RSA Blog

Happy Birthday, Louis Armstrong! Today would have been Louis Armstrong’s 121st birthday. Did you know that a Jewish immigrant family helped Armstrong buy his first horn?

In a memoir from 1970 titled Louis Armstrong and the Jewish Family in New Orleans, LA the year of 1907 Armstrong described his time working for the Karnofsky family, a local Lithuanian-Jewish family who hired him to do odd jobs for their peddling business.

The jazzman would later write that the Karnofskys treated him as though he were their own child, often giving him food and even loaning him money to buy his first instrument, a $5 cornet which he paid back. (he wouldn’t begin playing the trumpet until 1926). As a sign of his gratitude to his Jewish benefactors, Armstrong later took to wearing a Star of David pendant around his neck until the end of his life in memory of the family who had helped him.

Here are a few RSA staff favorites of Louis Armstrong to get you started:

RSA Staff Favorites by Louis Armstrong

1. You’re Next
2. Melancholy
3. Frankie And Johnny
4. When the Saints Go Marching In
5. Satchel Mouth Swing

Celebrate Armstrong’s birthday today by listening to the music behind one of the most influential figures in jazz by visiting the RSA Website: https://rsa.fau.edu/louis-armstrong

And let us know in the comments, what is your favorite Louis Armstrong song?

Please note, due to copyright some items may only be available as a 45 second snippet.

If you are a Researcher or Educator in need of full access to these recordings, click here.

FAU Students, Faculty and Staff can listen to recordings unrestricted by logging into the Research Station using their FAU NET ID.

The post Listen to RSA Staff Favorites by Louis Armstrong appeared first on Recorded Sound Archives.

It’s National Donut Day and on this day one song comes to mind, The Donut Song by Burl Ives. Despite it’s age, this song has a wonderful message about life:

When you walk the streets you’ll have no cares

If you walk the lines and not the squares

As you go through life make this your goal

Watch the donut, not the hole.

Meaning appreciate what you have (the donut), shed your desires, worries and wants (the hole).

You can listen to this song on the Recorded Sound Archives website: https://rsa.fau.edu/track/113310

& let us know in the comments what your favorite type of donut? We’re pretty partial to Boston Cream donuts here in the sound archive.

The post Listen to the Donut Song by Burl Ives appeared first on Recorded Sound Archives.

Over the years, whether it was a program about the war or just reminding people to remember and honor our many brave, patriotic fallen heroes, Stars and Stripes has always been playing in the background. Here at the Recorded Sound Archives we wanted to share a Piano Roll of the famous Stars and Stripes Forever March.

Did you also know that the Stars and Stripes Forever March by John Philip Sousa was RCA Victor’s billionth record played by the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the leadership of Serge Koussevitzky?

You can learn more about this achievement by reading the original article post back in 1946.

Here at the Recorded Sound Archives we have digitized this recording which can now be listened to on our website just in time for Memorial Day Weekend.

We hope you have a safe Memorial Weekend and take a moment to remember and honor our many brave, patriotic fallen heroes while listening to this piece.

The post Listen to Stars and Stripes this Memorial Day Weekend appeared first on Recorded Sound Archives.

“Yankee Doodle” was a well-known song in the New England colonies before the battles of Lexington and Concord, but only after the skirmishes there was it appropriated by the American militia.

Tradition holds that the colonials began to sing the tune as they forced the British back to Boston on April 19, 1775.

By 1777, “Yankee Doodle” had become an unofficial American anthem. After the Revolutionary War, “Yankee Doodle” surfaced in stage plays, classical music, and opera.

You can listen to a few versions of this song here at the Recorded Sound Archives website:

https://rsa.fau.edu/album/12135

https://rsa.fau.edu/album/47376

https://rsa.fau.edu/album/12027

If you’d like to learn more about the history of Yankee Doodle visit the Library of Congress website.

The post Yankee Doodle – A Bit of Music History appeared first on Recorded Sound Archives.

Looking for music to enjoy with family and friends this Passover? Here at the Recorded Sound Archives at FAU Libraries, we would like to highlight the voices of Ariel Silber, Avi Hadas, Yaron Bar, Ralph Levitan a few artists out of several available in the Passover Collection off the album, Passover Sing-A-Long.

This album was produced by The Children’s Village of Jerusalem which was founded in 1994 by Rabbi Weingarten. The music on these albums,created by CVOJ, feature delightful holiday sing-a-long songs for children.

To listen to this album, click here.

Discover over 40 other recordings for you to enjoy with family and friends in the Passover Collection.

Enjoy!

The post Celebrate Passover with Music from Children’s Village of Jerusalem appeared first on Recorded Sound Archives.

Today, April 12, 1861 was the beginning of the American Civil War. Here at the Recorded Sound Archives as a bit of music history we wanted to share a piano roll of a song from that time period “Just before the Battle, Mother” which was a popular song during the American Civil War, particularly among troops in the Union Army. It was originally written and published by George F. Root in 1863.

Enjoy the video below of Ben Roth, Sound Archivist for the Recorded Sound Archives as he plays a piano roll featuring this song.

You can listen to a recorded version of this song by J.W. Myers from 1904 on the Recorded Sound Archives website. Click here to listen: https://rsa.fau.edu/album/57570

The post Just Before the Battle, Mother – A Bit of Music History appeared first on Recorded Sound Archives.

In celebration of Black History Month, our Sound Archivist Ben Roth wanted to share “Heebie Jeebies” one of Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five’s first recordings on a piano roll using his player piano. Please enjoy this video we put together.

You can listen to the original recording played by Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five by visiting: https://rsa.fau.edu/album/6591

Beyond Louis Armstrong, you can listen to more original recordings on our website by several musicians who paved the way of those of today. From Ma Rainey to Billie Holiday, you can listen to over 20+ musicians within our collection.

Beyond the RSA website, we also wanted to share that FAU Libraries has several guides sharing even more resources in relation to Black History month and music that are worth checking out.

Discover and learn something new this month – and let us know who your favorite musician is in the comments below.

Books and Streaming Videos Worth Checking Out this Black History Month

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Did you know that FAU Libraries has a sound archive which you can access and listen to recordings for research from the comforts of your own home?

Last year, the Recorded Sound Archives digitized 473 albums along with 3,912 songs for those to access reaching over 128 countries, and receiving 168,085 hits from all over the world.

 

As a New Year’s gift and a welcome to the FAU community we wanted to share a few staff favorites from 2021.

 

Discover Staff Favorites from 2021

1. Bolero by Larry Adler
2. There’s a Lull in My Life by Ella Fitzgerald
3. Baby, You’ve Got What It Takes by Belford Hendricks’s Orchestra; Dinah Washington
4. Berceuse by Ruby Helder
5. The Wedding Samba by Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians; Kenny Gardner
6. Out O’ Breath by Gloria De Haven; Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians; The Lombardo Trio
7. Kiss of Fire by Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians; Kenny Gardner
8. Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight by The Lombardo trio; Kenny Gardner; Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians
9. Ricochet (Rick-O-Shay) by Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians; The Lombardo Trio; Kenny Gardner
10. Tales of the Olympian Gods by Ronald Colman

 

 

And let us know in the comments, some of your favorite vintage artists, albums and songs.

Please note, due to copyright some items may only be available as a 45 second snippet.

If you are a Researcher or Educator in need of full access to these recordings, click here.

FAU Students, Faculty and Staff can listen to recordings unrestricted by logging into the Research Station using their FAU NET ID.

The post Discover Staff Favorites from 2021 appeared first on Recorded Sound Archives.

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This Chanukah we wanted to highlight the voice of Cindy Paley.

For over 20 years, Cindy Paley, musical educator and performer, has brought the joys of Jewish music to teachers, students and families throughout North America. She has combined education and entertainment to teach Jewish values, holidays and traditions. With eight recordings to her credit, Cindy has provided musical tools for teachers, families and children that enrich lives and insure that the best of our heritage will continue.

Cindy has served as the Music Educator at Valley Beth Shalom in Encino, California since 1977. After receiving her teaching credential at UCLA, she chose to devote her career to songleading and music as a Jewish educator. In addition to her recordings and family concerts, Cindy often serves as a cantorial soloist, and is currently involved in creative prayer services for women.

Please enjoy this album and share it with family and friends from the Recorded Sound Archives.

https://rsa.fau.edu/album/36470

You can listen to this album along with 50 other albums to choose from this Chanukah by visiting:

https://rsa.fau.edu/chanukah-collection

The post Discover the Voice of Cindy Paley this Chanukah appeared first on Recorded Sound Archives.

This High Holy days we wanted to highlight the voice of Cantor Moshe Schwimmer.

Moshe Schwimmer was born with the gift of a beautiful singing voice. As a child his singing delighted all who heard him. But, being a serious and studious young man, he desired to develop his talents through study and hard work. And so, at the age of 18, he set out to study music and liturgy at the Brunn Music Conservatory in Czechoslovakia (now Austria).

Inside the conservatory he was welcomed into the cantor’s choir. His knowledge of liturgical music grew and his rich baritone voice became polished and more defined. Outside the conservatory Hitler was on a rampage. Sadly, the synagogue in Brunn was torched and burned by the Nazis. Moshe was determined to increase his skills. He fled to Budapest where he continued to study, created the OMIKE performance group, and gave concerts, until the Hungarians sent him to a forced labor camp and then to a concentration camp.

After his liberation in 1944, he appeared throughout Eastern Europe, but it was not until his travels took him to Germany that his talents were truly recognized.  He was invited to sing for the state-run radio station in Munich.  Soon he had his own hour-long weekly radio program which was broadcast all over Europe.

This wonderful recording was created by the JSA from the private recordings of Cantor Moshe Schwimmer and can only be heard on this website. Moshe Schwimmer was a cantor whose beautiful voice and soulful singing touched audiences for decades. Yet, his voice might have been lost forever were it not for one man’s strong desire to cherish his brother’s memory and protect his legacy.

Zalman Schwimmer (a.k.a. Sydney), personally hand-carried his brother’s private tape recordings (along with some memorabilia and biographical information) to the Wimberly Library on Florida Atlantic University’s Boca Raton campus. He told us about his brother, “He never made any commercial recordings.  That wasn’t for him. He didn’t want to be famous. He didn’t try to please others.  He was just always striving for perfection.”

 

Listen to the voice of Cantor Moshe Schwimmer

Discover the voice of Cantor Moshe Schwimmer this High Holy Days by visiting the Recorded Sound Archives website and listening to his album High Holy Days in a Conservative Synagogue (https://rsa.fau.edu/album/36556).

Looking for more music to celebrate the High Holy Days this year? Look no further, the Recorded Sound Archives has a collection of over 40 recordings for you to choose from and share and enjoy with your family.

The post Discover the Voice of Cantor Moshe Schwimmer this High Holy Days appeared first on Recorded Sound Archives.

Did you know that the whole BioShock video game franchise features vintage music from the early 1930s-50s? Music can be heard playing on a phonograph throughout Rapture. In total, 30 licensed songs can be heard throughout the game. Here at the Recorded Sound Archives you can discover and listen to 8 of these vintage songs.

This year in celebration of BioShock’s 14th anniversary we created this collection highlighting original recordings that can be heard throughout the Bio Shock video game.

Discover the inspiration behind the video game series BioShock and listen to the ORIGINAL recordings here at the Recorded Sound Archives in the collection below.

Happy 14th Anniversary BioShock!

In this collection you can listen to 8 original recordings or versions of those songs that can be heard throughout the video game itself.

[Click here to visit collection]

 

The post Happy 14th Anniversary BioShock! – Lets Talk Vintage Music! appeared first on Recorded Sound Archives.

Martin Bookspan had life-long friendships with two great classical music geniuses, Leonard Bernstein and Aaron Copland. As the voice of the PBS television series Live from Lincoln Center from 1976 to 2006, Martin Bookspan riveted audiences with his eloquently distinctive voice and extensive knowledge of classical music. The N.Y. Times (May 24, 2006) described Bookspan as  “One half erudite informer, the other half grandfatherly guide, [who kept audiences] tuned in during intermissions with easy-to-digest program notes and anecdotes.” A generous supporter of the Judaica Sound Archives now the Recorded Sound Archives at Florida Atlantic University Libraries, Bookspan spoke before a sold-out audience at FAU Libraries’ 2013 Kultur Festival in March. Today Martin Bookspan would have been turning 95, he passed away earlier this year in April at his home in Aventura, FL. In celebration of his life, we wanted to share these video clips taken during a lecture he gave in 2013 at FAU Libraries.  My Friends: Leonard Bernstein & Aaron Copland Lecture Presented by Martin Bookspan at FAU’s Wimberly Library on March 5, 2013   (1) Bookspan talks about the young Leonard Bernstein (2) Bookspan interviews Leonard Bernstein (3) Bookspan remembers Aaron Copland (4) Copland’s Lincoln Portrait (5) Concluding remarks You can also listen to Martin Bookspan narrating Copland: A Lincoln Portrait on the Recorded Sound Archives website by clicking here. Please note, due to copyright some items may only be available as a 45-second snippet. If you are a Researcher or Educator in need of full access to these recordings, please visit the Recorded Sound Archives website to apply for Research Station Access by click here.

The post Celebrate Martin Bookspan’s 95th Birthday by listening to this 2013 Lecture appeared first on Recorded Sound Archives.

June is Pride month and here at the Recorded Sound Archives we wanted to share 5 vintage songs you should know, in some cases we have the original while in other cases, we have other singers who also sang the song as well. Celebrate Pride Month with these 5 Vintage Songs!

1. Prove It On Me Blues (1928) by Ma Rainey – https://rsa.fau.edu/track/129948
2. If Love Were All  by (1929) Noël Coward – https://rsa.fau.edu/track/21779
3. Mad About the Boy (1932)by Noël Coward – https://rsa.fau.edu/track/35018
4. Easy Living (1937) by Billie Holiday & Teddy Wilson – https://rsa.fau.edu/track/123567
5. My Funny Valentine by Rodgers & Hart- https://rsa.fau.edu/track/33989

 

Please note, due to copyright some items may only be available as a 45 second snippet.

If you are a Researcher or Educator in need of full access to these recordings, click here.

FAU Students, Faculty and Staff can listen to recordings unrestricted by logging into the Research Station using their FAU NET ID.

The post Celebrate Pride Month with these 5 Vintage Songs! appeared first on Recorded Sound Archives.

The life and death of Martin Luther King, Jr inspired many musicians to try to express his beliefs, ideas and legacy through music. Here are a few you might want to listen to as a way of honoring King’s memory. Discover 10 pieces of music that were inspired by or dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

1. Pride (In the Name of Love) by U2
2. By The Time I Get to Arizona by Public Enemy
3. Happy Birthday by Stevie Wonder
4. We Shall Overcome by Bruce Springsteen
5. One Vision by Queen
6. Like a King by Ben Harper
7. MLK by U2
8. Three Black Kings by Duke Ellington
9. Gates of Justice by Dave Brubeck
10. Brother K. by Dizzy Gillespie

Here at the Recorded Sound Archives you can listen to Gates of Justice by Dave Brubeck. When writing this composition, Dave Brubeck has always maintained that the essential message of The Gates of Justice is brotherhood of man. Listen to the original recording, here at the Recorded Sound Archives at FAU Libraries.

Please note, due to copyright some items may only be available as a 45 second snippet.

If you are a Researcher or Educator in need of full access to these recordings, click here.

FAU Students, Faculty and Staff can listen to recordings unrestricted by logging into the Research Station using their FAU NET ID.

The post 10 pieces of music that were inspired by Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. appeared first on Recorded Sound Archives.

Did you know that FAU Libraries has a sound archive which you can access and listen to recordings for research from the comforts of your own home? Last year, the Recorded Sound Archives digitized 2,018 albums along with 2,235 songs for those to access reaching over 140 countries, and receiving 183,962 hits from all over the world. As a New Year’s gift and a welcome to the FAU community we wanted to share a few staff favorites from 2020. Discover Staff Favorites from 2020

1. A la Luz de la Luna by Tito Schipa
2. La Donna E Mobile (Act 3) by Enrico Caruso
3. Frenesi by Artie Shaw and his Orchestra
4. In the Mood by Glenn Miller
5. Caminito by Xavier Cugat
6. The Red Cross Store Blues by Huddie Leadbelly
7. Once was by Harry Belafonte
8. Je Cherche Un Homme by Eartha Kitt
9. When the Roses Bloom Again by Elton Britts
10. Civilization (Bongos, Bongos, Bongos) by Andrews Sisters & Danny Kaye

And let us know in the comments, some of your favorite vintage artists, albums and songs.

 

 

Please note, due to copyright some items may only be available as a 45 second snippet.

If you are a Researcher or Educator in need of full access to these recordings, click here.

FAU Students, Faculty and Staff can listen to recordings unrestricted by logging into the Research Station using their FAU NET ID.

 

The post Happy New Year – Discover Staff Favorites from 2020 appeared first on Recorded Sound Archives.

Happy 5th Anniversary Fallout 4! Did you know that the whole Fallout video game franchise features vintage music from the early 1930s-50s? This year in celebration of Fallout 4’s 5th anniversary we created this collection highlighting original recordings that can be heard throughout the Fallout 4 video game series. Discover the inspiration behind the video game series Fallout 4 and listen to the ORIGINAL recordings here at the Recorded Sound Archives in the collection below. Happy 5th Anniversary Fallout 4! – Lets Talk Vintage Music   In this collection you can listen to 4 original recordings or versions of those songs that can be heard throughout the video game itself.

[Click here to visit collection]

The post Happy 5th Anniversary Fallout 4! – Lets Talk Vintage Music! appeared first on Recorded Sound Archives.

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Recorded Sound Archives is exploring music through portraits.  This week discover and learn more about Spanish singer, actress, dancer and business woman Lola Flores in the video below.

If you enjoyed learning about Lola Flores you can listen to one of her recordings in the Recorded Sound Archives: https://rsa.fau.edu/artist/14933

Please feel free to download a coloring page we created of Lola Flores that you can color and hang up in celebration of Hispanic heritage month and we hoped you enjoyed learning a little bit about these Hispanic musicians.

DOWNLOAD – Lola Flores coloring page

To discover more Hispanic/Latin musicians visit : https://rsa.fau.edu/featured-collections/spanish-latin-american-recordings

And follow us on social media as we explore music history through Halloween & LGBTQ history this month.

The post Lola Flores Coloring Page – Celebrate Hispanic Heritage through Music and Portraits appeared first on Recorded Sound Archives.

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Recorded Sound Archives is exploring music through portraits.  This week discover and learn more about Mexican Singer and Composer Chucho Martinez Gil in the video below.

If you enjoyed learning about you can listen to one of his recordings in the Recorded Sound Archives: https://rsa.fau.edu/artist/5077.

Please feel free to download a coloring page we created of Chucho Martinez Gil that you can color and hang up in celebration of Hispanic heritage month and join us this week to find out which Latino musician we end up exploring next.

DOWNLOAD – Free Chucho Martinez Gil coloring page

The post Chucho Martinez Gil Coloring Page – Celebrate Hispanic Heritage through Music and Portraits appeared first on Recorded Sound Archives.

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Recorded Sound Archives is exploring music through portraits.  This week discover and learn more about Cuban American Musician and Bandleader – Desi Arnaz in the video below.

If you enjoyed learning about Desi Arnaz you can listen to five of his recordings in the Recorded Sound Archives: https://rsa.fau.edu/desi-arnaz

Please feel free to download a coloring page we created of Desi Arnaz that you can color and hang up in celebration of Hispanic heritage month and join us next week to find out which Latino musician we end up exploring next.

DOWNLOAD – Free Desi Arnaz coloring page

The post Desi Arnaz Coloring Page – Celebrate Hispanic Heritage through Music and Portraits appeared first on Recorded Sound Archives.

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Recorded Sound Archives is exploring music through portraits. Enjoy the first of four videos created in celebration of Hispanic/Latino artists. This week discover and learn more about Cuban composer and pianist – Ernesto Lecuona and Lecuona’s Cuban Boys in the video below.

If you enjoyed learning about Ernesto Lecuona you can listen to two of his recordings in the Recorded Sound Archives: https://rsa.fau.edu/ernesto-lecuona

Please feel free to download a coloring page we created of Ernesto Lecuona that you can color and hang up in celebration of Hispanic heritage month and join us next week to find out which Latino musician we end up exploring next.

DOWNLOAD – Free Ernesto Lecuona coloring page

The post Ernesto Lecuona Coloring Page – Celebrate Hispanic Heritage through Music and Portraits appeared first on Recorded Sound Archives.