Wikipedia:Featured sounds

Featured sounds in Wikipedia

The featured sounds are what we believe to be the best sounds in Wikipedia. Prior to being listed here, sounds are reviewed at Wikipedia:Featured sound candidates.

At present, there are 62 featured sounds in 95 parts. For the latest featured sounds, see this month's featured log. Sounds that no longer meet the criteria can be proposed for removal by being listed at Wikipedia:Featured sound candidates#Nominations for removal.

See Wikipedia:Media help for help with playing sound files on Wikipedia. On the list below, "play" allows one to play the file in the browser without special software.

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[edit] Music

See also: Historical recordings

[edit] By date

Organised, by date of composition or (where that is not available) date of performance. Where dating is particularly ambiguous, the date is marked with "?". Arrangements not notable in their own right are listed by date of the original composition.

11th century – Victimae Paschali Laudes

The 11th-century "Victimae Paschali Laudes", traditionally attributed to Wipo of Burgundy, is one of the few traditional Latin "sequences" still used by the Roman Catholic Church today.

12th century – A chantar m'er

A 12th-century song by Comtessa Beatritz de Dia, "A Chantar" is the only existing song by a trobairitz which survives with its music.

c.1151 – "O frondens virga"

From Ordo Virtutum (c.1151) by Abbess Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179). Performed by Makemi

1670 – Was frag ich nach der Welt

A selection from Dieterich Buxtehude's cantata Was frag ich nach der Welt

1800 – Dieu du bonheur, Dieu plein du charmes...

A polacca from Le trompeur trompé, an 1800 opéra comique by Pierre Gaveaux and François Bernard-Valville. Performed on historical instruments, with Montserrat Alavedra as Agathe.

1862 – Brass band arrangement of the Hunters' Chorus from The Lily of Killarney

Brass band arrangement of the Hunters' Chorus from The Lily of Killarney using period instruments. During the 19th century, brass bands began to spring up throughout Europe and America. Popular music, including operas, were arranged for them by composers and music sellers eager to cash in on the free advertising they provided.

1870 – Le régiment de Sambre et Meuse

An 1870 French song about the Army of Sambre-et-Meuse by Robert Planquette and Paul Cézano. Sung by Pierre d'Assy in 1905.

1880 – Kimi ga Yo

1930 recording of the Japanese national anthem, Kimi ga Yo. Includes both the vocal and instrumental parts.

1884 – The Skye Boat Song

An adaptation of the Skye Boat Song for bagpipes played by the Clan Stewart Pipe Band.

1886 – The Carnival of the Animals

A complete recording of Camille Saint-Saëns' The Carnival of the Animals (in fourteen movements) by pianists Neil and Nancy O'Doan and the Seattle Youth Symphony. Conducted by Vilem Sokol.

1894 – Antonín Dvořák: Ten Biblical songs (Czech: Biblické Písně), Op. 99

Antonín Dvořák's 1894 song cycle, based on selections from the Book of Psalms as translated by the Bible of Kralice.

1896 – O soave fanciulla

"O soave fanciulla" from Giacomo Puccini's La bohème, sung by Enrico Caruso and Nellie Melba in 1907.

1899 – Maple Leaf Rag

Maple Leaf Rag, by Scott Joplin. Performed by William J. Leslie.

c. 1900? – Antonio Pasculli - Gran Concerto

Antonio Pasculli's Gran Concerto on themes from Verdi's I Vespri Siciliani . Performed by Alex Klein, oboe, and Lisa Bergman, piano.

1904 – Song of the "Ujangong" mask dance

Wax cylinder recording from German New Guinea on August 23, 1904, recorded by German anthropologist Rudolf Pöch

1910 – How can they tell that I'm Irish?

1910 Edison Records recording of vaudeville performer Edward M. Favor's rendition of Clarence Wainwright Murphy's song How can they tell that I'm Irish?

1912 – Memphis Blues

"Memphis Blues", composed by W. C. Handy in 1912. This is the first known recording, performed by the Victor Military Band, July 15, 1914.

1914 – I Want to Go Back to Michigan

I Want to Go Back to Michigan, written by Irving Berlin, and performed by Billy Murray for Edison Records in 1914.

1921 – I'm Just Wild About Harry

Instrumental version of the most famous song from the 1921 musical Shuffle Along, recorded during its original Broadway run. Later used as a presidential campaign song for Harry Truman.

1922 – Save A Little Dram For Me

Prohibition era song by Skidmore--Walker, sung by Duke Rogers, recorded by Thomas Edison's studio, 1922. Duration 3:29.

1930s? - "Los Cuatro Generales" and "Viva La Quince Brigada"

Two folk songs from the Spanish Civil War sung by Leon Lishner.

1933 – Chegou a hora da fogueira

Carmen Miranda and Mário Reis, recorded and released in 1933

1933 – Alô... Alô?

Carmen Miranda and Mário Reis, recorded in 1933, released in 1934

1935 – Por una cabeza

Carlos Gardel and Alfredo Le Pera's classic 1935 tango, Por una cabeza.

1938 – Oppaneun punggakjaengi (오빠는 풍각쟁이)

A 1938 teuroteu by Kim Song Kyu and Park Yeong Ho. Sung by Park Hyang Rim.

1943 – Oh Jonah!

A gospel song sung by the Golden Jubilee Quartet detailing the story of the Book of Jonah.

1943 – My Lord Is Writin'

A gospel song sung by the Cochran Field Singers.

1943 – We are Americans, Praise the Lord

A World War II gospel song sung by Bertha Houston and her congregation.

1995 – Colin Ross - Etherea

An example of new age music, performed on the recorder, from the 1995 album Refractions by Colin Ross

2001 – Diavolska shterka

A song from Bulgarian folk metal band Balkandji's first album, Probuzhdane ("Awake")

c. 2003 – Still Another Wanderer

Music from the Open Source game Battle for Wesnoth, demonstrating many key features of modern video game music

[edit] Undateable

Star in the East solfege

An example of a singer reading shape notes, this shows how a trained shape note singer would have the music to "Star of the East" marked up in the shape note tradition's modified solfege.

[edit] Recordings in multiple parts

[edit] Ludwig van Beethoven – Moonlight Sonata

Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor Op. 27 No. 2 – Moonlight (1801)

1st Movement: Adagio sostenuto

2nd Movement: Allegretto

Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor Op. 27 No. 2 – Moonlight

3rd Movement:Presto agitato

Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor Op. 27 No. 2 – Moonlight

[edit] Antonio Vivaldi – The Four Seasons

Antonio Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (Le quattro stagioni, 1725). Performed by the Wichita State University Chamber Players; violin, John Harrison.

Concerto No. 1 in E major, Op. 8, RV 269, "La primavera" (Spring)

Spring, 1: Allegro

Spring, 2: Largo

Spring, 3: Allegro

Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 8, RV 315, "L'estate" (Summer)

Summer, 1: Allegro non molto

Summer, 2: Adagio

Summer, 3: Presto

Concerto No. 3 in F major, Op. 8, RV 293, "L'autunno" (Autumn)

Autumn, 1: Allegro

Autumn, 2: Adagio molto

Autumn, 3: Allegro

Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 8, RV 297, "L'inverno" (Winter)

Winter, 1: Allegro non molto

Winter, 2: Largo

Winter, 3: Allegro

[edit] Franz Schubert – Impromptu in B flat

Franz Schubert's Impromptu in B flat (1827, D. 935/3; Op. 142 No. 3)

Theme: Andante

Variation I

Variation II

Variation III

Variations IV through VI

A combined version is also available:

Complete version: Theme and Variations I through VI

[edit] Ludwig van Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 28

Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 28 in A major, Op. 101 (1816). Performed by Daniel Veesey from Musopen.com.

See also: Beethoven's original sketch of the fourth movement.

Movement I

Movement II

Movements III and IV

[edit] Charles Gounod - Petite Symphonie pour neuf instruments à vent

Charles Gounod's Petite Symphonie pour neuf instruments à vent (Little Symphony for Nine Woodwinds, 1885). Performed by the Soni Ventorum: Felix Skowronek, flute; Laila Storch, oboe; William McColl, clarinet; Christopher Leuba, horn; Arthur Grossman, Bassoon; and guest performers Ove Hanson, oboe; Julie Oster, clarinet; David Cottrell, horn; and Robert Olson, bassoon.

I. Adagio, allegro

II: Andante cantabile

III: Scherzo (Allegro moderato)

IV: Finale (Allegretto)

[edit] Molière and Jean-Baptiste Lully - Le Bourgeois gentilhomme

The ballet music by Jean-Baptiste Lully from Le Bourgeois gentilhomme Molière's 1670 comédie-ballet (that is, a ballet broken up by spoken scenes). This version was performed by the Advent Chamber Orchestra in 2007.

1. Ouverture

2. Gravement

3. Sarabande

4. Bouree

5. Gaillarde Canarie

6. Gavotte

7. Loure

8. Air des Espagnoles

9. Menuet 1 and 2

10. Chaconne des Scaramouche, Trivelins

11. Marche pour la Ceremonie des Turcs

[edit] Field recordings

[edit] Animals

Alligator bellow

Field recording of an alligator by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service

Spring Peepers

A pond of Spring Peepers and Wood Frogs in Presqu'ile Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, April 2006

Song of the American robin

The morning song of the American robin

Common blackbird

A common blackbird (Turdus merula) singing in a forest in southern Finland.

[edit] Other

Walking on singing sand

Walking on singing sand at "Kotogahama" Beach in Nimacho, Odashi, Shimane, Japan

Suikinkutsu

A recording of a suikinkutsu, a type of Japanese garden ornament and musical device.

[edit] Historical recordings

[edit] History of recording

1860 – Au Clair de la Lune

This 1860 phonautogram by Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville is the earliest known recording of the human voice, though it was never intended to be played back.

June 1888 – "Israel In Egypt", recorded at the 1888 Handel Festival

The earliest surviving phonograph cylinder recording of music. Recorded on a paraffin cylinder on June 29, 1888 by George Gouraud.

c. July 1888 – Recording of Arthur Sullivan's "The Lost Chord"

The Lost Chord, recorded by George Gouraud. It was played at the August 14, 1888 press conference that introduced the phonograph to London.

October 1888 – After-dinner speech by Arthur Sullivan at the Little Menlo, London

A very early wax cylinder recording (October 5, 1888) of composer Arthur Sullivan. It was created in London by George Gouraud as an audio letter to be sent back to Edison.

1898 – When Johnny Comes Marching Home

United States military song recorded during the Spanish–American War by Emile Berliner, inventor of the first lateral disc audio record, one year after he received the patent on the device.

1906 – I am the Edison Phonograph

This 1906 recording enticed store customers with the wonders of an exciting invention: the phonograph cylinder.

[edit] Other

1912 – The Right of the People to Rule

Excerpts of a speech given by Theodore Roosevelt at Carnegie Hall, March 12, 1912, recorded August 12 by Thomas Edison. The time constraints of the wax cylinder medium probably required the abridgement.

1915 – The Star-Spangled Banner

A recording of the Star-Spangled Banner, later the national anthem of the United States, by widower President Woodrow Wilson's First Lady, his daughter Margaret Woodrow Wilson

1921 – "Explanation of the Objects of the Universal Negro Improvement Association"

Complete 1921 speech by Marcus Garvey

1939 – Chamberlain war declaration

Neville Chamberlain announcing that Britain was at war with Germany, over the wireless, on 3 September 1939

1941 – Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Day of Infamy Speech

Franklin Delano Roosevelt's speech after the Pearl Harbor attacks

1961 – Eisenhower farewell address

Farewell address by United States president Dwight D. Eisenhower from January 17, 1961. Duration 15:30.

1961 – Inaugural address of John F. Kennedy

The full audio recording of the inaugural address made by John F. Kennedy after being sworn in as the thirty-fifth President of the United States on January 20, 1961. Duration 14:00.

1963 – Ich bin ein Berliner

United States president John F. Kennedy's "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech at the Berlin Wall, June 26, 1963

1969 – "That's one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind."

The sentence uttered by Neil Armstrong upon being the first human to walk on the moon during the Apollo 11 moon landing on July 21, 1969

1970 – Apollo 13: Houston, we've had a problem

James A. Lovell, Jr, Apollo 13 Commander, reporting an explosion on 13 April 1970. Duration 0:17.

September 11, 2001 – Statement by the President in his Address to the Nation

George W. Bush's address to the people of the United States, September 11, 2001, 8:30pm EDT.

[edit] Other

Shepard-Risset glissando

The Shepard-Risset glissando, a type of aural illusion: The sound seems to descend forever, without ever actually getting any lower in pitch.