Start the Semester with a Sound from the Past
A new semester is full of possibilities. As students return to campus and dive into new subjects, ideas, and experiences, there are countless opportunities to discover something unexpected. Sometimes, those discoveries come from listening to the sounds of the past.
At the Recorded Sound Archives, history comes alive through recorded sound. From music and popular culture to religious traditions and cultural heritage, our collections offer a unique window into the people, places, and moments that shaped earlier generations.
This semester, we invite you to explore a few of the voices and sounds currently featured from our collections.
Explore Tradition and Culture
The High Holy Days recordings from our Judaic Collection offer a chance to experience religious traditions preserved through sound. These recordings provide a meaningful connection to Jewish musical and cultural heritage and demonstrate how audio recordings help preserve traditions and memories across generations.
Hear the Voices of the 1920s and 1930s
Long before streaming services and social media, audiences connected with performers through records, radio broadcasts, and live appearances. Our Vintage Collection features beloved vocalists such as Libby Holman, Russ Columbo, and Rudy Vallée, whose distinctive styles made them some of the most recognizable voices of their era. Discover the full collection of popular vocalists of those eras.
Listen to a Jazz Legend
Our jazz collection highlights one of the most influential figures in American music: Louis Armstrong. His recordings capture the artistry, innovation, and energy that helped shape jazz into a defining American art form and continue to inspire listeners today.
Whether you’re conducting research, exploring a new musical interest, or simply curious about what life sounded like in another time, the Recorded Sound Archives offers something to discover.
Start the semester with a listen. You never know where a recording might take you.
Step into the archives and hear history for yourself.
Digital Access & Online Collections
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Cultural Heritage, High Holy Days, Historical Recordings, Jazz, Judaic Collection, Louis Armstrong, music history, Special Collections, Vintage Records