Sounding Tennyson is a digital resource that presents sonic and textual versions of Tennyson’s poetry. Its materials include the first recordings and publications of Emily Tennyson’s piano/vocal settings of “Break, Break, Break,” which preserve aspects of her husband’s recitation. The recordings were made in the drawing room at the Tennysons’ restored home, Farringford, using Queen Victoria’s piano. The digital application shows images of the score and plays the songs, with each measure marked in time with the music. Users can also compare multiple musical and textual drafts, and read commentary. In future, the site will expand to present all twenty-four Emily Tennyson musical settings of her husband’s poems, as well as additional items. PI: Phyllis Weliver (Saint Louis University). Co-I: Ewan Jones (University of Cambridge). Besides being part of Sounding Victorian, Sounding Tennyson is part of The Tennysons Archive, the first digital archival grouping of Tennyson items. The Tennysons Archive also includes the Tennyson resource hosted by the Cambridge Digital Library.
