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One of the most famous of the BBC\u2019s first live outside broadcasts was aired on 19 May 1924, when the cellist Beatrice Harrison performed a duet with a singing nightingale<\/a> in her garden in Surrey.<\/p>\n It captivated listeners and was repeated every year until 1942.<\/p>\n However, the BBC was admitted that the nightingale featured in the broadcast was actually someone imitating a bird.<\/p>\n The original plan had been to feature a live nightingale with the famous\u00a0cellist, who had played a duet with a nightingale previously.<\/p>\n \u201cI began the Chant Hindu by Rimsky-Korsakov and, after playing for some time, I stopped,\u201d she said. \u201cSuddenly a glorious note echoed the notes of the cello. I then trilled up and down the instrument, up to the top and down again \u2026 The voice of the bird followed me \u2026 It seemed a miracle.\u201d<\/p>\n However, it is thought that on the night of the live broadcast, the nightingale was scared off, perhaps by the crew setting up their recording equipment in the garden. And the back-up plan was initiated \u2013 Maude Gould, also known as Madame Saberon.<\/p>\n Learn more about the \u201ctrue story\u201d in BBC Radio 3\u2019s programme, Private Passions<\/em><\/a>, on 17 April. The programme features ornithologist and author Professor Tim Birkhead talking about birdsong.<\/p>\n