What Is The History of Sound About?
The premise of The History of Sound in 325 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the bustling corridors of the Boston Conservatory in 1917, two young musicians discover an unexpected kinship forged by a shared love of folk song. Lionel arrives from the rolling hills of Kentucky, carrying the quiet rhythms of his homeland, while David brings the sharp, sea‑sprayed melodies of New England. Their connection, sparked over an impromptu duet in a dimly lit pub, quickly becomes a refuge from the hurried world of classical study, hinting at a deeper resonance that will linger long after their notes fade.
The film paints a portrait of an era on the brink of change, where the clatter of wartime headlines contrasts with the soft hum of a wooden fiddle and the whisper of an old ballad. Against this backdrop, the duo’s curiosity pulls them toward the rugged coastline of Maine, a landscape dotted with weather‑worn towns, mist‑cloaked forests, and forgotten crossroads where tradition still lives in the crook of a farmer’s smile or the call of a lone lighthouse keeper. Their purpose is simple yet ambitious: to capture the region’s disappearing songs before they slip into silence.
As they wander remote valleys and seaside hamlets, the journey becomes as much an interior exploration as a physical one. The cinematography drifts between sweeping vistas and intimate close‑ups of weathered hands plucking strings, evoking a mood that balances reverent nostalgia with a quiet excitement for discovery. The tone is lyrical, inviting the audience to listen to the world as the characters do—through the echo of old verses, the rustle of leaves, and the distant sigh of the Atlantic.
Through their shared quest, the film suggests that music is more than melody; it is a living archive of stories, identities, and bonds. The partnership between Lionel and David hints at a partnership that could redefine both their futures, as the road ahead offers both the promise of hidden verses and the subtle challenges of tracing a heritage that refuses to be neatly catalogued.
What Happens in The History of Sound?
The complete story of The History of Sound, from the first scene to the last, in 542 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 2 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
In 1917, New England Conservatory music student Lionel Worthing Paul Mescal meets fellow student David White Josh O’Connor at a pub, and the two instantly connect over a shared love of folk music before retreating to David’s apartment for a night that hints at something deeper. As their bond deepens, the United States enters World War I, sending David to the front while Lionel returns to his home state of Kentucky as the conservatory closes. He sets his musical ambitions aside and helps on the family farm after his father dies suddenly, carrying with him a quiet ache and a sense that life has nudged him onto a different path.
In 1919, Lionel receives word from David about his return from the war, a job at a Maine college, and a department-funded journey across the state to collect folk songs on wax cylinders. David invites Lionel to join and assist, and the two reunite on the road, crisscrossing the landscape to capture voices from a diverse array of people. The work rekindles their relationship as they share discoveries, swap stories, and build a memory archive of tunes that feels as vital as the bond between them.
The voyage eventually leads to a parting landscape: David must return to his duties, and Lionel contemplates a future in Europe. They rely on letters to stay connected, but over time the correspondence fades and the distance between them grows, leaving Lionel with a longing that won’t easily be quieted.
By 1923, Lionel, now in Italy, tells his lover Luca that he has taken a post as conductor at the University of Oxford, a move that ends their relationship on terms colored by distance and unresolved emotion. A year later, Lionel serves as conductor for the Oxford choir and becomes entangled with Clarissa Roux [Emma Canning], a socialite who invites him to meet her family at a country manor. The encounter dredges up memories of David, and Lionel feels pulled back toward the life they shared. The liaison with Clarissa ends when Lionel must return to the United States to comfort his mother.
After tending to family matters in Kentucky, Lionel travels to Maine to search for David, only to learn from a colleague that David died sometime after their trip and that the department never commissioned their work, leaving the wax cylinders unknown. The colleague directs Lionel to David’s widow, Belle [Hadley Robinson], who reveals she knows who Lionel is, explains how she and David became involved, and shares that David’s death was a suicide. Belle returns Lionel’s letters and says she will send the cylinders if they can be found. Lionel mourns by revisiting David’s favorite places from their youth and by playing the songs that first drew them to each other, letting the memory of their music carry him through grief.
In 1980, Lionel—now an ethnomusicologist—is promoting his latest book when a package arrives containing the wax cylinders, including one made on the day of David’s death. On the recording, David says he has felt completely lost since fighting in the war and softly sings “Silver Dagger,” the haunting folk song that had drawn him to Lionel in the first place, a final note that ties their story from youth to old age.
The History of Sound Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
15 key events in the order they happen, from “First meeting over folk music” to “David’s final message and 'Silver Dagger'”. 14 events name a place, across 8 locations.
- 1
First meeting over folk music
In 1917, Lionel Worthing, a music student, meets David White at a pub where they instantly bond over their shared love of folk music. They later move to David’s apartment, where their connection grows into romance.
When:1917 Where:Pub
- 2
Romance begins in David's apartment
The two youths continue their budding relationship in David’s apartment, where their attraction deepens beyond friendship. Their bond is strengthened by their mutual passion for traditional songs and shared dreams.
When:1917 Where:David's apartment
- 3
David enlists; Lionel returns to Kentucky
As the United States enters World War I, David enlists and Lionel returns to his home state of Kentucky as the conservatory closes. Lionel puts his music aside to help on his family’s farm after his father dies suddenly.
When:1917-1918 Where:Kentucky
- 4
Letter from David: a Maine job and a voyage plan
In 1919, Lionel receives a letter from David announcing his return from the war and his employment at a Maine college. The message mentions a department-funded trip across the state to collect folk songs on wax cylinders and invites Lionel to accompany him.
When:1919 Where:Maine
- 5
Reunion and journey across Maine
Lionel and David reunite and begin traveling around Maine to collect songs from diverse communities. Their collaboration deepens, and their relationship is renewed as they record and share folk tunes.
When:1919 Where:Maine
- 6
Parting ways as work pulls them apart
Their Maine trip ends when David must return to his duties, and Lionel plans to travel to Europe. The project dissolves for the time being, and both men pursue separate paths.
When:1919 Where:Maine
- 7
Letters fade: Lionel writes, then stops
Lionel maintains contact through letters but gradually stops receiving replies from David. The growing distance foreshadows a lasting separation between them.
When:1920s
- 8
Italy, Luca, and a bitter goodbye
In 1923, Lionel, now in Italy, tells his lover Luca that he’s taken a job as conductor at the University of Oxford, ending their relationship on a sour note. The parting marks a new chapter away from the early romance.
When:1923 Where:Italy
- 9
Oxford years and Clarissa Roux
A year later, Lionel conducts for Oxford's choir and becomes involved with student Clarissa Roux, who invites him to meet her family at their country manor. The period marks Lionel’s growing fame and a new social circle.
When:1924 Where:Oxford
- 10
Memory surge and departure to comfort his mother
During a trip to meet Clarissa’s family, Lionel is overwhelmed by memories of David. He returns to the United States to comfort his dying mother, and his relationship with Clarissa ends amid the personal upheaval.
When:1924 Where:United States
Show the other 5 events of The History of Sound Hide the last 5 events
- 11
Search for David’s fate in Maine
After time in Kentucky, Lionel travels to Maine to locate David’s records. A colleague reveals that David died some time after their trip and that no department had commissioned the voyage, leaving the wax cylinders missing.
When:late 1920s Where:Maine
- 12
Belle reveals the truth
David's widow Belle explains how she and David became involved, confirms his death was a suicide, and returns Lionel’s letters. Belle promises to send the cylinders if they can be found, shedding new light on the couple’s past.
When:late 1920s Where:Maine
- 13
Mourning through songs
Lionel mourns by revisiting David’s favorite locations from their youth and by playing the songs that first drew them together. The ritual helps him process the loss and keeps their memories alive through music.
When:late 1920s Where:Maine
- 14
A package arrives: wax cylinders surface
In 1980, Lionel, now an ethnomusicologist, promotes his latest book when a package arrives containing the wax cylinders. One recording was made on the day of David’s death, offering a haunting glimpse into their shared past.
When:1980 Where:Lionel's home
- 15
David’s final message and 'Silver Dagger'
On the recording, David tells Lionel he has felt completely lost since fighting in the war and sings 'Silver Dagger,' the song that first drew them together. The track cements the enduring bond between their lives and music.
When:1980 Where:Lionel's home
Who Are the Main Characters in The History of Sound?
7 characters, among them Lionel Worthing (Paul Mescal), David White (Josh O'Connor) and Clarissa Roux (Emma Canning): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
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Lionel Worthing (Paul Mescal)
Played by Paul Mescal
A gifted music student whose quiet passion for folk tunes drives his choices across decades. He wrestles with love, duty, and a restless longing for Europe, keeping the memory of David close as life reshapes him.
- 🎭 Romantic
- 🎼 Musician
- 🧭 Seeker
-
David White (Josh O'Connor)
Played by Josh O'Connor
Lionel's partner in music and life, a warm, idealistic figure whose experiences in World War I drive his choices. His death and the lost chance to finish their joint project haunt Lionel as years pass.
- 💖 Lover
- 🎶 Folklorist
- 🗺️ Adventurer
- CR
Clarissa Roux (Emma Canning)
Played by Emma Canning
A socialite who draws Lionel into a country manor life, echoing the past he shared with David. Her presence tests Lionel's resolve and highlights the pull between obligation and longing.
- 🎭 Complex
- 🏛️ Socialite
- 💌 Intriguing
-
Belle (Hadley Robinson)
Played by Hadley Robinson
David's widow who becomes a bridge to Lionel's memory, revealing the truth of their story and returning the letters and cylinders that finally connect past with present.
- 🫂 Survivor
- 🗝️ Keeper
- 🧡 Stoic
- LM
Lionel's Mother (Molly Price)
Played by Molly Price
A caring mother whose grief and resilience anchor Lionel's return to Kentucky and his efforts to comfort family in the wake of loss.
- 👩👦 Family
- 🕊️ Strength
- 💐 Maternal
- LS
Lionel Sr. (Raphael Sbarge)
Played by Raphael Sbarge
A paternal figure whose passing early on shapes Lionel's sense of duty and the quiet ache he carries through his life.
- 👨👦 Family
- 🏛️ Authority
- 🕯️ Legacy
- G(
Grandfather (Tom Nelis)
Played by Tom Nelis
A familial anchor who embodies the generations of memory Lionel seeks to honor through his work and his love.
- 👴 Heritage
- 🕰️ Memory
- 🪶 Wisdom
Where and When Is The History of Sound Set?
The History of Sound is set in Boston, Kentucky, Maine, Italy and Oxford (1917–1980). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
1917–1980
The story begins in 1917 amid World War I, follows the postwar era through the 1920s, and chronicles Lionel's shift from student to family man and conductor. It culminates in 1980 as an ethnomusicologist revisits a century of memories via a box of wax cylinders.
Where
Boston, Kentucky, Maine, Italy, Oxford
Locations stretch from the Boston conservatory halls to rural Kentucky farms and Maine coastlines, then traverse Europe to Italy and Oxford as the memory of a lifelong romance unfolds. The landscapes frame a decades-spanning tale of music, work, and family duty, with country manors, campuses, and seaside towns shaping the emotional map.
- 🎼 Conservatory
- 🗺️ Cross-country journey
- 🕰️ Historical settings
What Are the Themes of The History of Sound?
4 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Music as Memory, Love Across Time and Archive of Voices.
-
01
Music as Memory
Folk tunes bind lovers and strangers, turning songs into archives that outlive individuals. The melodies travel with the characters across miles and decades, preserving moments otherwise lost to time. Music becomes a living thread linking youth, war, love, and grief.
-
02
Love Across Time
Two lives cross in youth and are later separated by distance, duty, and death, yet their bond lingers in letters, recordings, and shared songs. The film examines how affection survives through upheaval, demanding memory and reinvention. The relationship shifts from romance to a chosen memory that guides the present.
-
03
Archive of Voices
The journey across states and countries doubles as an ethnographic mission to record folk voices on wax cylinders. The endeavor reveals who gets included in history and whose stories are lost, highlighting the fragility of memory archives. The final revelation ties the archive to the personal history of Lionel and David.
-
04
Time and Loss
Distance and time deepen a sense of absence, culminating in the revelation of David's death and the unspoken acts that followed. Lionel's lifelong pursuit becomes a quest to reconcile with a past that's gone but not forgotten. The film uses time as a character, shaping memory as something you actively carry forward.
What Kind of Film Is The History of Sound?
Melancholic in tone, with slow pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Melancholic
- Pacing
- Slow
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A slow-paced, deeply melancholic romance that follows a lifelong connection defined by separation, memory, and the quiet ache of love and loss, set against the backdrop of a preserved musical heritage.
- nostalgic
- heartfelt
- somber
- romantic
- reflective
- lonely
- unrequited love
- memory and legacy
- grief and loss
- artistic passion
Content notes: suicide, war trauma, grief.
Quiz
How well do you remember The History of Sound? Test yourself on the story.
