BBC Radiophonic Music
Encyclopedia
BBC Radiophonic Music was the first compilation of music released by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop
. It featured music by three of the Workshop's most prominent composers, John Baker
, David Cain
, and Delia Derbyshire
. The album was originally released in 1968 for use as library music, but later given a commercial release in 1970 on the new BBC Records label.
In 2002, the compilation was remastered by Mark Ayres
, and re-released with two bonus Derbyshire songs; the original composition "Time to Go" and her version of "Happy Birthday
". For the 2003 release of Music from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop
, the 2002 remasters of this compilation were combined with Ayres' 2002 remasters of the 1975 compilation The Radiophonic Workshop
, and the entire set was resequenced.
The music on BBC Radiophonic Music varied between incidental music and signature tunes, which had been used by various BBC
programmes, as well as some radio jingles. The selection demonstrated many of the methods used by the composers at the Radiophonic Workshop, including musique concrète
tape editing and their use of primitive early electronic oscillator
s. It featured mostly original compositions, except for Baker's arrangements of the traditional "Boys and Girls" and "The Frogs Wooing", and Derbyshire's version of Johann Sebastian Bach
's "Air
".
BBC 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...
. It featured music by three of the Workshop's most prominent composers, John Baker
John Baker (Radiophonic musician)
John Baker was a British musician and composer who worked in jazz and electronic music. He was educated at the Royal Academy of Music where he studied piano and composition. In 1960 he joined the BBC as a sound mixer, before transferring, in 1963, to the BBC Radiophonic Workshop where he remained...
, David Cain
David Cain (composer)
David Cain was a composer and technician for the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. He was educated at Imperial College London, where he earned a degree in mathematics. In 1963, he joined the BBC as a studio manager, specialising in radio drama...
, and Delia Derbyshire
Delia Derbyshire
Delia Ann Derbyshire was an English musician and composer of electronic music and musique concrète. She is best known for her electronic realisation of Ron Grainer's theme music to the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and for her work with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.-Early...
. The album was originally released in 1968 for use as library music, but later given a commercial release in 1970 on the new BBC Records label.
In 2002, the compilation was remastered by Mark Ayres
Mark Ayres
Mark Ayres is a television composer who is best known for his work on Doctor Who.Ayres's work on broadcast Doctor Who was during Sylvester McCoy's era as the Seventh Doctor, comprising The Greatest Show in the Galaxy, Ghost Light, and The Curse of Fenric.Ayres was hired after he sent producer John...
, and re-released with two bonus Derbyshire songs; the original composition "Time to Go" and her version of "Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday to You
"Happy Birthday to You", also known more simply as "Happy Birthday", is a song that is traditionally sung to celebrate the anniversary of a person's birth...
". For the 2003 release of Music from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop
Music from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop
Music from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop was a 2003 limited edition 4X10" vinyl compilation collecting and re-ordering the compilations BBC Radiophonic Music and The Radiophonic Workshop, including the bonus tracks from their 2002 CD re-releases. It featured the remasters provided by Mark Ayres for...
, the 2002 remasters of this compilation were combined with Ayres' 2002 remasters of the 1975 compilation The Radiophonic Workshop
The Radiophonic Workshop
The Radiophonic Workshop was a 1975 compilation album by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, similar in concept to the earlier BBC Radiophonic Music of 1971. The album featured a variety of work demonstrating many of the various techniques the Workshop used. Unlike its predecessor though, it was far more...
, and the entire set was resequenced.
The music on BBC Radiophonic Music varied between incidental music and signature tunes, which had been used by various BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
programmes, as well as some radio jingles. The selection demonstrated many of the methods used by the composers at the Radiophonic Workshop, including musique concrète
Musique concrète
Musique concrète is a form of electroacoustic music that utilises acousmatic sound as a compositional resource. The compositional material is not restricted to the inclusion of sounds derived from musical instruments or voices, nor to elements traditionally thought of as "musical"...
tape editing and their use of primitive early electronic oscillator
Electronic oscillator
An electronic oscillator is an electronic circuit that produces a repetitive electronic signal, often a sine wave or a square wave. They are widely used in innumerable electronic devices...
s. It featured mostly original compositions, except for Baker's arrangements of the traditional "Boys and Girls" and "The Frogs Wooing", and Derbyshire's version of Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
's "Air
Air (music)
Air , a variant of the musical song form, is the name of various song-like vocal or instrumental compositions.-English lute ayres:...
".
Track listing
Original track no. | 2002 track no. | 2003 track no. | Artist | Track name | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | E5 | David Cain David Cain (composer) David Cain was a composer and technician for the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. He was educated at Imperial College London, where he earned a degree in mathematics. In 1963, he joined the BBC as a studio manager, specialising in radio drama... |
"Radio Sheffield BBC Radio Sheffield BBC Radio Sheffield is the BBC Local Radio service for English metropolitan county of South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire. This includes the city of Sheffield, plus Doncaster, Barnsley, Rotherham, Chesterfield and surrounding areas. It was the BBC local radio station, beginning on 15 November 1967... " |
1967 |
2 | 2 | C1 | John Baker John Baker (Radiophonic musician) John Baker was a British musician and composer who worked in jazz and electronic music. He was educated at the Royal Academy of Music where he studied piano and composition. In 1960 he joined the BBC as a sound mixer, before transferring, in 1963, to the BBC Radiophonic Workshop where he remained... |
"Radio Nottingham BBC Radio Nottingham BBC Radio Nottingham is a BBC Local Radio station serving the English county of Nottinghamshire. It broadcasts on FM, AM, and digital DAB radio from studios located on London Road in Nottingham city centre.-Transmission frequences:... " |
1968 |
3 | 3 | C9 | John Baker | "Boys and Girls" | |
4 | 4 | A1 | Delia Derbyshire Delia Derbyshire Delia Ann Derbyshire was an English musician and composer of electronic music and musique concrète. She is best known for her electronic realisation of Ron Grainer's theme music to the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and for her work with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.-Early... |
"Mattachin" | |
5 | 5 | A6 | Delia Derbyshire | "Pot au Feu" | |
6 | 6 | C6 | John Baker | "Time and Tune" | |
7 | 7 | D9 | John Baker | "Tomorrow's World Tomorrow's World Tomorrow's World was a long-running BBC television series, showcasing new developments in the world of science and technology. First aired on 7 July 1965 on BBC1, it ran for 38 years until it was cancelled at the beginning of 2003.- Content :... " |
1965 |
8 | 8 | D2 | John Baker | "Reading Your Letters" | |
9 | 9 | B1 | Delia Derbyshire | "Blue Veils and Golden Sands" | |
10 | 10 | C8 | John Baker | "The Missing Jewel" | |
11 | 11 | E3 | David Cain | "Artbeat" | |
12 | 12 | D1 | John Baker | "Fresh Start" | |
13 | 13 | D10 | John Baker | "Christmas Commercial" | |
14 | 14 | C5 | John Baker | "Sea Sports" | |
15 | 15 | B2 | Delia Derbyshire | "The Delian Mode" | |
– | 16 | A2 | Delia Derbyshire | "Happy Birthday Happy Birthday to You "Happy Birthday to You", also known more simply as "Happy Birthday", is a song that is traditionally sung to celebrate the anniversary of a person's birth... " |
|
16 | 17 | C10 | John Baker | "The Frogs Wooing" | |
17 | 18 | C2 | John Baker | "Milky Way" | |
18 | 19 | D6 | John Baker | "Structures" | |
19 | 20 | C11 | John Baker | "New Worlds" | |
20 | 21 | A4 | Delia Derbyshire | "Ziwzih Ziwzih OO-OO-OO" | |
21 | 22 | C7 | John Baker | "Festival Time" | |
22 | 23 | C3 | John Baker | "The Chase" | |
23 | 24 | B3 | Delia Derbyshire | "Towards Tomorrow" | |
24 | 25 | D3 | John Baker | "Quiz Time" | |
25 | 26 | D4 | John Baker | "P.I.G.S." | |
26 | 27 | E2 | David Cain | "Autumn and Winter" | |
27 | 28 | A5 | Delia Derbyshire | "Door to Door" | |
28 | 29 | C4 | John Baker | "Factors" | |
29 | 30 | E4 | David Cain | "War of the Worlds The War of the Worlds The War of the Worlds is an 1898 science fiction novel written by H. G. Wells.The War of the Worlds may also refer to:- Radio broadcasts :* The War of the Worlds , the 1938 radio broadcast by Orson Welles... " |
|
30 | 31 | E1 | David Cain | "Crossbeat" | |
31 | 32 | A3 | Delia Derbyshire | "Air Air (music) Air , a variant of the musical song form, is the name of various song-like vocal or instrumental compositions.-English lute ayres:... " |
|
– | 33 | A7 | Delia Derbyshire | "Time to Go" |