Skip to main content

Seventy-Fifth Birthday Anniversary Album

Raymond Swing
Seventy-Fifth Birthday Anniversary Album

Long before Twitter and YouTube made it possible for anyone with a cell phone to broadcast news, and before television and the Internet made their way into nearly all homes, Americans relied on radio for information and opinion on the news of the day. One of the most influential broadcast journalists of his era, Raymond Swing (1887–1968) was a leading voice on domestic and international affairs, through his informative and empathetic analysis of news events. A commentator for CBS, Mutual, and the Blue Network, Swing became the chief political commentator for the Voice of America.

On this recording, he introduces a selection of excerpts from some of his historic broadcasts, including the Nazi invasion of Holland, Belgium, and Luxembourg (May 10, 1940) and the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt (April 12, 1945). Recorded in 1962, when Swing turned seventy-five, this album also includes a violin and piano sonata of his own composition.

The liner notes include full transcripts of the commentaries.

Track Listing

icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
101
Commentary on President Roosevelt's Quarantine Speech, Oct. 10, 1937 Raymond Swing 02:21
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
102
Commentary on the Flight from the Nazis of Sigmund Freud, June 7, 1938, Commentary on Raymond Swing 03:23
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
103
Commentary on the Munich Pact, Oct. 18, 1938 Raymond Swing 05:43
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
104
Commentary on the Ribbentrop-Molotov Non-Aggression Pact, Aug. 21, 1939 Raymond Swing 03:14
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
105
Commentary on the Nazi Invasion of Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg, May 10, 1940 Raymond Swing 03:50
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
106
Commentary on the Death of Franklin D. Roosevelt, April 12, 1945 Raymond Swing 04:34
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
107
Comments on the Atomic Age, 1945 Raymond Swing 02:39
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
108
Sonata in C Minor for Violin and Piano: 1. Moderato 2. Andante Raymond Swing 24:00
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
109
Sonata in C Minor for Violin and Piano: Rondo, con spirito Raymond Swing 08:39