Ink on paper is recognized as indisputable evidence of the existence of a music composition. We are aware of the existence of its musical content, even if the imprint has been erased, torn, burned – like in the case of palimpsests – etc. However, with the advent of digital engraving, the ‘original’ no longer exists and thus no single source whose authenticity is impossible to dispute. Modifications to the digital file are not easily detectable, and identical content can be found in multiple copies. Yet, the long-term preservation of digital information requires confidence in the credibility of the organization or person that provides it. Ensuring that the provided information remains unchanged over time is a particular challenge – information generated today must survive long-term changes.
Blockchain technology has emerged as a means of storing information on decentralized networks, secured from tampering and revision. It consists of a ledger that includes timestamped records containing immutable data. Each record is connected with all the other records of the ledger and is secured using cryptographic methods. Information is publicly available to everyone. Trusted timestamping is a technique used to prove the existence of certain content prior to a specific point in time. It allows anyone to prove, without any doubt, that specific digital content existed at a particular date and time.
A method for trusted timestamping engraved music is presented here. The approach contains most of the well-known benefits of blockchain technology. Stored records are immutable, and every digital document is timestamped. Data are interconnected in such a way that upon tampering, the structure becomes invalid. The solution interacts directly with the blockchain and is platform-independent, without any third-party involvement. More importantly, the verification of authenticity takes place without disclosing the document’s content. This ensures that users own and control their personal data.
The method aims to support scholars, publishers, software developers and end-users in proving the existence of any digitally engraved music at a specific point in time.
Presentation. The paper was presented in English at the conference “Music Engraving in the 21st Century – Developments and Perspectives” of the Mozarteum University Salzburg (Salzburg, 17–19 January 2020), on Friday 17 January, in the section on meta-aspects of music engraving (Meta-Aspekte).