Every recording is a time capsule: a voice, a performance, an era, an emotion captured on a carrier that has become vulnerable over time.
A vital part of our culture and history, recorded musical heritage is today threatened by the deterioration of its carriers, the obsolescence of playback equipment and the gradual disappearance of the specialist knowledge required for its preservation.
Since 2013, the United Music Foundation has been dedicated to preserving, documenting, enhancing and passing on this heritage, so that its content, history and memory can endure for future generations.
Preserve the recorded content on original carriers before deterioration or the obsolescence of playback equipment makes its recovery impossible.
Document the essential information associated with each recording, including the carrier, its content and the preservation process.
Place recordings back in their historical and artistic context, restore them and optimise their sound, and complement them with first-hand accounts, photographs, documents and further research to bring their full value to light.
Enable this heritage to remain accessible and be passed on to future generations by facilitating its use in research, publications, exhibitions, broadcasts and other heritage projects.
Since its creation, the United Music Foundation has preserved thousands of recordings and worked with cultural, heritage and scientific institutions on preservation, research and enhancement projects.
Preserving this heritage means turning a threatened legacy into a lasting, accessible resource that can be passed on, serving both collective memory and future generations.
