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Music for Wartime Events - 1940s and earlier

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Music for Wartime Events - 1940s and earlier

Good Morning (If you're somewhere where it's morning - in Britain it's currently 04:00 in the morning) -

 

I fancied sharing these playlists out a bit as, with the country's museums, heritage railways and other tourist attractions looking to reopen during the next month they might come in useful for some purpose or other. I originally created them as both an interesting exercise in building up a picture of what was actually listened to during this period and for use during wartime events on the heritage railway which I volunteer at (The Mid Hants Railway in Hampshire - I'm a porter at Medstead & Four Marks station).

 

The first playlist is very specific, and an attempt to accurately replicate, or authentically represent, a day's wartime BBC Home Service radio broadcast based on a listing in The Radio Times. The date chosen was Thursday 30th May 1940, and the original listing for that date may be found here: https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/3d3176d46e6c4629af1f84bdbcb4f3b1

 

Naturally, it was not possible to find exact matches to the specific recordings, or even records, used so I have instead used close approximations of either the same pieces by different artists, different pieces by the same artists or similar appropriate pieces. In time I hope to include a few more non-musical broadcasts. Whilst these, like those already included, will be mere approximations and won't be accurate (unless I strike extremely lucky!) I hope they will help add to the flavour of a radio broadcast.

<iframe src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/0qvwLA5eKpu3ZkuY5Br2VB" width="300" height="380" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe>

This playlist is still very much a work in progress.

 

I have also put together a longer playlist, composed simply of music that was around, may have been popular and may have been played on BBC Radio during the Second World War. It includes multiple radio interviews and news broadcasts from throughout the conflict and is intended to give a more general idea of what might have been heard by people living in Britain 1939-1945. With over 8 hours of running length, ideally played in shuffle mode, this is probably the more suitable playlist for an all-day event.

<iframe src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/2BofTmz3mAmtJBbfOJ9SNQ" width="300" height="380" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe>

 

I hope that these prove useful, or for those who enjoy a variety of music from the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s (and even earlier, too) it ought to make a pleasant, or interesting, change to the preponderance of American Swing Bands (Specifically Glen Miller's) and Vera Lynn records that form the bulk of what represents the music of the 1940s in popular culture.

 

Enjoy!

 

- Dan

 

6 Replies

Hi @Daniel_Nash,

You Are A Music Encyclopedia.. What An Explanation.. Had An Awesome Reading Mate.. Well I Belong From 1980's, My Year Of Birth Is 1987.. But I Enjoy Music From 1 920s, 1930s And 1940s Too.. Especially, Those Days It's More About Words.. And Listening To Those With Vinyl Sound Is Amazing.. Yes, Spotify Is The Best.. And It's Sound Amazing.. But Sound Of Vinyl Records Are Still The Best.. It Feels, I Am Directly Connected To The Musicians.. Awesome Share And Writing Mate.. Kudos.. Take Care Of Yourself Always And Stay Safe Mate..

Regards,
Rahul Haldar - Spotify's Diehard & Loyal Fan

Morning Rahul,

 

Thank you for your kind words, but I really cannot claim to be an expert on period music! It's just one of those things that I've come to research over time.

 

You're right in what you say, though of course back then vinyl records were relatively rare - they were only invented in 1931. Most records back then were, I believe, of the Shellac variety, which is rather more coarse than the vinyl variety. A gramophone set up to play shellac records will happily shred a vinyl one!

 

- Dan

 

P.S. - I'm considerably younger in years than you are, but don't listen to very much past 1970!!!

Hi Dan,

Thank You For This -Shellac Variety Records- I Learned This Today.. Actually, Everything That Big Round, I Felt They All Are Vinyl.. But Thank You For This Shellac.. I Will Study It More On Google.. Loved To Get In Touch To You Music Encyclopedia..

Regards,
Rahul Haldar - Spotify's' Diehard & Loyal Fan

Not at all - it's very easy to think that they are the same thing, when in fact they're not!

I do wish you wouldn't refer to me as 'Music Encyclopedia' though - there are many others in this world, probably even on this forum, who know very much more than I do!

Hi Dan,

You Rock Mate.. Loved Your Down To Earth Nature.. Salute..

Regards,
Rahul Haldar - Spotify's Diehard & Loyal Fan

For the benefit of those who may be interested in the other historical playlists I have put together, here is a link to the whole lot:
https://open.spotify.com/user/a1nozr2k6mbkyrp4zewxzy46s?si=qEgRhR18StO4ISpr5jymrQ

I had created a separate topic for these, but it appears that was treated as double-posting.

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