Delia Derbyshire was one of the greatest pioneers of electronic music: ever. Thats not just my opinion, thats a fact.

She joined the BBC Radiophonic Workshop in 1963. She'd got a degree in Music and Maths from Cambridge University. Everything she did musically was done without synthesizers. She hated synthesizers. No mulitracks. Just objects she blew or hit or whatever, cut up tape and oscillators. She regarded as what she did as an experimentation of psycho-acoustics. She had a brilliant mind.

I remember a piece called Dreams which is just pure electronic music and sounds. Its better than brilliant. She spent 11 or 12 years at the Radiophonic Workshop and did hundreds of programs' music for the BBC.

You can't talk about electronic music unless you mention Delia Derbyshire. This is a poor post in the sense that I could fill up pages about Delia's gift to the world of electronic music. One of the greats.

She never got the recognition she deserved (mostly due to the BBC, probably) and finished up working in a bookshop or something.

Her original realisation of the theme to Doctor Who is an electronic and musical benchmark of its genre. It can't really be done today on synthesizers and sound any good compared to the original.

All the makers and exploiters of synthesizers, along with their bank managers should bow down and thank Delia Derbyshire (1937-2001).

PaulR,

Pretty sure ALIEN was 100% acoustic. Pretty sure.

Evan Evans

That darn Paul keeps beating me to the punch.
After my last post I immediately remembered Logans Run (another Goldsmith gem) then come to find it here soon after. Oh well...

William has it right I agree, on the two greatest sci-fi films ever. Everyone remember who plays the captain in Forbidden Planet?

Haven't heard of Delia Derbyshire Paul but most interested.

And Evan, you cannot hide from the wrath of the mystcal world of the internet - we will find you and meed out and exact punishment (if not banishment.)
[6]

Dave Connor

always wanted to use that particular emoticon

That is interesting about Delia Derbyshire. I don't believe I've heard her name even once until now. What you say about her sounds very similar to Varese. The Poeme Electronique was created in 1957 and played at the '58 Brussels Worlds Fair on 400 speakers inside a huge pavilion. It was done with the same technique of mainly snipping tape and distorting recorded sounds. It is a fascinating sounding piece. I'd like to hear some of Derbyshire's works.

I can't say I agree though with hating synthesizers. I don't understand why someone interested in new sound timbres - especially electronically manipulated - would do that.

[quote=evanevans]Pretty sure ALIEN was 100% acoustic. Pretty sure.

Thats what I thought Evan. It's just so good at what it does, it almost suggests an electronic element. Use of echo on col legno strings (I think?) etc. This of course fits well with the original point of the thread. Not everthing is what it seems. When does an orchestral instrument start to morph over to a sound we would normally associate with synths/theramins ect. Is an audience hearing what it thinks it should or expect to be hearing.

Haven't heard of Delia Derbyshire Paul but most interested.Dpcon.

One of the all time greats Dave. Couldn't resist my 100th post to coincide (finally) with mentioning Delia Derbyshire. Engineered it a bit. [[;)]] She definately wasn't a twit like me. Musical legend within her genre.

That darn Paul keeps beating me to the punch. Dpcon.

Time difference old buddy. Thats all. You have to get out of bed very early. Literally.

Now, its a quarter to midnight here. Should be able to find something to destroy before the chimes.

Later Gentleman

P.S Leslie Nielson

@William said:

That is interesting about Delia Derbyshire.

Just seen this post. I think the best thing William would be to check it out on the internet. Either by her name or BBC Radiophonic Workshop. There was an hour long program on TV a few weeks ago all about the start and finish of the RW. Brought back good memories of that era.

In those days, when the BBC wanted music for their programs, the musician that would do it from the RW could literally be the first one that showed up in the morning. How crazy is that?

You have heard the Doctor Who theme, haven't you? I mean the original.

@PaulR said:

Delia Derbyshire was one of the greatest pioneers of electronic music: ever. Thats not just my opinion, thats a fact.
[/b]

Here's a nice timeline for important events and people in electronic music.
http://www.indiana.edu/~emusic/elechist.htm

Maybe Delia is not a recognized name because she was creating musique concrete after those technique were no longer considered revolutionary and synthesis was coming onto the scene?

Here's a nice timeline for important events and people in electronic music.
http://www.indiana.edu/~emusic/elechist.htm

Maybe Delia is not a recognized name because she was creating musique concrete after those technique were no longer considered revolutionary and synthesis was coming onto the scene?[/quote]

Thats a very informative list. Thanks CS. [:)]

Maybe Delia wasn't recognised because a certain Corporation wouldn't allow it. The department Delia worked in was called the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. People used to ring it up to ask them if they could repair their radios and televisions.

England had never been much good at forwarding people like Delia ( and others) mores the pity.

Delia's original Dr Who theme still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Her Dreams soundscape, stands upto (and beyond) anyone mentioned in the list.

If you are interested in this type of thing, check Delia Derbyshire out on the Web and if you can, listen to her work.

All the best.

Paul,

Do you have a recording of the Derbyshire Dreams? It is apparently unavailable anywhere. I would like to hear it.

@William said:

Paul,Do you have a recording of the Derbyshire Dreams? It is apparently unavailable anywhere. I would like to hear it.

I don't have it anymore Bill. Its quite old, from the early/mid sixties when the Radiophonic Workshop was in full swing. What I'll do, is give the BBC a call on Monday and see if they can get it out the archives and let me have copy somehow. If I get lucky, I will send it to you.