As we prepare for the High Holy Days, we reflect on tradition and prayer and the voices that have carried these sacred melodies through time. Among them stands one of the greatest cantorial legends of all time — Cantor Gershon-Yitskhok Leibovich Sirota (1874–1943).

Often called the “Jewish Caruso,” Sirota’s rich tenor voice helped define the Golden Age of Khazzanut (cantorial music). He began his career in Odessa, later serving eight years as cantor of the Shtatshul (State Synagogue) in Vilna, where he began a lifelong collaboration with choirmaster Leo Lowe. In 1907, he became the cantor of the prestigious Tłomackie Street Synagogue in Warsaw, a role that solidified his reputation as one of Europe’s greatest liturgical artists. Read More About This…

As the days grow longer and the scent of barbecue fills the air, summer settles in—and with it comes a soundtrack that stirs nostalgia and national pride. At the Recorded Sound Archives at FAU, our vintage recordings tell the story of American summers past: patriotic marches, carefree swing tunes, and songs that once drifted from radios on porches and park benches across the country.

Following our Memorial Day Tribute, we invite you to take a deeper dive into the sounds that shaped American summers between the 1920s and 1950s. This curated collection celebrates everything from sunny strolls to star-spangled joyrides. Whether you’re planning a backyard cookout or simply daydreaming of summers gone by, let these voices and melodies carry you back in time. Read More About This…

When you think of “pop music,” you might imagine slick beats and catchy hooks. But rewind a century, and “pop” meant something quite different. In the 1920s and 1930s, popular music was the heartbeat of family living rooms, broadcast radios, and record players spinning 78rpm discs.

This Father’s Day, we invite you to step into a musical time machine with the Recorded Sound Archives and celebrate the vintage voices that defined what “dad music” sounded like back then—whether it was crooning love songs, swinging jazz, or toe-tapping novelty tunes. Read More About This…

As we approach Memorial Day, we reflect on the power of music to bring people together, lift spirits, and inspire a sense of unity. The Recorded Sound Archives is home to a treasure trove of patriotic recordings pressed onto fragile 78rpm shellac discs—reminders of how music once echoed through living rooms, barracks, and dance halls during America’s most trying times.

These vintage recordings aren’t just music—they’re sonic time capsules that capture the resilience, pride, and hope of generations past. Read More About This…

Celebrating Irving Berlin’s Birthday with “Ragtime Violin” — In English, Yiddish, and on Piano Roll!

This May 11th, we’re celebrating the birthday of one of America’s most iconic songwriters: Irving Berlin (1888–1989). Born in Imperial Russia and raised on the streets of New York City’s Lower East Side, Berlin went on to write more than 1,500 songs, many of which are considered standards of the American songbook. From White Christmas to God Bless America, his music has left an enduring legacy—but long before those classics, Berlin had a knack for catchy tunes that captured the spirit of their time. Read More About This…