Search The Public Domain Review

    The Public Domain Review

    Best of The PDR
    Audio

    Abide With Me (1914)
    Audio / 
    Death

    Abide With Me (1914)

    The Laughing Song (1904)
    Audio / 
    Humour & Satire

    The Laughing Song (1904)

    First recording of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (1909)
    Audio / 
    Customs & Culture

    First recording of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (1909)

    The Hawaiian Quintette (1913)
    Audio

    The Hawaiian Quintette (1913)

    Scenes from Rip Van Winkle (1903)
    Audio / 
    Music & Arts

    Scenes from Rip Van Winkle (1903)

    Francesco Tamagno sings Verdi’s Otello, Death Scene (1903)
    Audio / 
    Death

    Francesco Tamagno sings Verdi’s Otello, Death Scene (1903)

    Finnish Opera Singer Eino Rautavaara (1905–9)
    Audio

    Finnish Opera Singer Eino Rautavaara (1905–9)

    I Am The Edison Phonograph (1906)
    Audio / 
    Technology

    I Am The Edison Phonograph (1906)

    Guido Gialdini whistling Arditi’s The Kiss (1908)
    Audio / 
    Love & Lust

    Guido Gialdini whistling Arditi’s The Kiss (1908)

    Youssef Tage - Six Traditional Syrian Songs (1940)
    Audio

    Youssef Tage - Six Traditional Syrian Songs (1940)

    John Wanamaker recounts a Leo Tolstoy anecdote (1908)
    Audio / 
    Music & Arts

    John Wanamaker recounts a Leo Tolstoy anecdote (1908)

    Recordings of Pygmy Music from the 1946 Ogooué-Congo Mission
    Audio / 
    Colonialism & the 'Other', Customs & Culture

    Recordings of Pygmy Music from the 1946 Ogooué-Congo Mission

    Traditional Italian song with Zampogna and Ciaramella (1920)
    Audio

    Traditional Italian song with Zampogna and Ciaramella (1920)

    Jelly Roll Morton (1927)
    Audio

    Jelly Roll Morton (1927)

    James Mooney’s Ghost Dance Recordings (1894)
    Audio / 
    Customs & Culture

    James Mooney’s Ghost Dance Recordings (1894)

    President Woodrow Wilson’s daughter singing Star Spangled Banner (1915)
    Audio / 
    War

    President Woodrow Wilson’s daughter singing Star Spangled Banner (1915)

    Recital of The 23rd Psalm and “He Leadeth Me” (1919)
    Audio / 
    Religion, Myth & Legend

    Recital of The 23rd Psalm and “He Leadeth Me” (1919)

    Cantonese Opera - White Hibiscus at Night (1920)
    Audio

    Cantonese Opera - White Hibiscus at Night (1920)

    Bach’s organ works played by Albert Schweitzer (1935)
    Audio

    Bach’s organ works played by Albert Schweitzer (1935)

    Ernest Shackleton on his South Polar Expedition (1910)
    Audio / 
    Travel & Exploration

    Ernest Shackleton on his South Polar Expedition (1910)

    The Yama Yama Man - Ada Jones (1909)
    Audio

    The Yama Yama Man - Ada Jones (1909)

    Aeolian Piano Rolls (1903)
    Audio

    Aeolian Piano Rolls (1903)

    Hawaiian Ciribiribin (1919)
    Audio

    Hawaiian Ciribiribin (1919)

    James Joyce reading his work (1924/1929)
    Audio

    James Joyce reading his work (1924/1929)

    Rae Bourbon
    Audio

    Rae Bourbon

    Around the World on the Phonograph (1888)
    Audio / 
    Travel & Exploration

    Around the World on the Phonograph (1888)

    Stack O’ Lee Blues - Ma Rainey (1926)
    Audio

    Stack O’ Lee Blues - Ma Rainey (1926)

    Poet and Peasant Overture played on the Banjo (1925)
    Audio

    Poet and Peasant Overture played on the Banjo (1925)

    Robert Browning attempting to recite ‘How They Brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix’ (1889)
    Audio

    Robert Browning attempting to recite ‘How They Brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix’ (1889)

    Edison reading Mary Had a Little Lamb (1927)
    Audio

    Edison reading Mary Had a Little Lamb (1927)

    Santa Claus Proves There is a Santa Claus (1925)
    Audio

    Santa Claus Proves There is a Santa Claus (1925)

    The Voice of Florence Nightingale
    Audio

    The Voice of Florence Nightingale

    Apollo 11 Onboard Recordings (1969)
    Audio / 
    Astronomy & Space

    Apollo 11 Onboard Recordings (1969)

    Excerpt from Handel’s Israel in Egypt (1888)
    Audio / 
    Religion, Myth & Legend

    Excerpt from Handel’s Israel in Egypt (1888)

    Antony’s Address Over The Body of Caesar (1914)
    Audio

    Antony’s Address Over The Body of Caesar (1914)

    Rhapsody In Blue - Paul Whiteman and George Gershwin (Original 1924 recording)
    Audio

    Rhapsody In Blue - Paul Whiteman and George Gershwin (Original 1924 recording)

    Fats Waller and His Orchestra live at The Yacht Club (1938)
    Audio

    Fats Waller and His Orchestra live at The Yacht Club (1938)

    Tokyo Rose (1944)
    Audio / 
    War

    Tokyo Rose (1944)

    La Paloma (1903)
    Audio

    La Paloma (1903)

    Orson Welles Show (1941)
    Audio

    Orson Welles Show (1941)

    Houdini on his Water Torture Cell (1914)
    Audio

    Houdini on his Water Torture Cell (1914)

    Chopin’s Funeral March - The Edison Concert Band (1906)
    Audio

    Chopin’s Funeral March - The Edison Concert Band (1906)