British Pathe on YouTube

The Telegraph and various friends (Janos Gereben, Alex Ross) have been spreading the word: British Pathé has uploaded 85,000 historic newsreels and compilations to YouTube.

It's true, it's true: but low-res versions of these films have been available at British Pathé's own web site since 2003.

Enjoy the riches, and here's one of special interest to me: Sir Henry Wood conducting the BBCSO in Vaughan Williams's Serenade to Music in 1938, the year of its composition. RVW himself is visible in the film. They are making the first recording of the piece. The singers are:

Sopranos:	Isobel Baillie, Lilian Stiles-Allen, Elsie Suddaby, Eva Turner
Contraltos:	Muriel Brunskill, Astra Desmond, Mary Jarred, Margaret Balfour
Tenors:	Heddle Nash, Frank Titterton, Walter Widdop, Parry Jones
Baritones:	Harold Williams, Roy Henderson
Basses:	Robert Easton, Norman Allin

You can also see various important historical events and disasters, including the Battle of the Somme, Emily Davison throwing herself under the King's horse at the English Derby in 1913 to, well, just about everything.