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The Voice Recordings of Frank Worsley - Shackleton Music Series

Writer's picture: Tony Parker NESCTony Parker NESC
The Voice Recordings of Frank Worsley

Updates on the Shackleton Music Series


Hi everyone,

A lot has happened since the last release, so here’s a quick update.


Shackleton Exhibition in Auckland

I attended the opening night of the Shackleton Exhibition at the Auckland Maritime Museum in November, where some of the Shackleton music tracks were played in the background. The feedback was great, but it’s clear there’s interest in making this series more of a soundtrack to the real events of the expedition. The museum and the Antarctic Trust want tracks that bring history to life and can be played at events like the exhibition.


Frank Worsley in Akaroa New Zealand
Frank Worsley in Akaroa New Zealand

Frank Worsley’s Voice

When I started this project, I thought Shackleton’s voice in the first track would be the only one from the era. Turns out, I was wrong!


I found an old 1933 film narrated by Frank Worsley, the captain of the Endurance, who was born in Akaroa, New Zealand. It’s fantastic to have the actual voice of someone who was there—day by day—living this story. His navigation saved the crew, first to Elephant Island and then on the daring journey to South Georgia.


The catch? There’s piano music in the background of all of the recordings of Frank's voice. But with new tech, I can remove it and use Frank Worsley’s voice cleanly in future tracks. It’s a lot of work, but worth it to bring his first-hand perspective to the album.


A New Direction

Having Worsley’s narration changes everything. This isn’t just songs about Shackleton anymore—it’s the story told by one of the crew, in his own words, and on top of that, this is the Captain of the Endurance. It’s made me rethink some of the tracks and ideas I had planned, but I think it’s going to make the final album even better.


More updates soon.

Thanks,

Tony

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