Big Ears
Music Lover
A Sound British Adventure, BBC Radio 4 documentary on electronic music. Comedian Stewart Lee explores the early pioneers and rumblings of electronic music.
Available on BBC Radio Player
Link: BBC - Radio 4 A Sound British Adventure - A Sound British Adv...
6 days remaining (to 21st August). I understand this can be heard worldwide.
The programme involves:
- Tristram Cary. Trained musician and WW2 radio operator who built a home studio. In 1955, he was commissioned by the BBC to write an electronic score for the Japanese Fisherman radio play.
- Adrian Uttley of Portishead.
- Daphne Oram who wrote electronic music for advertisements. She was involved in the creation of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop in 1958. Oram invented a pre-Fairlight machine, built using government surplus equipment.
- John Baker created an 8 second piece, inspired by French music concrete, used for Woman's Hour radio programme.
- Fred Judd. Wrote the music for puppet show Space Patrol (ITV 1962), the first TV series to use an electronic score.
- BBC Radiophonic Workshop music for Dr Who (1963). Tristram Cary was approached, but instead the commission went to Ron Grainer - who wrote the tune which was performed by Delia Derbyshire, of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, as the signature theme. Brian Hodgson created the electronic sound effects.
- Joe Meek was a rare producer who saw the potential of electronic music with Telstar (1960s).
- George Martin and The Beatles experimented with tape loops in 1966, while making the Revolver album. They are faded in and out with voice and drums on Tomorrow Never Knows. Reverse guitars were also used.
- Unit Delta Plus studio devised by Peter Zinovieff, involving Brian Hodgson and Delia Derbyshire, created electronic music for Shakespeare plays. Paul McCartney was a visitor and created a 15 minute tape, Carnival of Light.
- First British electronic pop album made when Brian Hodgson and Delia Derbyshire teamed up with David Voorhuis, White Noise an Electonic Storm (Summer 1969).
- VCS3 with a patch panel was invented by Peter Zinovieff. Bought by Ringo Starr, but more fully developed by Pink Floyd.
Available on BBC Radio Player
Link: BBC - Radio 4 A Sound British Adventure - A Sound British Adv...
6 days remaining (to 21st August). I understand this can be heard worldwide.
The programme involves:
- Tristram Cary. Trained musician and WW2 radio operator who built a home studio. In 1955, he was commissioned by the BBC to write an electronic score for the Japanese Fisherman radio play.
- Adrian Uttley of Portishead.
- Daphne Oram who wrote electronic music for advertisements. She was involved in the creation of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop in 1958. Oram invented a pre-Fairlight machine, built using government surplus equipment.
- John Baker created an 8 second piece, inspired by French music concrete, used for Woman's Hour radio programme.
- Fred Judd. Wrote the music for puppet show Space Patrol (ITV 1962), the first TV series to use an electronic score.
- BBC Radiophonic Workshop music for Dr Who (1963). Tristram Cary was approached, but instead the commission went to Ron Grainer - who wrote the tune which was performed by Delia Derbyshire, of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, as the signature theme. Brian Hodgson created the electronic sound effects.
- Joe Meek was a rare producer who saw the potential of electronic music with Telstar (1960s).
- George Martin and The Beatles experimented with tape loops in 1966, while making the Revolver album. They are faded in and out with voice and drums on Tomorrow Never Knows. Reverse guitars were also used.
- Unit Delta Plus studio devised by Peter Zinovieff, involving Brian Hodgson and Delia Derbyshire, created electronic music for Shakespeare plays. Paul McCartney was a visitor and created a 15 minute tape, Carnival of Light.
- First British electronic pop album made when Brian Hodgson and Delia Derbyshire teamed up with David Voorhuis, White Noise an Electonic Storm (Summer 1969).
- VCS3 with a patch panel was invented by Peter Zinovieff. Bought by Ringo Starr, but more fully developed by Pink Floyd.
