This week’s selection comes from Cheryl Tipp, Curator of Wildlife and Environmental Sounds. Sparkie Williams was a prize-winning talking budgerigar, renowned for his impressive vocabulary of over 500 words, sayings and rhymes. In 1958 he was crowned top bird in the BBC’s International Cage Word Contest which turned him into… read more
This week’s selection comes from Dr Eva del Rey, Curator of Drama and Literature Recordings and Digital Performance. In this recording, made in 1991 at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, British literary theorist Terry Eagleton discusses the intricacies of the concept of ideology with French sociologist, anthropologist and… read more
Botanical artist Jess Shepherd has spent the past few years immersed in the world of leaves, both from a visual and sonic point of view. In this special guest post, Jess writes about how field recording became an intrinsic part of her creative process. As a botanical painter, I specialise… read more
This week’s selection comes from Jonathan Summers, Curator of Classical Music Recordings. Scottish composer Sir John Blackwood McEwen (1868-1948) had a distinguished career producing a large amount of music, little of which is heard today. He was Principal of the Royal Academy of Music from 1924-1936 and was knighted in… read more
This week’s selection comes from Stephen Cleary, Lead Curator of Literary & Creative Recordings. In this recording, poet and reggae artist Linton Kwesi Johnson gives a lecture on the late Jamaican performance poet Mikey Smith (1954-1983), author of ‘Me Cyaan Believe It’. The talk is based on his personal knowledge… read more