Robert Browning as performed by Aaron Kramer

To help celebrate the 150th birthday of Robert Browning, poet Aaron Kramer went into the studios of WNYC in New York on May 3, 1962, and performed three of Browning’s poems — and offered commentary on each.

  1. introduction (1:16): MP3
  2. comment on “Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came” (1:32): MP3 [text]
  3. “Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came” (16:24): MP3
  4. comment on “Andrea del Sarto” (1:52): MP3 [text]
  5. “Andrea del Sarto” (18:25): MP3
  6. comment on “Abt Vogler” (1:30): MP3 [text]
  7. “Abt Vogler” (10:50): MP3
  8. closing remarks (1:15): MP3

Kramer got a copy of the program from WNYC and kept it; after his death, Laura Kramer, the poet’s daughter, found the tape and generously permitted PennSound to make it available, along with a great many other readings now featured on PennSound’s Kramer page.