Reviews

"I wish you could have seen how thrilled my dad was with his recording. When he listened he was as gripped as if he was hearing the stories for the first time. Thanks so much - the recording has turned out to be a tremendously successful present to him, never mind his descendants!"

"I at last found time over half term to listen to the two CDs and it is marvellous. I was listening with my husband in the car, William knows Terry (Walsh - retired Deputy Master) and wanted to listen to it again he was so enthralled. It is brilliant partly because Terry is such a good raconteur but also because you have put it together so well.
Thank you"

"I was a bit nervous before the interview. I thought I'd get a grilling like on the Today programme, but Claire just encouraged me to relax and reminisce, so I found much to my surprise, I enjoyed myself! So glad to have done this - particularly for my American grand-children"

"To hear the voice of someone you love or admire speaking directly to camera, as it were, is a great privilege and a truly moving experience. Thank you so much for the recording of Peggy, it was a wonderful thing to receive and I will treasure it always."

"The recording was very good, but hearing my own voice put me off! But I'm over the moon with it. The fact that my great grandchildren will actually hear my voice. It's so much more personal than just reading about me. And my children, I've never sat down and told them all I told Claire. There just isn't time in modern life to really talk like my father used to talk to me, which is how I was able to remember all his adventures."

"I found the interview amazing, as I remembered events that had long been buried in my memory, some of which proved to be very emotional indeed but quite cathartic. All in all a very moving experience."

"Claire told me the "portraits in sound" of my mum and dad would mainly be for the grandchildren but the recordings turned out to be full of stories that were news to me. I learnt a lot, also, about where I'd come from and what they've been through in the war and the postwar years. Made me cry. My parents loved telling their story."

"Well...! I'm not quite sure what to say! But first, I do congratulate you on doing a superb job - and I absolutely love the first 4 bars at the beginning! - and also the brilliant way you've closed with the end of the fugue.
As for the content, I agree with a lot that this chap says! It's better than I thought it would be in that there is a surprising lot of genuine social comment, seriously considered comparisons with today, and educational wisdom. Very little gossip, which is good. I'm certainly not ashamed of it.
With further expressions of unexpected satisfaction..."

"I had Portraits In Sound do its magic on my mother and I'm so glad I did! I knew Claire from the BBC but even I was taken aback by her skill, patience and flair. She managed to capture Mum's gentle humour, and also cope with her movable memory (!). This even required an extra visit to make a correction, which she did with grace and the minimum of fuss. I learned so much about my mother from hearing it. The audio was clean and used music and poetry to great, subtle effect. The result is something I can't wait for the grandchildren to hear - this will introduce them to the Mum I know and love like nothing else can."