The Sonic Memorial Project

Once the daytime workers had left the WTC and the evening rush was over, the late-night staff often tuned their radios to Latino stations. The music was one of the distinctive sounds to be heard there after hours.

These newsreels from the early 1970s document Philippe Petit's highwire stunt and Owen J. Quinn's parachute jump off the WTC.

In 1982, radio producer Lou Giansante recorded a number of interviews with people at the World Trade Center, as well as some of the sounds of the buildings. This is the sound of the elevator going up to the Observation Deck.

In 1982, radio producer Lou Giansante recorded a number of interviews with people at the World Trade Center. Here, he speaks with a man from Yugoslavia.

In 1982, radio producer Lou Giansante recorded a number of interviews with people at the World Trade Center. This is the conversation he had with an Irish man.

In 1982, radio producer Lou Giansante recorded a number of interviews with people at the World Trade Center. Here, he speaks with a French couple.

In 1982, radio producer Lou Giansante recorded a number of interviews with people at the World Trade Center. Here, he speaks with two Egyptian men.

In 1982, radio producer Lou Giansante recorded a number of interviews with people at the World Trade Center, as well as some of the sounds of the buildings. Here, Giansante records people descending in the elevator.

In 1982, radio producer Lou Giansante recorded a number of interviews with people at the World Trade Center. Here, he speaks with an Israeli man.

In 1982, radio producer Lou Giansante recorded a number of interviews with people at the World Trade Center, as well as some of the sounds of the buildings. Here, he speaks with a South African woman and an English woman.

In 1982, radio producer Lou Giansante recorded a number of interviews with people at the World Trade Center. Here, he speaks with a Taiwanese man.

In 1982, radio producer Lou Giansante recorded a number of interviews with people at the World Trade Center. Here, he speaks with a Dutch woman.

In 1982, radio producer Lou Giansante recorded a number of interviews with people at the World Trade Center. Here, he speaks with a woman from Louisiana.

In 1982, radio producer Lou Giansante recorded a number of interviews with people at the World Trade Center, as well as some of the sounds of the buildings. In this recording, made from the observation deck, he recorded a man pointing out his car to…

In 1982, radio producer Lou Giansante recorded a number of interviews with people at the World Trade Center. Here, he spoke with a Dutch couple.

In 1982, radio producer Lou Giansante recorded a number of interviews with people at the World Trade Center, as well as some of the sounds of the buildings. Here, he speaks with a man and a boy from Philadelphia.

Beverly Eckert and Nikki Stern lost their husbands on 9/11. Beverly remembers her husband Sean Rooney's love of music. Nikki desribes the grieving process. This excerpt is from the Sonic Memorial Special.

Sylvia Bloom remembers a brunch she enjoyed at Windows on the World in 1980.

Verity Chegar of San Francisco recommends including the telephone operator's message All circuits are busy. She heard it all day on 9/11 when she tried to call friends in New York.

Sound editor and recordist Esther Regelson lives two blocks south of WTC. She has recorded ambient sounds and has also been interviewing neighbors about 9/11.