Wednesday, December 24, 2008

The BBC Radiophonic Workshop 1958-1998



You have only four days left to listed to a three hour documentary on the BBCs Radiophonic Workshop (it is being taken down after this). If you know about sound art and electronic music then you know about the Radiophonic Workshop.

The BBC Radiophonic Workshop, one of the sound effects units of the BBC, was created in 1958 to produce effects and new music for radio, and was closed in March 1998, although much of its traditional work had already been outsourced by 1995. It was based in the BBC's Maida Vale Studios in Delaware Road, London, W9, UK growing outwards from the then-legendary Room 13. The innovative music and techniques used by the Workshop has made it one of the most significant influences on electronic music today.


Over 180 minutes the broadcast features a number of sound pieces going back to the 1958 beginning of the workshop. The star of the workshop for many today was Delia Derbyshire:


More sounds from Delia can be found HERE including the most famous piece of sound to come out of the workshop, the theme to Doctor Who:



The BBC documentary contains original interviews, unmixed sound pieces, stories about how the analogue tape-based works were made in the workshop. This is an amazing story of the history of sound.

7 comments:

ED said...

Fantastic! I missed the documentary, but I got really inspired by the clips on the BBC site (and her own). I hadn't heard of her before (I've never been listening to this kind of music, really), but now I just want to hear and know more.

//Erik

James Barrett said...

It is an amazing program. They play the entire of The Dreams, an epic piece.
And best wishes for the new year!

ED said...

If you have a clue about how to get to listen to it again please let me know.

James Barrett said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
James Barrett said...

This torrent looks hopeful:

http://xrl.us/beaxhi

I have not tried it but it looks active

ED said...

Thankyou Mr. ((((((((ö))))))))!

:-)

ED said...

It was not the program, but Rephlex has compiled some 50 tracks of music from the Radiophonic Workshop.