), and Leaflet (a Javascript library for building mapping applications). The research and writing within the articles on the website are mostly done by Juan Ruiz Jiménez and any users who added their own work. The building through Django, Vue, and Leaflet is mainly done by Ignacio Lizarán Rus as well. Through these applications the creators built an interactive map of multiple cities across the globe that lets them explore different sonic environments. Their main display is through their website which offers several different links to maps of cities such as Barcelona, Grenade, Granade, Madrid, Seville, Valencia, and Valladolid. The user can also interact with videos, view written accounts of the music, and see photographs of each location. After breaking the project down, I’m curious what type of hardships came along with starting off with an independent project and how they were able to navigate through those obstacles.