New evidence uncovered on cello and nightingale

One hundred years ago today, the BBC broadcast a live duet from a wood in Surrey between cellist Beatrice Harrison and a nightingale that sang as she played.

Doubts have long been cast on the authenticity of the recording, with claims that a bird impressionist was brought in for the landmark performance.

However, a BBC Radio 3 documentary, due to be broadcast on Sunday evening to mark the centenary, claims to have uncovered evidence to counter suspicion.

Presenter, writer and musician Kate Kennedy, told BBC Radio Surrey that archived letters and unpublished accounts "proved beyond a shadow of a doubt" it was real.

The broadcast on 19 May 1924 was recorded in the woods around Ms Harrison's home in Oxted.

She said she first became aware of the bird one evening as she played the cello in the garden.

"This nightingale was attracted to the sound and would come night after night in May to play with her," said Ms Kennedy.

"She thought this was too good for the nation to miss. It paid off in dividends".

The head of BBC History Robert Seatter described the 1924 broadcast as radio's "first water cooler moment" and said it was so well received that the experiment was repeated every spring for the next 12 years.

Ms Kennedy said the original recording "was a very special moment that doesn't deserve to be sullied by accusations of fakery".

For the documentary, she explored the archives of the Museum of Music History in Dorking.

"We found these letters and newspaper cuttings and unpublished accounts that Beatrice had written of this and it proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that for a start, there were about six nightingales singing," she said.

"No one bird impersonator... could have possibly impersonated six birds at the same time."

She added that the accounts written by Ms Harrison were "detailed" and that she was a "woman of integrity".

"There is no way it was fake".

BBC Radio 3's Sunday Feature on The Cello and the Nightingale will be broadcast at 19.15 BST.

Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.