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A selection of surviving BBC radio broadcasts of one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, W.H. Auden, have been published for the first time by the British Library as part of its highly acclaimed series devoted to historic recordings.

W.H. Auden (1907-73) is widely regarded as one of the greatest writers of his generation. "Of all 20th-century English-language poets he was among the most fluently inventive, and the most fundamentally engaged with the human condition", writes Andrew Motion in his introductory essay to this collection.

BBC Radio Broadcasts

The two discs feature Auden in both live and studio readings of his own poetry taken from archive BBC radio broadcasts. Over 40 poems are included, from early works such as On This Island and A Bride in the ’30s, to mature masterpieces like The Shield of Achilles and In Praise of Limestone. The broadcasts span the period from 1936 to 1973 - the year of Auden’s death. The majority of the recordings are being released for the first time.

Richard Fairman, Service Development Officer at the British Library Sound Archive and compiler of the CD, said: “In 2007, Auden’s centenary year, there has been a significant surge in interest in his life and work. These compelling recordings, made over 37 years, offer the chance to hear Auden in previously unfamiliar readings of his own poetry. I am delighted that we are able to make these recordings available in the centenary year of Auden’s birth."

2.5 Million

The British Library Sound Archive is one of the largest sound archives in the world. It holds around 2.5 million sound recordings; over a million discs, 200,000 tapes, and many other sound and video recordings. The collections come from all over the world and cover the entire range of recorded sound from music, drama and literature, to oral history and wildlife sounds. Collection material comes in every conceivable format, from wax cylinder and wire recordings to CD and DVD, and from a wide variety of private, commercial and broadcast sources. And of course, the British Library Sound Archive operates a wide-ranging recording programme of its own.

The British Library at St Pancras is the national library of the United Kingdom - and one of the world's greatest libraries. The library currently includes 150 million items, in most known languages, with 3 million new items: including a copy of every publication produced in the UK and Ireland, as well as CD, DVD and mini-disc material - being incorporated into the collection every year. If you’re not in London readers can experience the British Library online at www.bl.uk and also help the British Library conserve the world's knowledge by visiting Adopt a Book.

For more information on the life and work of the poet W.H Auden, visit the Auden Socirty website at: www.audensociety.org

The Spoken Word – W.H. Auden ISBN 0 7123 0535 1 is published by the British Library. This 2-disc CD set with booklet including introductory essay by Andrew Motion, the Poet Laureate - released to commemorate the centenary of Auden’s birth - is distributed under licence from the BBC priced £15.95. Running time is 128 mins. The CD set is available from the British Library Bookshop and can also be purchased online.

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