Recording of the week: Whooper Swans take flight

This week’s selection comes from Greg Green, Audio Project Cataloguer for Unlocking our Sound Heritage. Swans are often portrayed as elegant and beautiful birds, and while they can be very aggressive, they are certainly among my favourite birds to see and hear. So it was an absolute joy when I…

Recording of the week: representing Britain at the Venice Biennale

This week’s selection comes from Camille Johnston, Oral History Assistant Archivist. Every two years since 1895 the Venice Biennale has been bringing together artists from across the globe to take part in an almighty exhibition. This year is the 58th exhibition, and 89 countries are taking part. For our Recording…

Ernest Shackleton and the Farthest South

Listen to the voice of Sir Ernest Shackleton as he announces the outcome of the Nimrod Expedition to the Antarctic, recorded in 1909.

Sir Isaac Pitman – phonography and the phonograph

Sir Isaac Pitman (The Pitman Collection, University of Bath) By Jonathan Summers, Curator of Classical Music When Isaac Pitman delivered a speech to the Phonographic Association in 1891 one would think it was to an assembled gathering of enthusiasts of Edison’s discovery of sound recording in the form of the…

Recording of the week: rain over the Iron Range

This week’s selection comes from Cheryl Tipp, Curator of Wildlife & Environmental Sounds. The early morning enthusiasm of this Australian dawn chorus, recorded in Queensland’s Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park, hasn’t been dampened by the weather. The sound of gentle rain is accompanied by a variety of vocalisations from birds…