Transphonographies of Chilean exile in Europe

Abstract

Using a transphonographic model, this article examines the Chilean discography created during exile in Europe between 1973 and 1990. Through the study of numerous phonograms, we propose to understand the record as an object key to make visible the aesthetic transformations and to understand, in this sense, some characteristics of the Chilean exile. To show the artistic connections in a broad sense, aspects such as record production, commercial circulation, and intercultural musical receptions were examined. We identify the aspects that interacted in the recording process: the musicians (amateurs and professionals), the graphic imagery of the exiled artists, the experimentation with technologies, and the updating of musical styles. Considering arrangement, performance, and recording as three interconnected dimensions, we analyzed series of cases of musical covers and self-covers that represent different ways of handling emotions through vocal practices and the use of the soundbox. All these elements reveal the potential of music records as a cultural object of exile and demonstrate the richness of the transphonographic model.