Melting Into Air: A History of the Victorian Empire

Brian Reinken
  • 5.0 (10)
  • History
  • Updated Monthly

Melting Into Air is a scripted, long-form podcast that explores the history and culture of the Victorian era. meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com

Episodes

  1. 5d ago

    The Mess, The Beauty, and the Tragedy: Kristin Rose on "Wuthering Heights" and Hollywood

    Since 1847, Emily Brontë’s novel Wuthering Heights has captivated readers with its searing story of destructive love, obsessive hatred, and devotion that transcends the grave. Set amid the lonely moors of northern England, the novel follows the sadistic Heathcliff and the untamable Catherine, whose passion for each other spirals into violence that consumes two families. Many Victorians found the story shocking. Hollywood has found it endlessly appealing. Wuthering Heights has been adapted for the screen dozens of times over the past 100 years. But what gets lost when translating a nineteenth-century novel to the screen? Why has pop culture often misremembered Brontë’s narrative? And how exactly does that narrative continue to inform young people’s expectations of romantic love? Dr. Kristin Rose teaches at Vanderbilt University, where she is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Gender and Sexuality Studies and affiliated faculty for the Climate and Environmental Studies Program. Her 2023 dissertation, Women on the Wastes: Reimagining “Empty” Environments in the Victorian Female Bildungsroman, explores how some of the Victorian era’s most prolific women writers used the imaginatively charged landscape of the “waste” or “wasteland” to reimagine narratives of development beyond expropriative notions of British “progress.” In addition to nineteenth-century studies, her teaching and research interests include ecofeminism, climate fiction, and queer literature. Her articles have recently appeared in The Keats-Shelley Journal and NOVEL: A Forum on Fiction. For a free, extended bonus cut of this interview, please visit our Patreon. If you'd like to make a one-time tip, you can do so on our Ko-fi. SUPPORT US ON PATREON! $2/month: Shoutout in the show notes. $5/month: Access to Q&A episodes and a logo sticker. $10/month: All of the above, plus early access to exclusive episodes from "Beyond the British Empire." CREDITS Written and narrated by Brian Reinken Produced and edited by Marcie LaCerte Artwork by Marcie LaCerte Theme song: Waltz (Tschaikovsky Op. 40) by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PATRONS ♡ Biaggi Barber Cindy Reinken Elaine Trevorrow Jenny Bowman Jordan LaCerte Rasmus Yves LaCerte SOCIAL Instagram / Letterboxd / LinkedIn / Facebook LISTEN Apple / Spotify / YouTube CONTACT info@meltingintoair.net This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com

    The Mess, The Beauty, and the Tragedy: Kristin Rose on "Wuthering Heights" and Hollywood

  2. Aug 9 ·  Bonus

    BONUS PREVIEW: Season 1 Q&A

    Melting Into Air’s producer, Marcie LaCerte, sits down with the host, Brian Reinken, to answer listeners’ questions about Season 1. Tune in for a lively discussion about Catholicism, typhoid, book recommendations, sound design, and what’s coming in Season 2. For access to the full-length episode, please subscribe our Patreon. If you'd like to make a one-time tip, you can do so on our Ko-fi. SUPPORT US ON PATREON! $2/month: Shoutout in the show notes. $5/month: Access to Q&A episodes and a logo sticker. $10/month: All of the above, plus early access to exclusive episodes from "Beyond the British Empire." CREDITS Written and narrated by Brian Reinken Produced and edited by Marcie LaCerte Artwork by Marcie LaCerte Theme song: Waltz (Tschaikovsky Op. 40) by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PATRONS ♡ Biaggi Barber Cindy Reinken Elaine Trevorrow Jenny Bowman Jordan LaCerte Rasmus Yves LaCerte SOCIAL Instagram / Letterboxd / LinkedIn / Facebook LISTEN Apple / Spotify / YouTube CONTACT info@meltingintoair.net This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com

    BONUS PREVIEW: Season 1 Q&A

  3. Jul 12

    What Do You Do With a Broken Thing? Jonah Siegel on Museums & Empire

    Across Western Europe, the early nineteenth century witnessed a renaissance in art appreciation. Wealthy tourists flocked to Italy to admire gorgeous paintings and indulge in sultry love affairs. Meanwhile, new public museums like the Louvre and the National Gallery inspired ordinary citizens at home in France and Britain. Unfortunately, this period’s romantic promise of “high culture” had a dark side. The sight of Rome’s crumbling ruins prompted uneasy dreams about decline and fall, and violence haunted new museums whose collections were the products of imperial looting. So what’s the history behind museums? Why do visitors find ruins and broken objects so attractive? And is it truly possible for institutions of high culture to atone for past misdeeds? Jonah Siegel is Distinguished Professor of English at Rutgers University. He is currently working on a book about how the destruction of art objects in popular culture relates to contemporary concepts of progress. He is also publishing Season of Beauty, a Substack about slowly walking through the painting galleries in New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. For a free, extended bonus cut of this interview, please visit our Patreon. For additional images, please visit our website. SUPPORT US ON PATREON! $2/month: Donation tier. $5/month: Access to Q&A episodes and a logo sticker. $10/month: All of the above, plus early access to exclusive episodes from "Beyond the British Empire." CREDITS Written and narrated by Brian Reinken Produced and edited by Marcie LaCerte Artwork by Marcie LaCerte Theme song: Waltz (Tschaikovsky Op. 40) by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PATRONS ♡ Biaggi Barber Cindy Reinken Jordan LaCerte Rasmus Yves LaCerte SOCIAL Instagram / Letterboxd / LinkedIn / Facebook LISTEN Apple / Spotify / YouTube CONTACT info@meltingintoair.net This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com

    What Do You Do With a Broken Thing? Jonah Siegel on Museums & Empire

  4. Jun 12

    The African Roscius: Greg Vargo on Ira Aldridge

    Ira Aldridge was one of the most celebrated stage actors of the early Victorian period. Born into a Black family in the United States, he rose to international superstardom after taking his career to London, where he played leading roles in everything from Shakespearean tragedies to lurid imperial melodramas. As a performer, Aldridge dramatized important topics like Atlantic slavery, and he crossed the color line by playing characters like Richard III and King Lear. Audiences simply couldn’t get enough. So who was Ira Aldridge? How did he rise to stardom despite racial prejudice? And what does his extraordinary life reveal about race, politics, and popular culture in the nineteenth century? Professor Greg Vargo teaches at New York University. He has authored a book titled An Underground History of Early Victorian Literature and edited two collections of plays, Chartist Drama and Ira Aldridge on the Stage: An Anthology. The latter appeared this year from Edinburgh University Press. It features plays starring the first Black celebrity of the British stage, Ira Aldridge. For additional images, please visit our website. SUPPORT US ON PATREON! $2/month: Donation tier. $5/month: Access to Q&A episodes and a logo sticker. $10/month: All of the above, plus a "special thanks" in the show notes, plus early access to exclusive episodes from "Beyond the British Empire." CREDITS Written and narrated by Brian Reinken Produced and edited by Marcie LaCerte Artwork by Marcie LaCerte Theme song: Waltz (Tschaikovsky Op. 40) by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PATRONS Biaggi Barber Cindy Reinken Jordan LaCerte Rasmus Yves LaCerte SOCIAL Instagram / Letterboxd / LinkedIn LISTEN Apple / Spotify / YouTube CONTACT info@meltingintoair.net This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com

    The African Roscius: Greg Vargo on Ira Aldridge

  5. May 10

    7 - I Am Born: Victorian Childhood

    Nineteenth-century Britain was the historical birthplace of “childhood” as the Western world understands that term today. This episode showcases a diverse range of Victorian childhoods by introducing seven characters from the richest to the poorest strata of British society. As we experience the early nineteenth century through their eyes, we’ll bear their sorrows, and we’ll share their joys. For additional credits, images, and a movie list, please visit our website. SUPPORT US ON PATREON! $2/month: Donation tier. $5/month: Access to Q&A episodes and a logo sticker. $10/month: All of the above, plus a "special thanks" in the show notes, plus early access to exclusive episodes from "Beyond the British Empire." CREDITS Written and narrated by Brian Reinken Produced and edited by Marcie LaCerte Artwork by Marcie LaCerte Rhyming Children voiced by Marcie LaCerte Theme song: Waltz (Tschaikovsky Op. 40) by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PATRONS Biaggi Barber Jordan LaCerte Rasmus Yves LaCerte LINKS Letterboxd / Apple / Spotify / YouTube CONTACT info@meltingintoair.net SOUND & MUSIC Coming soon! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com

    7 - I Am Born: Victorian Childhood

  6. Mar 1

    6 - The Two Nations: Britain's Hungry Forties

    The “Hungry Forties” rank among the bleakest periods in British history. Depression, protest, blood, and fire defined the years from 1837 to 1848, when the country’s average life expectancy dropped lower than it had been since the time of the Black Death. As lawmakers blocked institutional channels to reform, grassroots movements such as Chartism became the only way for ordinary people to express their grievances. Britain tore itself into “two nations”: the rich and the poor. For additional credits, images, and a movie list, please visit our website. SUPPORT US ON PATREON! $2/month: Donation tier. $5/month: Open submission for Q&A episodes, access to interview episodes, and a logo sticker. $10/month: All of the above, plus a "special thanks" in the show notes, plus early access to exclusive episodes from "Beyond the British Empire." CREDITS Written and narrated by Brian Reinken Produced and edited by Marcie LaCerte Artwork by Marcie LaCerte Tiny Tim voiced by Marcie LaCerte Theme song: Waltz (Tschaikovsky Op. 40) by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PATRONS Biaggi Barber Rachel Halsey Jordan LaCerte Yves LaCerte LINKS Letterboxd / Apple / Spotify / YouTube CONTACT info@meltingintoair.net CREDITS Coming soon! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com

    6 - The Two Nations: Britain's Hungry Forties

  7. Jan 11

    5 - Land Grabbing on a Great Scale: Enclosure and the Industrial Revolution

    Enclosure and industrialization, which both began in England, laid the groundwork for a new kind of global capitalism. Because these economic processes impacted absolutely every aspect of Victorian life, they’re as fundamental to the study of the nineteenth century as chemistry or physics are to the interpretation of the natural world. In this episode, we’ll approach broad, complex economic concepts from a humanist perspective that prioritizes ordinary people’s lived experiences. For additional credits, images, and a movie list, please visit our website. SUPPORT US ON PATREON! $2/month: Donation tier. $5/month: Open submission for Q&A episodes, access to interview episodes, and a logo sticker. $10/month: All of the above, plus a "special thanks" in the show notes, plus early access to exclusive episodes from "Beyond the British Empire." CREDITS Written and narrated by Brian Reinken Produced and edited by Marcie LaCerte Artwork by Marcie LaCerte Elizabeth Bentley voiced by Marcie LaCerte Theme song: Waltz (Tschaikovsky Op. 40) by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PATRONS Rachel Halsey Jordan LaCerte Yves LaCerte LINKS Letterboxd / Apple / Spotify / YouTube CONTACT info@meltingintoair.net MUSIC Chopin, Frederic. Trois Nouvelles Études, no. 2. Chopin, Frederic. Mazurka No. 35 in C minor, Op. 56 No. 3. Chopin, Frederic. Mazurka No. 49 in F minor, Op. 68 No. 4. Satie, Erik. Gnossienne 3. Gymnopedie No. 3 (Erik Satie) by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons By Attribution 3.0 License. Chopin, Frederic. Mazurka No. 13 in A minor, Op. 17 No. 4. Haydn, Joseph. String Quartet, Op. 64 No. 5 in D major 'The Lark' - I. Allegro moderato. Chopin, Frederic. Nocturne No. 21 in C minor, B. 108. Bach, J. S. Goldberg Variations, BWV988. Satie, Erik. Gnossienne 4. Mendelssohn, Felix. A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61 Scherzo. Mendelssohn, Felix. Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90 'Italian' - I. Allegro vivace. Satie, Erik. Gnossienne 6. Gaveaux, Pierre. Polacca from the opera Le Trompeur Trompé. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. Beethoven, Ludwig von. Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 55 'Eroica' - I. Allegro con brio. Chopin, Frederic. Nocturne No. 15 in F minor, Op. 55 No. 1. SOUND EFFECTS Mill MIX.wav by ccundell -- freesound.org/s/702460/ -- Licensed under NonCommercial 4.0 natural water puddle summer 2.06 pm 220618_0409 by klankbeeld -- freesound.org/s/693746/ -- Licensed under Attribution 4.0 CHURCH BELLS.m4a by CousinAwd -- freesound.org/s/528827/ -- Attribution 4.0 small stream ambient 1213PM 240129_0645 by klankbeeld -- freesound.org/s/721088/ -- Licensed under Attribution 4.0 Forest in Scotland May 1999.wav by inchadney -- freesound.org/s/336696/ -- Licensed under Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Cambridge_pub_beergarden_rowdy_short_atmos.wav by alexkandrell -- freesound.org/s/294425/ -- Licensed under Attribution 3.0 Door Knock 1 by blou27 -- freesound.org/s/841281/ -- Licensed under Attribution 4.0 crate_break_2.wav by dxeyes -- freesound.org/s/432670/ -- Licensed under Attribution 4.0 Queen Street Mill, line shafts and belts running.wav by phonoflora -- freesound.org/s/201175/ -- Licensed under Attribution 4.0 Canadian Horse Carriage.wav by vero.marengere -- freesound.org/s/450325/ -- Licensed under Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Distant Steam Train Whistle No Background Noise by WeenyBeany -- freesound.org/s/800935/ -- Licensed under Attribution 4.0 00947 building railway hard work arrangement.wav by Robinhood76 -- freesound.org/s/69009/ -- Licensed under Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Steam whistle 090518.wav by LG -- freesound.org/s/72805/ -- Licensed under Attribution 4.0 boat Arvor 215 engine propellers low rpm splashes stereo ORTF 8040.wav by Soundholder -- freesound.org/s/425514/ -- Licensed under Attribution 3.0 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com

    5 - Land Grabbing on a Great Scale: Enclosure and the Industrial Revolution

  8. 11/30/2025

    4 - A Side of Streaky Bacon: Early Victorian Culture

    The imaginary border between “high” and “low” culture became more heavily guarded at precisely the moment when it grew much easier to cross. In this episode, we’ll explore how mass entertainment and elite institutions intersected with each other in surprising ways throughout the 1830s and 40s. From execution grounds to ivory towers, culture wars became a proxy for class struggle, but they also gave rise to alliances between unlikely partners. For additional credits, images, and a movie list, please visit our website. SUPPORT US ON PATREON! $2/month: Donation tier. $5/month: Open submission for Q&A episodes, access to interview episodes, and a logo sticker. $10/month: All of the above, plus a "special thanks" in the show notes, plus early access to exclusive episodes from "Beyond the British Empire." CREDITS Written and narrated by Brian Reinken Produced and edited by Marcie LaCerte Artwork by Marcie LaCerte Theme song: Waltz (Tschikovsky Op. 40) by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PATRONS Jordan LaCerte Yves LaCerte LINKS Letterboxd / Apple / Spotify / YouTube CONTACT info@meltingintoair.net MUSIC Parisian. Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Batty McFaddin. Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. Oroitz Maiz - Praeludium XIV. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. Chromatic Fuge (BBWV 930). Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Danse Macabre. Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. Gnossienne 3. Erik Satie. Performed by La Pianista. Supernatural Radio A. Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. Look Busy. Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Fun in a Bottle. Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Villainous Treachery. Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. Romeo and Juliet. Tchaikovsky. Conducted by Charles Munch. A Midsummer Night's Dream Op. 61. Mendelssohn. String Quartet, Op. 64 No. 5 in D major 'The Lark' - I. Allegro moderato. Haydn. Gnossienne 6. Erik Satie. Performed by La Pianista. Goldberg Variations, BWV988 - 12. Variation 11. Bach, J S. Performed by Shelley Katz. Mazurka No. 49 in F minor, Op. 68 No. 4. Chopin. Performed by Edward Neeman. Aquarium. Saint-Saens. Performed by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. Organ Sonata No. 6 in D minor, Op. 65. Felix Mendelssohn. Matthias Privler. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. SOUND EFFECTS Wooden Door 01 by aglinder -- freesound.org/s/265583/ -- Licensed under Creative Commons 0 Old Fashioned Accordion by kevp888 -- freesound.org/s/688091/ -- Licensed under Attribution 4.0 Water lapping at domestic Venice pier, fast boat passes and backwash by ermine -- freesound.org/s/798383/ -- Licensed under Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 People Ambience In The Old Town by WhiteNoiseSleeper -- freesound.org/s/725605/ -- Licensed under Creative Commons 0 Horses Pavement Then Cobblestone.m4a by guynoland -- freesound.org/s/549882/ -- Licensed under Creative Commons 0 police whistle old London.wav by klankbeeld -- freesound.org/s/242537/ -- Licensed under Attribution 4.0 Crowded Venue by unfa -- freesound.org/s/211145/ -- Licensed under Creative Commons 0 Iron chain.wav by cabled_mess -- freesound.org/s/571375/ -- Licensed under Creative Commons 0 hanging3.wav by jameswrowles -- freesound.org/s/274799/ -- Licensed under Creative Commons 0 Crowd Cheer 4 by Krizin -- freesound.org/s/651640/ -- Licensed under Creative Commons 0.wav Hang Man's Rope by jergonda -- freesound.org/s/254735/ -- Licensed under Creative Commons 0 Sports Crowd Various Sounds by FlatHill -- freesound.org/s/324756/ -- Licensed under Creative Commons 0 cobblestone-square people 140124_03.flac by klankbeeld -- freesound.org/s/215631/ -- Licensed under Attribution 4.0 OxfordMarket.mp3 by AlbertinaVonStade -- freesound.org/s/514623/ -- Licensed under Creative Commons 0.mp3 Cambridge_pub_beergarden_rowdy_short_atmos.wav by alexkandrell -- freesound.org/s/294425/ -- Licensed under Attribution 3.0 2012-04-05 rainy night by a bank.flac by tim.kahn -- freesound.org/s/150840/ -- Licensed under Attribution 4.0 Thunderstorm in Urban Backyard by WakinyAntifa -- freesound.org/s/398805/ -- Licensed under Attribution 3.0 Thunder Claps, Single Clap 10 by PNMCarrieRailfan -- freesound.org/s/682355/ -- Licensed under Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Leaves rustling .wav by thepitomized -- freesound.org/s/656199/ -- Licensed under Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Running Horse with a Rider by sonically_sound -- freesound.org/s/645465/ -- Licensed by Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Small Caribbean Ocean Waves by fran_marenco -- freesound.org/s/796618/ -- Licensed under Creative Commons 0 Angry Riot in Street.wav by craigsmith -- freesound.org/s/486197/ -- Licensed by Creative Commons 0 Loud Gunshot by DataJuggler -- freesound.org/s/750268/ -- Licensed by Creative Commons 0 Train on Railway Loop by MeijstroAudio -- freesound.org/s/402074/ -- Licensed under Creative Commons 0 Countryside atmosphere with horse grazing, far voices, birds, road hum and horn by felix.blume -- freesound.org/s/689059/ -- Licensed under Creative Commons 0 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com

    4 - A Side of Streaky Bacon: Early Victorian Culture

  9. 10/13/2025

    3 - Let it Blaze Away: Life Among London's Poor

    Victorian London was the vibrant capital of Britain’s global empire. Despite its wealth and power, many Londoners eked out precarious lives defined by the ever-present possibility of bankruptcy, illness, or death. In this episode, we take a walking tour of the nineteenth-century world’s most populous city to examine how its poorest inhabitants survived, and even thrived, despite innumerable hardships. For additional credits, images, and a movie list, please visit our website. SUPPORT US ON PATREON! $2/month: Donation tier. $5/month: Open submission for Q&A episodes, access to interview episodes, and a logo sticker. $10/month: All of the above, plus a "special thanks" in the show notes, plus early access to exclusive episodes from "Beyond the British Empire." CREDITS Written and narrated by Brian Reinken Produced and edited by Marcie LaCerte Artwork by Marcie LaCerte Theme song: Waltz (Tschikovsky Op. 40) by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PATRONS Jordan LaCerte Yves LaCerte LINKS Letterboxd / Apple / Spotify / YouTube CONTACT info@meltingintoair.net MUSIC Coming soon SOUND EFFECTS Coming soon This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com

    3 - Let it Blaze Away: Life Among London's Poor

  10. 09/07/2025

    2 - I Want Some More: The Crisis of Reform

    From 1829 to 1834, Britain’s upper and upper-middle classes joined forces in a united front against the nation’s ordinary citizens. Faced with a rising tide of populist resentment, wealthy lawmakers enacted a far-reaching program of reforms designed to shore up the position of aristocrats, landlords, and merchants. The propertied classes in government weren’t humanitarians or democratic theorists. Rather than declaring war on poverty, they launched a preemptive strike against the nation’s poor. For additional credits, images, and a movie list, please visit our website. SUPPORT US ON PATREON! $2/month: Donation tier. $5/month: Open submission for Q&A episodes, access to interview episodes, and a logo sticker. $10/month: All of the above, plus a "special thanks" in the show notes, plus early access to exclusive episodes from "Beyond the British Empire." CREDITS Written and narrated by Brian Reinken Produced and edited by Marcie LaCerte Artwork by Marcie LaCerte Oliver Twist played by Marcie LaCerte Theme song: Waltz (Tschikovsky Op. 40) by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PATRONS Jordan LaCerte Yves LaCerte LINKS Letterboxd / Apple / Spotify / YouTube CONTACT info@meltingintoair.net MUSIC Chopin - Nocturne No. 21 in C minor, B. 108 (Diana Hughes) Claude Debussy - Préludes (Livre II) - VIII. Ondine (Marcelle Meyer, 1956) George Frideric Handel - Fantasias 8,12 and Carillon. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. Chopin - Mazurka No. 49 in F minor, Op. 68 No. 4 (Edward Neeman) Stainer's Crucifixion - God So Loved the World Chopin - Mazurka No. 18 in C minor, Op. 30 No. 1 (Edward Neeman) Kevin MacLeod - Erik Satie Gymnopedie No 3. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Satie - Gnossienne 1 La Marseillaise Gnossienne 4 (Satie) The Lark in the Morning (c. 1926) Bach, J S - Goldberg Variations, BWV988 - 26. Variation 25 (Shelley Katz) United States Navy Band - God Save the Queen Frederic Chopin - Etude, F minor no opus. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. Gnossienne 3 (Satie) Chopin - Nocturne No. 15 in F minor, Op. 55 No. 1 (Luke Faulkner) "Food, Glorious Food" by Lionel Bart for Oliver! The Wind that Shakes the Barley. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Attribution: YouTube user 'peakfiddler' Music from 1913 Chopin - Mazurka No. 49 in F minor, Op. 68 No. 4 (Edward Neeman) SOUND EFFECTS Coming soon! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com

    2 - I Want Some More: The Crisis of Reform

  11. 08/04/2025

    1 - Signs of the Times: Defining the Victorian Era

    In this episode, I survey the decades leading up to the beginning of the podcast’s narrative in 1829. Even before Victoria assumed the throne in 1837, people were debating what the nineteenth century would represent. Would it go down in history as a dismal era whose inhabitants had sold their hearts and minds to profit-hungry businessmen? Or would it be remembered as a golden age defined by progress and reform? As we seek out an answer, I’ll argue that Victorian culture was uniquely post-industrial, post-revolutionary, and post-Romantic. For additional credits, images, and a movie list, please visit our website. SUPPORT US ON PATREON! $2/month: Donation tier. $5/month: Open submission for Q&A episodes, access to interview episodes, and a logo sticker. $10/month: All of the above, plus a "special thanks" in the show notes, plus early access to exclusive episodes from "Beyond the British Empire." CREDITS Written and narrated by Brian Reinken Produced and edited by Marcie LaCerte Artwork by Marcie LaCerte Theme song: Waltz (Tschikovsky Op. 40) by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License LINKS Letterboxd / Apple / Spotify / YouTube CONTACT info@meltingintoair.net MUSIC Chopin - Mazurka No. 21 in C-sharp minor, Op. 30 No. 4 (Edward Neeman) Blue Feather by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Erik Satie: Gymnopedie No 1 by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License Mendelssohn String Quartet 2, 3rd movement (Intermezzo) Chopin - 12 Études, Op. 25 - No. 1 in A-Flat major 'Harp Study' (Edward Neeman) 1920's 78 recordings Christ Is Made The Sure Foundation (Westminster Abbey, Organ, 4 Verses) Mendelssohn - String Quartet No. 6 in F minor, Op. 80 - I. Allegro vivace assai (Musopen String Quartet) Weber - Grand Duo Concertant for clarinet and piano - 2. Andante con moto. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic La Marseillaise United States Navy Band - God Save the Queen Stainer's Crucifixion - God So Loved the World Chopin - Waltz in E Op-Posth (Piano Performance by eldüendesüarez). Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International Beethoven - Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 55 'Eroica' - I. Allegro con brio (Musopen Symphony) Haydn-concerto in D dur.2016. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported Chopin - Nocturne No. 21 in C minor, B. 108 (Diana Hughes) Debussy - Doctor Gradys ad Parnassum (Children's Corner) (Piano Performance by eldüendesüarez). This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Claude Debussy - Préludes (Livre II) - VIII. Ondine (Marcelle Meyer, 1956) SOUND EFFECTS Mill MIX.wav by ccundell -- https://freesound.org/s/702460/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Queen Street Mill, loom running then stops.wav by phonoflora -- https://freesound.org/s/201181/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 LotsDistantCracksCoutryside.mp3 by HerbertBoland -- https://freesound.org/s/142025/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 Running Horse with a Rider by sonically_sound -- https://freesound.org/s/645465/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Broken Tiles SFX.wav by DCSFX -- https://freesound.org/s/366117/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 3.0 Street Battle: Lviv Ukraine - WW1 Reconstruction.wav by Lubini -- https://freesound.org/s/337773/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 PROTESTS by XHALE303 -- https://freesound.org/s/536936/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 Farmland village spring 716 AM 230430_0592 by klankbeeld -- https://freesound.org/s/735125/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 WATRLap water lapping at domestic Venice pier, fast boat passes and backwash by ermine -- https://freesound.org/s/798383/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Leaves rustling .wav by thepitomized -- https://freesound.org/s/656199/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Tui - New Zealand bird by tdes -- https://freesound.org/s/155767/ -- License: Attribution 3.0 At the edge of Europe.mp3 by soundsofeurope -- https://freesound.org/s/148863/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 3.0 CHURCH BELLS.m4a by CousinAwd -- https://freesound.org/s/528827/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 Markt Den Bosch NL 161211_1060.flac by klankbeeld -- https://freesound.org/s/370752/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 Thunderstorm in Urban Backyard by WakinyAntifa -- https://freesound.org/s/398805/ -- License: Attribution 3.0 Wind Chime.wav by CharleneZ -- https://freesound.org/s/326342/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 3.0 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com

    1 - Signs of the Times: Defining the Victorian Era

  12. Season 1 Trailer

    0 - Prologue: Melting Into Air

    In this short prologue to the series, I introduce the podcast’s goals and say a bit about myself. Melting Into Air is a scripted podcast that explores the history and culture of the Victorian era (c. 1829–1901). Join me on a thrilling journey through the nineteenth century. As our story takes us from the heart of London to the distant reaches of the British Empire, we’ll encounter big events and well-known characters alongside hidden histories and half-forgotten people who lived fascinating lives. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com

    0 - Prologue: Melting Into Air

Trailer

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About

Melting Into Air is a scripted, long-form podcast that explores the history and culture of the Victorian era. meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com

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