A LIFE IN SOUND

In this special episode of A Life in Sound from The Listening Planet, Martyn Stewart returns to England for a journey that is at once deeply personal, profoundly nostalgic, and unexpectedly historic. Fresh from receiving an OBE from King Charles at Windsor Castle for services to nature, Martyn joins Amanda for an intimate conversation about honour, homecoming, and the soundscapes that first taught him how to listen.

The episode begins with the extraordinary story of the award itself: the mysterious phone calls Martyn initially dismissed as a scam, the family intervention required to convince him the honour was real, and the surreal experience of arriving at Windsor Castle to discover that it would be the King himself conducting the investiture. For Martyn — a Birmingham-born son of the council estates who built a life documenting the disappearing voices of the natural world — the moment is almost impossible to comprehend. It is moving, funny and deeply human, revealing both his humility and his enduring disbelief at being recognised in this way.

But this episode is about much more than ceremony. It is also a return to origins. Together, Martyn and Amanda journey back through England’s landscapes and through Martyn’s own memories: to the dawn chorus of his childhood, the bluebell woods that offered refuge and solace, and the rivers, forests, marshes and moorlands that shaped his earliest recordings. With extraordinary vividness, Martyn evokes the robin before dawn, the wren, the blackbird, the song thrush, the curlew, the kingfisher and the bittern, revealing not just what these places sound like, but what they mean.

At the heart of the episode is Martyn’s idea of sound as a time machine. His vast archive allows him to travel back decades and hear the world as it once was — a world richer in birdsong, quieter in its human footprint, and more alive to the subtle textures of the natural world. When recordings from 50 years ago are set against contemporary returns to the same places, the contrast is both fascinating and devastating. The result is an episode that captures the beauty of England’s living soundscape while also confronting the losses brought by development, habitat change and modern noise.

Travelling from the bluebell woods of Birmingham to the Peak District, the Wye Valley, Thetford Forest and the Norfolk Broads, Martyn builds an auditory map of England through memory, wildlife and wonder. Along the way, he reflects on the craft of sound recording, the patience it demands, and the heightened awareness required to truly hear what nature is saying. This is not only a story of birds and places, but of perception itself — of learning to listen beyond the obvious, and of what becomes possible when we do.

Rich with humour, feeling and hard-won wisdom, this is an episode about belonging, recognition, loss and reverence. It is a portrait of England as heard through one of the world’s great wildlife sound recordists, and a reminder that the sounds of home can shape an entire life.

In this immersive journey through Scandinavia, legendary sound recordist Martyn Stewart and host Amanda Hill explore the raw, untamed beauty of the North. From the creaking glaciers of Norway to the geysers of Iceland and the thunderous storms of the Faroe Islands, Martyn shares stories from decades of fieldwork—mic’ing up waterfalls, surviving hurricane winds, and capturing the eerie, majestic songs of wolves, moose, and reindeer. They marvel at the choreography of humpback whale bubble-netting, laugh about microphone-laden decoy ducks, and close with the serene magic of the Norwegian dawn chorus. It's a cinematic, soulful celebration of nature's voice and our deep connection to it.
www.thelisteningplanet.com

Scotland: Where the Wind Remembers
📝 Episode Synopsis:
In this deeply personal episode, Martyn Stewart takes us on an evocative journey through the soundscapes of Scotland—a land he calls home in heart, soul, and spirit. From the soft rustle of winds in the Lowlands to the haunting cries of curlews above Culloden Moor, Martyn reflects on his decades of recording, walking, and falling in love with Scotland’s wild places.
We travel through the Borderlands, Highlands, and Islands, weaving through memories of football, first visits, and lifelong rituals—like kissing the welcome sign at Gretna Green. Martyn recounts tales of Rannoch Moor, Glen Tilt, and the Isle of Skye, and speaks about recording with honour and grief at Culloden, where the winds still whisper the stories of the fallen.
This episode is also a meditation on loss—of species, of silence, of time—and a call to love the world deeply enough to preserve it. Whether you’re a lifelong nature lover or a curious traveler, this sonic pilgrimage to Scotland is a love letter to wildness, history, and home.
www.thelisteningplanet.com

At 2 AM, Martyn Stewart knew exactly where he needed to be—on the beach, listening. The waves rolled in like an old song, wrapping around him in the way only nature can.
For Martyn, sound has always been more than just something to hear. It’s been an escape, a refuge, a way to make sense of the world. As a child, it was the call of the wild that helped him through a turbulent home. As an adult, it has been his constant companion—through illness, through change, through life itself.
In this sonic portrait, Martyn reflects on the deep connection between sound and memory, the power of listening, and why, if he could take just one recording to a desert island, it would be the chorus of a blackbird—the sound where it all began.
This is more than a story. It’s a life told through sound. 🎧🌿
This episode was produced and sound designed by Seb Masters.
#ALifeInSound #TheListeningPlanet #MartynStewart #SonicPortrait
www.thelisteningplanet.com

What if the natural world could compose a symphony? Join us as we explore this captivating question in our latest episode featuring Martyn Stewart and singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer ONR.

Born Robert Shields and hailing from from Dumfriesshire in South Scotland, ONR's distinctive compositions, vocals and exceptional musical capability have captured the imagination of some of the world’s biggest acts and most respected musicians; one of ONR’s breakout moments being his collaboration with legendary guitarist and producer Nile Rodgers, who became a huge fan and supporter after having happened to see ONR recording at Abbey Road Studios. Rodgers said of Shields in a recent Forbes interview, “he reminds me of working with Daft Punk. His sense of composition is just wonderfully chaotic."
Discover how an impromptu Zoom call ignited Martyn's passion for intertwining the audio of Scotland's breathtaking landscapes with music. The magic of Scotland's Western Isles, the Highlands, and the historically rich Culloden Moor and Glencoe are not just backdrops but essential players in this unique musical collaboration.

Listeners will be taken on an emotional journey, particularly through the track "You and I," inspired by the Solway Firth. This piece holds profound emotional significance for Robert, offering a deeply personal narrative woven into the melody. You'll hear about the challenges and rewards of composing music driven solely by the rhythms and sounds of nature, from the daunting cries of Peregrine Falcons in Dalbeattie to the serene ambiance of Scotland's untouched wilderness.

The episode culminates in a heartfelt reflection on the transformative power of this artistic endeavor. Martyn and Robert share their gratitude for the creative freedom and inspiration this project has brought into their lives. We invite our listeners to continue exploring the world of natural sounds and music through our online platforms, ensuring the journey into nature's symphony is just the beginning.
www.thelisteningplanet.com