"Birth of a Building" with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop

In 1960 the BBC Television Centre's construction was documented in a short 15 minute film with a mind blowing soundtrack by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. I'm not sure if this music has been included in any of the reissue cds from the past few years but there are many sublime moments sprinkled throughout this film.

Recently the BBC announced a large downsizing plan and the television centre may now be demolished. Special thanks to author Louis Barfe for unearthing this amazing piece on his blog and to Sit down man, you're a bloody tragedy for pointing the way.

Previously:

George Martin at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop: Ray Cathode
Delia Derbyshire & the Radiophonic Workshop

Comments

[seanh]

Thanks for another great post doron. I absolutely adore the Radiophonic Workshop's work as well. Aside from Delia's contributions, John Baker's work strikes me as some of the best the Radiophonic Workshop has to offer. If anyone enjoys classic electronics, the sort of electronic from an era when musical, autonomous, synthetic machines still sounded warm blooded, you've got to dip into this stuff. There's a painfully gorgeous, and tragically brief glimpse into Baker's here, from a BBC review of a Radiophonic release (and my favorite Delia track is highlighted there as well). I'm still digging to find more John Baker information, but haven't turned up much yet. Delia's work, fortunately, is already being re-released and widely recognized, but Baker hasn't yet re-examined. So far, all I've really turned up is this podcast of a John Baker radio program, John Baker Radiophonic London 1973 Episode. Hopefully more will come in time, I'm definitely going to be burrowing through the web until I find out what he was up to after leaving the workshop in '74.