Ludwig Koch and the Music of Nature

Radio historian Sean Street tells the story of Ludwig Koch, who started recording sounds and voices in the 1880s when he was still a child. In 1936, Koch fled Nazi Germany and his recordings were later acquired by the BBC. His collection established the BBC's library of natural history sounds and he became a household name as a nature broadcaster.

Koch's distinct German accent and eccentric location recordings became so well known that he was parodied by Peter Sellers. Koch's recording of a Parisian street performer and the famous actor's take on it can both be heard in this programme.