A LIFE IN SOUND

This series aims to take listeners on an epic and intimate journey through the natural world, all through the medium of sound and at the same time we want to enable a rare glimpse into the life of a man who recorded everything you’re about to hear, one sound at a time.

Martyn Stewart has spent his lifetime on a mission: to record the natural sounds of our planet. It’s a story that will take us from a council estate in Birmingham England and ultimately take him to every corner of the planet. From Belize to the Arctic Wildlife Refuge, from Denali to the Galapagos, to some of the most inhospitable locations geographically and politically. He will be attacked by lions and crocodiles, arrested in Japan for filming the annual dolphin slaughter and then find himself in long periods of isolation, in remote corners of the world waiting for 30 seconds of a that perfect sound. This is ultimately a love story – dedicated to our natural world and to the people who spend their lives aiming to give it a voice.

Host

Martyn Stewart

From his first recording of a Eurasian blackbird as a boy, Martyn’s motivation has been singular: to use sound as a megaphone for vulnerable places and animals. For over 50 years, Martyn has travelled the world, microphone and recorder in hand (and insect repellent nearby) - recording in over 60 countries and capturing over 30,000 hours of nature sounds and soundscapes, more than 90,000 individual sounds and as many intimate stories from the natural world. His work has been featured in hundreds of documentaries, films, live experiences and, more recently, in albums, music and animation. By releasing a free collection of his most prized recordings to the public, he is optimistic those listening will feel closer to foreign species and environments, and feel motivated to act. “I think we have to become the voice of the voiceless. If we can get these beautiful sound recordings out and let people in the world listen to them, maybe we can start protecting what we've got left.."

https://www.thelisteningplanet.com/martynsstory