Wartime Words & Music

Enjoy each full 1 hour radio show of famous speeches, music, and commentary in Real Audio

 Show #1 1933-1939
 Show #2 1940
 Show #3 1941
 Show #4 1942
 Show #5 1943
 Show #6 1944
 Show #7 1945


Hello, I'm Dennis Shore.

Welcome to "Wartime Words and Music 1933 - 1945"...

The Second World War as a subject for books, movies and television documentaries has certainly not been neglected but radio... in my experience... has not really attempted to re-create the programs of those turbulent years.

During the war years... radio was the only medium available for mass communication. Broadcasting was part of the war effort... and propaganda took flight on the wings of radio waves. The first BBC radio broadcast was on the 14th November 1922... and for the remainder of the 1920's... dance-band music from the Savoy Hotel in London was a radio favorite.

Churchill believed in 1926... that radio was an instrument of such power and importance... that it should be closely controlled by the government.

In Germany... from 1933 onwards... jazz music was banned from radio, live performances and recording... because of its Black-American origins... inherent spirit of freedom... and because some of the well known jazz personalities were Jewish.

The Americans... under the inspired direction of Glen Miller and others... used modern sounds and musical arrangements to entertain the troops... and the BBC... often used the "British Sense of Humor"... to keep up the spirits of Londoners... especially during the Blitz... and the trying days of waiting for the German invasion.

As a psychological strike... the Allies cleverly hijacked the opening bars of Beethoven's Symphony Number 5... the notes coincide with Morse code for the letter "V" for Victory... Churchill's hand greeting on newsreels and public occasions... complete with hat and cigar.

In this program... I will be presenting original recordings of music and speeches... to recreate the atmosphere and times of the years 1933 to 1939.

It is important to understand... when hearing actual speeches of Hitler and other Nazi leaders... that this program is not an endorsement of any kind... of National Socialism or Fascism. On the contrary... the program is dedicated... to the generation of men and women who were swept up in those perilous years... and a tribute to the British People... who stood alone until 1941... and in the end... overcame all adversity.

Enjoy each full 1 hour radio show of music and commentary.

If you do not have the RealAudio player, you may download your free copy here.

If you are interested in broadcasting a full version of this program...

Target Audience:

The program content will be of interest to an extremely wide range of listeners. Much of the material has not been heard in its entirety since the war years.

Structure:

The content has been structured as a series of seven hourly programs. The series can be structured differently if so required (for example, 14 programs each a half hour in duration). New material is being added regularly.

Production, Copyright, and Royalties:

A full English version of the program is available on CD and cassette tape. Alternatively you may be interested in producing the program in your studios. A copyright fee will be negotiated for broadcasting the commentary. Payment of royalties on music selected, if applicable, are the responsibility of your company.

To contact Shore Broadcasting, Click Here

Thank you for your interest in "Wartime Words & Music". The program was written and the music and speeches were selected by Dennis Shore.