Cities And Memory

"Hagar Qim, on the south western edge of Malta, is one of the oldest built structures in the world. Over 5000 years old, this megalithic temple overlooks the dazzling blue Mediterranean. In 2008, canopies were constructed to protect these monuments from further elemental damage. Small birds, mainly sparrows, have now made their home among the high eaves of these shelters, their calls echoing through the temple. This spot is unusually far from the traffic and urban noise that dominates much of the island, and I was able to record the bird sounds as I walked up the stony cliff path towards the temple.  "To me, sparrows are one of the characteristic sounds of the Maltese islands, along with the sound of the sea and the ringing of church bells, none of which you are ever far from. My piece merges my own field recordings of these three quintessential Maltese sounds with something very personal. My grandfather was a teacher and writer from Mqabba, a tiny village near Hagar Qim. When he retired, he undertook a labo