The BBC Radiophonic Workshop Thread

[Si Hunt]

From Zeta Minor:

Mute Records has a treat for fans of the BBC's Radiophonic Workshop in November, with the welcome re-release of two rare (out of print) CDs, and a brand new 50th anniversary two-disc set, offering previously-unreleased material!

Here's the press release, and sleeve images...

Mute are proud to announce the release of a 50th Anniversary Retrospective double CD from the Radiophonic Workshop. This brand new compilation features classic, extremely rare and previously unavailable sounds and music by the legendary BBC organisation. Presented in chronological order, the CD includes works from stalwarts of the Radiophonic Workshop such as John Baker, Delia Derbyshire, Daphne Oram, Elizabeth Parker, Desmond Briscoe, Paddy Kingsland, Peter Howell and Malcolm Clarke amongst others.

This Retrospective features more than a hundred pieces of music and sound effects from various BBC TV and Radio shows from 1958 through to 1997. Including work from Quatermass and the Pit, The Goon Show, The Secret War, Blake?s Seven, The Hitchhiker?s Guide to the Galaxy, Salem?s Lot, The Demon Headmaster, Michael Palin?s Full Circle as well as the original full-length Doctor Who theme and the TARDIS effects.

Using reel-to-reel tape machines, early heroines such as Daphne Oram and Delia Derbyshire recorded everyday or strange sounds and then manipulated these by speeding up, slowing down or cutting the tape with razor blades and piecing it back together.

The pioneering techniques were created for and used on a myriad of programmes, with Doctor Who being their biggest client. The sound of the TARDIS in Doctor Who was a sound engineer's front door key scraped across the bass strings on a broken piano. Other impromptu props included a lampshade, champagne corks and assorted cutlery.

Ten years ago the workshop was disbanded due to costs but its reputation as a Heath Robinson-style, pioneering force in sound is as strong as ever, acknowledged as possibly the greatest influence on UK electronic music, influencing the likes of Jon Spencer, Aphex Twin, Daniel Miller, Add N to (x)?. The corporation initially only offered its founders a six-month contract, because it feared any longer in the throes of such creative and experimental exercises might make them ill.

Also released on the same day are the albums BBC Radiophonic Workshop and BBC Radiophonic Music, The BBC Radiophonic Music CD concentrates on the more musical output of the legendary organisation while BBC Radiophonic Workshop deals with the pioneering sound effects and methods used to achieve them.

These releases continue a series that began on The Grey Area of Mute with the release of Doctor Who at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop Volume 1: The Early Years 1963-1969 and Volume 2: New Beginnings 1970-1980.

Track listing for the new disc:

DISC ONE

1. Amphitryon 38 (1958) 0'50" - Daphne Oram

2. The Ocean (Main Theme) (1958) 1'05" - Daphne Oram & Desmond Briscoe

3. Quatermass and the Pit (Effects) (1958) 0'36" - Desmond Briscoe

4. Major Bloodnok's Stomach (1959) 0'10" - Dick Mills

5. Outside (1959) 0'36" - Desmond Briscoe & Maddalena Fagandini

6. Science and Industry (1959) 0'29" - Phil Young

7. The Artist Speaks (1959) 1'26" - Phil Young

8. The Splendour That Was Rome (1960) 0'29" - Phil Young

9. TV March (1960) 1'56" - Desmond Briscoe

10. Interval Signal (1960) 1'37" - Maddalena Fagandini

11. Phra the Phoenician (1960) 0'49" - Desmond Briscoe

12. Full Circle - The Stick Up (1961) 0'48" - Desmond Briscoe

13. Time Beat (1961) 0'30" - Maddalena Fagandini

14. Music for a Magic Carpet (1961) 0'42" - Jenyth Worsley

15. Ideal Home Exhibition (1962) 1'02" - Maddalena Fagandini

16. Time On Our Hands (Titles and City Music) (1962) 2'01" - Delia Derbyshire

17. Arabic Science and Industry (1962) 0'21" - Delia Derbyshire

18. The Chem Lab Mystery (1962) 0'50" - Maddalena Fagandini

19. Know Your Car (Get Out and Get Under) (1963) 0'57" -
Delia Derbyshire (Maurice Abrahms, pub. Francis, Day & Hunter)

20. Doctor Who (1963) 2'19" - Delia Derbyshire (Ron Grainer, pub. Warner Chappell)

21. TARDIS (1963) 1'25" - Brian Hodgson

22. Choice (1964) 0'36" - John Baker

23. Hard Luck Hall (1964) 0'32" - John Baker

24. Westminster at Work (1964) 0'27" - Keith Salmon

25. Talk Out (1964) 0'24" - Delia Derbyshire

26. Science and Health (1964) 0'55" - Delia Derbyshire

27. Secrets of the Chasm (1964) 1'07" - Tony Askew

28. The Slide (Opening) (1966) 0'27" - Brian Hodgson and Bridget Marrow

29. A New View of Politics (1966) 0'39" - Delia Derbyshire

30. Radio Stoke-on-Trent (1) (1968) 0'19"

31. Radio Stoke-on-Trent (2) (1968) 0'30" - David Cain

32. Bobby Shaftoe (1968) 0'37" - John Baker (Trad. arr. John Baker)

33. The Lambton Worm (1968) 0'33" - John Baker (Trad. arr. John Baker)

34. Environmental Studies (1969) 0'29" - Delia Derbyshire

35. Chronicle (1969) 0'21" - Delia Derbyshire

36. Great Zoos of the World (1969) 0'35" - Delia Derbyshire

37. P.M. (1970) (1970) 0'15" - John Baker

38. Tros Y Gareg (Over the Stone) (1970) 2'48" - John Baker (Trad. arr. John Baker)

39. Dance from "Noah" (1971) 0'53" - Delia Derbyshire

40. Good Morning Wales (1972) 0'18" - John Baker

41. Sequence (1972) 1'24" - Paddy Kingsland

42. Martian March Past (1973) 0'28" - Dick Mills

43. The Changes (Suite) (1974) 4'49" - Paddy Kingsland

44. Thomas the Rhymer (1974) 1'17" - Dick Mills

45. Merry-Go-Round (1975) 0'21" - Peter Howell

46. Fanfare (1975) 0'21" - Dick Mills

47. BBC2 Serial (1975) 0'44" - Malcolm Clarke

48. The Plunderers (1975) 1'16" - Roger Limb

49. The Secret War (1976) 0'54" - Peter Howell

50. Quirky (1976) 1'29" - Roger Limb

51. Newton (1976) 1'07" - Paddy Kingsland

52. Contact (1977) 0'26" - Malcolm Clarke

53. For Love or Money (1977) 1'09" - Roger Limb

54. Mysterioso (1977) 1'07" - Richard Yeoman-Clark

55. The Astronauts (1977) 5'18" - Peter Howell, Drums - Howard Tibble, Timpani - Terence Emery

56. Moving Form (Main Theme from "The Body in Question") (1977) 1'45" -
Peter Howell, Flute - Sebastian Bell, Cello - Ross Pople

57. A Whisper from Space (1978) 2'12" - Paddy Kingsland

58. Land and People (1978) 1'13" - Peter Howell

59. Swirley (1978) 1'52" - Roger Limb

60. Greenwich Chorus (1978) 2'19" - Peter Howell

61. Hurdy Gurdy (1978) 1'27" - Malcolm Clarke

62. P.M. (1978) (1978) 0'26" - Paddy Kingsland

63. Broken Biscuit Club (1978) 0'39" - Paddy Kingsland

64. The Unseeing Eye (1979) 1'07" - Malcolm Clarke

65. The Milonga (1979) 2'00" - Malcolm Clarke

66. Mainstream (1979) 2'26" - Peter Howell (Attr. Henry VIII, arr. Howell)

67. Seascape (1979) 2'23" - Dick Mills

68. Yellow Moon (1980) 1'41" - Roger Limb

DISC TWO

1. Brighton Pier (1980) 3'44"

2. The Whale (1980) 1'51" - Paddy Kingsland

3. Radio Blackburn (1980) 1'51" - Elizabeth Parker

4. Lascaux (1980) 3'15" - Peter Howell, Flute - Sebastian Bell

5. The Comet is Coming (1980) 3'59" - Malcolm Clarke, Horn - Kris Rusmanis

6. Macrocosm (1981) 2'09" - Dick Mills

7. Planet Earth (Scenes from "The Living Planet") (1981) 2'10" -
Elizabeth Parker

8. Catch the Wind (1981) 1'21" - Dick Mills

9. Fancy Fish ("Aquarium") (1982) 1'25" - Peter Howell and Dick Mills (Camille Saint-Sa뮳, arr. Howell / Mills)

10. Houdin's Musical Box (1982) 1'09" - Jonathan Gibbs (A. Le Charpentier, arr. Gibbs)

11. Computers in the Real World (1982) 0'48" - Jonathan Gibbs

12. Believe it or Not (1982) 1'26" - Malcolm Clarke, Trombone - Eddie Lorkin

13. Armagiddean War Games (1982) 1'18" - Dick Mills

14. Dawn (1982) 2'08" - Jonathan Gibbs

15. Ghost in the Water (1982) 2'02" - Roger Limb, Cello - Hilary Jones

16. Radiophonic Rock (1983) 4'13" - Peter Howell / Roger Limb / Jonathan Gibbs / Malcolm Clarke / Elizabeth Parker / Dick Mills

17. Woman of Paris (1986) 1'11" - Jonathan Gibbs

18. Dandelion Countdown (Pictures In Your Mind) (1986) 2'09" - Dick Mills

19. Heart of the Matter (1986) 1'13" - Jonathan Gibbs, Sax - Nigel Nash

20. Dead Entry (Opening Titles) (1986) 0'55" - Richard Attree

21. No Easy Road (1987) 2'59" - Richard Attree

22. Slambash Wangs of a Compo Gormer (Titles and Space Theme) (1987) 2'04" - Steve Marshall

23. The Great Rift (1988) 2'21" - Peter Howell

24. Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon (Titles) (1988) 1'57"

25. Archery and Cranes (1988) 2'11" - Steve Marshall

26. Artwork (1989) 1'34" - Richard Attree

27. Jewel in the Sun (1989) 2'20" - Richard Attree

28. Techno (1989) 1'31" - Richard Attree

29. OK2 (You In Mind) (1990) 1'03" - Richard Attree

30. Doctors To Be (1991) 1'12" - Elizabeth Parker, Cello - Peter Esswood

31. Secret Nature (Titles) (1992) 0'43" - Elizabeth Parker

32. The Secret of Life (Cracking the Code) (1992) 3'53" - Malcolm Clarke

33. Salem's Lot (1992) 0'39" - Elizabeth Parker

34. Music from "The Sea, The Sea" (1992) 4'04" - Elizabeth Parker, Cello - Peter Esswood

35. Music from "The Demon Headmaster" (1995) 2'08" - Richard Attree

36. The Lost Gardens of Heligan (1997) 1'58" - Elizabeth Parker

37. Michael Palin's Full Circle (Main Theme) (1997) 1'31" - Peter Howell,
Trumpet - Steve Bentley

38. Assignment (Kofi Annan) (1997) 2'25" - Elizabeth Parker

39. Dance from "Noah" (stereo mix) (1971) 1'07" - Delia Derbyshire

[Antony Cox]

They could've provided a bit more details as to what the tracks are!

[shada pavlova]

I want it!

[P-Bal]

The Milonga is used in Enlightenment. It's a fact, it's a thing you can't deny.

[Dirk Gently]

Very tempting.

[Si Hunt]

Are you still thinking about the Sarah Brightman picture?

Si.

[SiHart]

Bloody hell. That's a must buy! I'm off to pre-roder it now. It's about time too. With this and the two John Baker CDs last month, this year is turning out to be a treat for Radiophonic fans... or me!

Si xx

[Dirk Gently]

Are you still thinking about the Sarah Brightman picture?

Si.

As well.

[Pip Madeley]

Nice to see some rare stuff being released. I'm going to sound ungrateful here but I wish they'd continue releasing the soundtracks from Who, particularly those that were missed off the DVDs ie. the upcoming Trial release.

[Ian Lethbridge-Stewart]

Pip,

I got a cassette called 'Black Light', that I bought at the first PanoptiCon that me and Ant Cox ever attended (the first of three in a row held at the Hotel Leofrick in Coventry in the 1990's). it's a Dominic Glynn tape and features music from episodes 1-4 and 13+14 of Trial of a Time Lord. it also contains thre music to Dragonfire (Ok, I know Dragonfire gets a lot of stick but the sound track is pretty good actually).

I'm sure others will have this, but I have to say that the only place I ever saw this casette was at that convention; I never saw it in the shops. How may others on PS have a copy of this I wonder?

[Pip Madeley]

Me.

[SiHart]

I did have the cassette at one time, but I don't have it any more...well, not the cassette anyway. The music was really good. I think Dominic Glynn's incidental music is rather underrated. He definitely was the finest composer at the end of the show's original run.

Si xx

[Pip Madeley]

The music accompanying the TARDIS' arrival on the space station and the Doctor's walk into the court is superb!

[SiHart]

It certainly is. The tolling bell and the doomy organ is really wonderful. There was a great remix of it given away on the DWM Flexidisc in the early 90s. It was even more powerful!

Si xx

[SiHart]

November also brings us this:

Doctor Who - Series 4

Silva Screen will be releasing Murray Gold's music for series four of Doctor Who in November. The music from the previous three series have been bestellers and appeared on the UK Albums chart. This much anticipated collection will include Song Of Freedom, the stirring choral piece that celebrated the defeat of the Daleks in the final episode of the series and proved to be a major hit at the recent Doctor Who Prom. If you want to keep up to date with information on this new soundtrack and get your copy delivered on day of release then click here.

Si xx

[Pip Madeley]

Hurrah! I love these CDs

[Ian Lethbridge-Stewart]

It certainly is. The tolling bell and the doomy organ is really wonderful. There was a great remix of it given away on the DWM Flexidisc in the early 90s. It was even more powerful!

Si xx

Really? I thought the flexidisc remix sounded rather puny compared to the original

[Rob McCow]

Good grief! An interesting article on the SFX website - http://www.sfx.co.uk/page/sfx?entry=...workshop_at_50 AND A WHOLE POUND OFF THE PRICE OF THE CD!!!

They asked MArk a question and he kept on answering it! Very interesting though.

Not to be *sniffed* at.

[Stuart Wallis]

Ebenezer Wallis noticed the inclusion of the word "discount" and rushed here to investigate. He may have knocked down Mr. Curnow on the way - his fault for running in the same direction!

The addition in the original post of the words "Goon Show" and Hitchhiker's Guide" may have been a contributory factor as well. Shall be keeping an eye out for that!

[SiHart]

Some Radiophnic news from BBC 7:

Hi all,

This is Liz and Tim from Radio 7, and we're putting together a 3-hour Saturday feature on the Radiophonic Workshop which will be broadcast on 20th December 2008 at 9am and repeated at 8pm, called "Selected Radiophonic Works".

The plan is to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the workshop with some interesting programmes that will sound a little different from the 3 hours of comedy you normally hear at this time.

We're quite excited about it because it's a chance for us to broadcast some rarely-heard complete original programmes scored by the Radiophonic Workshop. It's going to be an interesting, and at times challenging, audio experience!

So, are there any fans of the Workshop on the messageboard? Any favourite Workshop composers or pieces? We'd love to hear your views.

If you want to nominate some pieces for this, you can by following this linkie: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbbbc7/F2574422?thread=6077422

Si xx

[SiHart]

This may be of limited interest, but I thought I'd share it anyway.

Some members of the Radiophonic Workshop are going to be doing a concert, a sequel to the Generic Sci-Fi Quarry they performed a few back (and which was the highlight of Panopticon 2003 for me, which not difficult though, I know!). Me and Steve have just booked tickets, but wondered if anyone else wanted to join us.

If so, the details are here: http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/whats-o...-workshop-2979

And here's the blurb:

The BBC Radiophonic Workshop was founded in 1958, and closed its doors 40 years later. Throughout its life, and since its closure, it has been enormously influential on generations of musicians, with the names of composers such as Delia Derbyshire, John Baker, Brian Hodgson, Dick Mills, Paddy Kingsland and Peter Howell taking on almost legendary status.
Stlll pioneering, in 2002 four ex-members re-formed to create the soundtrack for "Generic Sci Fi Quarry", an event held over three nights in a quarry in Oxfordshire. Now, they get together again to explore Radiophonics past, present, and future. Old and new innovative electronica for a large arena combines with live performance and multimedia projections. An event not to be missed.

Si xx

[Antony Cox]

I might come along to this with Andrew - I'll treat him for his birthday!

[SiHart]

Excellent! Am I remembering rightly that the two of you were at the Generic Sci-Fi Quarry thing at Panopticon too?

Si xx

[Antony Cox]

No we weren't at that - that's the reason I wanted to go to this one!

[Perry Vale]

At the Roundhouse.

Didn't know if I should put this in the audio forum, but thought some DW fans might not go in there, so.......

http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/whats-o...-workshop-2979

The Radiophonic Workshop Live

Peter Howell - Paddy Kingsland - Roger Limb - Dick Mills - Mark Ayres

The Radiophonic Workshop get together again to explore Radiophonics past, present, and future. Old and new innovative electronica for a large arena combines with live performance and multimedia projections. An event not to be missed.

The BBC Radiophonic Workshop was founded in 1958, and closed its doors 40 years later. Throughout its life, and since its closure, it has been enormously influential on generations of musicians, with the names of composers such as Delia Derbyshire, John Baker, Brian Hodgson, Dick Mills, Paddy Kingsland and Peter Howell taking on almost legendary status.