Delia Derbyshire (1937-2001)
Delia Derbyshire
was a music-maker ahead of her time. She
went to Cambridge, getting degrees in both Mathematics and Music. After
being turned down for a position at Decca Records because they did not
employ women in their recording studios, she eventually landed a
position at another studio in London—Boosey & Hawkes music
publishers. Delia's move in 1960 to the BBC as a trainee
studio manager signaled the
beginning of a fruitful partnership with the organization. It was at
the BBC that Delia was given the space and freedom she needed to
experiment with sound—creating moods and soundscapes through strictly
electronic means. It wasn't long before she'd recorded Ron
Grainer's famous theme
to the BBC series Doctor
Who. On
first hearing it Grainer was tickled pink: "Did I really write this?"
he asked. "Most of it," replied Derbyshire. So began the, what some
call, "Golden Age" of the BBC's Radiophonic
Workshop. A complete
list of her works has yet to be compiled, but amongst other things she
has mentioned doing: Special works and soundtracks for the Brighton
Festival, the City of London Festival, Yoko Ono's Wrapping
Event of the lions at Trafalgar Square, music for the
award winning film Circle
of Light, and Peter Hall's film Work is a 4
Letter Word, The White Noise LP An Electric
Storm, and special sound and music for plays at the RSC
Stratford,
Greenwich Theatre, Hampstead Theatre and the Chalk Farm Roundhouse.
Late in the 1970s, Delia backed away from electronic music
after
feeling disillusioned at the direction it was heading in. It wasn't
until the mid 90s that she noticed a change in the genre and joined
back in. Shortly before she died in 2001, she wrote: "Working with
people like Sonic Boom
on pure electronic music has re-invigorated me.
He is from a later generation but has always had an affinity with the
music of the 60s. One of our first points of contact—the visionary work
of Peter Zinovieff, has touched us both, and has been an inspiration.
Now without the constraints of doing 'applied music', my mind can fly
free and pick-up where I left off."SOUND WORKS Derbyshire Links ~ ~ ~ Works by Genre ~ ~ ~ Discography ~ ~ ~ Derbyshire on Derbyshire
Time On Our Hands (Titles And City), electronic sound piece (1962) [BBC Radiophonic Workshop 21] [1:12/2:01]
Arabic Science And History, electronic sound piece (1962) [BBC Radiophonic Workshop 21] [0:23]
Know Your Car, electronic sound piece (1963) [BBC Radiophonic Wkshp 21/orig. song, "Get Out & Get Under", M. Abrahms] [0:58]
Doctor Who, TV series music (1963/August-1979) [BBC Radiophonic Workshop 21/theme by Ron Grainer] [1:30]
Talk Out, electronic sound piece (1964) [BBC Radiophonic Workshop 21] [0:26]
Science and Health, electronic sound piece (1964) [BBC Radiophonic Workshop 21] [0:55]
Anger of Achilles, electronic sound piece (1964) [music by Roberto Gerhard]
Four Inventions for Radio, electronic sound piece [in collaborations with poet and dramatist Barry Bermange]
1. The Dreams (1964)
- Running
- Falling
- Land
- Sea
- Colour
2. Amor Dei (1964)
- Conceptions of God
- Rorate Coeli [sometime listed as "A capella liturgica"]
- I'd like to believe in God, but...
- There is a God!
3. The After-Life (1965)
4. The Evenings Of Certain Lives
A New View of Politics, electronic sound piece (1966) [BBC Radiophonic Workshop 21] [0:40]
Ziw-zih Ziw-zih OO-OO-OO, electronic sound piece (1966) [for episode of "Out of the Unknown",based on Asimov story] [1:44]
Moogies Bloogies, song, voice and electronics (1966) [with Anthony Newley] [8:08]
Pot Pourri, electronic sound piece (1966) [5:00]
Random Together 1, electronic sound piece (1966) [with Peter Zinovieff] [20:00]
Chromophone Band, TV series music (1967) [by Dudley Simpson; realised by Derbyshire; for Dr Who: "The Macra Terror"] [1:56]
Towards Tomorrow, electronic sound piece (1967) [1:11]
Blue Veils and Golden Sands, electronic sound piece (1967) [3:25]
Macbeth, incidental music (1967) [for Guy Woolfenden's electronic score for Peter Hall's Royal Shakespeare Co production]
Mattachin, electronic sound piece (date unknown) [BBC Radiophonic Music, "The Pink Album", released 1968] [1:15]
The Delian Mode, electronic sound piece (date unknown) [BBC Radiophonic Music, "The Pink Album", released 1968] [5:38]
Happy Birthday, electronic sound piece (date unknown) [BBC Radiophonic Music, "The Pink Album", released 1968] [0:36]
Door To Door, electronic sound piece (date unknown) [BBC Radiophonic Music, "The Pink Album", released 1968] [0:30]
Air, electronic sound piece (date unknown) [BBC Radiophonic Music, "The Pink Album", released 1968] [1:43]
Time To Go, electronic sound piece (date unknown) [BBC Radiophonic Music, "The Pink Album", released 1968] [0:24]
Wrapping Event, film score (1968) [for Yoko Ono's wrapping of the lions in Trafalgar Square "happening" film]
Pot Au Feu, electronic sound piece (1968?) [3:13]
An Electric Storm ("The White Noise") (1968)/ALBUM
[with David Vorhaus, Brian Hodgson, Paul Lytton, John Whitnam, Annie Bird and Val Shaw]
- Love Without Sound [2:57/2:55]
- My Game of Loving [3:38/4:07]
- Here Come the Fleas [2:31/2:11]
- Firebird [2:43/3:00]
- Your Hidden Dreams [4:25/4:53]
- The Visitations [11:45/11:12]
- The Black Mass: An Electric Storm in Hell [7:04/7:20]
Work Is A Four Letter Word, film score (1968)
Environmental Studies, electronic sound piece (1969) [BBC Radiophonic Workshop 21] [0:30]
Chronicle, electronic sound piece (1969) [BBC Radiophonic Workshop 21] [0:22]
John Peel's Voice, electronic sound piece (1969) [with Brian Hodgson] [2:20]
Cyprian Queen, TV series music (date unknown) [BBC production theme]
Great Zoos Of The World, TV series music (1969) [BBC Radiophonic Workshop 21] [0:36]
Standard Music Library ESL104 (1969)/ALBUM [as "Li De La Russe"; also features work by David Vorhaus and Brian Hodgson]
[much of this music was later used for "The Tomorrow People" and "Timeslip" TV series]
- Lure of the Space Goddess, electronic sound piece [0:30] [with Brian Hodgson] [also used for "Timeslip" TV series]
- Gothic Submarines, electronic sound piece [1:56] [with Brian Hodgson]
- London Lemons, electronic sound piece (9 themes)
- Restless Relays, electronic sound piece [1:04] [with Brian Hodgson]
- Planetarium, electronic sound piece [1:36] [described as "non-rhythmic"]
- Way Out, electronic sound piece [1:52]
- Fresh Aire, electronic sound piece [0:11]
- Delia's Theme: Waltz tempo, complete theme, electronic sound piece [1:22]
- Tentative Delia, electronic sound piece [0:22]
- Delia's Idea, electronic sound piece [0:22]
- Delia's Psychadelian Waltz, electronic sound piece [0:36]
- Delia's Resolve, electronic sound piece [0:07]
- Delia's Dream, electronic sound piece [0:41]
- Delia's Reverie, electronic sound piece [0:23]
- Delia's Fulfilment, electronic sound piece [0:23]
Hamlet, incidental music (1969) [for London's Roundhouse theatre production]
Robert Lowell, documentary film score (1970)
Timeslip, TV series music (1970-71) [with Brian Hodgson and Dudley Simpson]
Music Of Spheres, electronic sound piece (1971) [1:32]
Dance From Noah, electronic sound piece (1971) [0:54]; "Stereo Mix" [1:07]
Tutenkhamun's Egypt, BBC TV series music (1971) [2:16]
Oh Fat White Woman, TV music (1971) ["Play for Today" series, 1 episode]
Electrosonic (1972) - ALBUM [credits on all tracks: (Don) Harper, Li De La Russe (Delia Derbyshire), and Nikki St. George (Brian
Hodgson)]
- Quest, electronic sound piece [1:44]
- Quest (Fast), electronic sound piece [1:09]
- Computermatic, electronic sound piece [1:15]
- Frontier of Knowledge, electronic sound piece [2:06]
- The Pattern Emerges, electronic sound piece [2:56]
- Freeze Frame, electronic sound piece [1:42]
- Plodding Power, electronic sound piece [1:52]
- Busy Microbes, electronic sound piece [1:40]
- Liquid Energy (a), electronic sound piece [1:56]
- Liquid Energy (B) (Rhythm Only), electronic sound piece [0:58]
- No Man's Land, electronic sound piece [1:52]
- Depression, electronic sound piece [1:28]
- Nightwalker, electronic sound piece [2:00]
- Electrostrings, electronic sound piece [0:21]
- Electrobuild, electronic sound piece [0:22]
- Celestial Cantabile, electronic sound piece [3:30]
- Effervescence, electronic sound piece [2:04]
- The Wizard's Laboratory, electronic sound piece [2:06]
- Shock Chords, electronic sound piece [0:33]
Oh Dear What Can The Matter Be, electronic sound piece (1972) [1:18]
Circle Of Light: The Photography of Pamela Bone, film score (1972) [with Elsa Stansfield] [30:52]
The Legend Of Hell House, film score [sound effects] (1973) [with Brian Hodgson]
Een Van Die Dagen (One of These Days), short film score (1973)
The Tomorrow People, TV series music (1973-79) [with Brian Hodgson and Dudley Simpson]
About Bridges, film score (1975)
Dreaming, electronic sound piece [from "Out Of This World: Atmospheric Sound Effects ...; released 1976] [1:11]
Phantoms Of Darkness, electronic sound piece [from "Out Of This World: Atmospheric Sound Effects ...; released 1976] [1:05]
Heat Haze, electronic sound piece [from "Out Of This World: Atmospheric Sound Effects ...; released 1976] [0:50]
Frozen Waste, electronic sound piece [from "Out Of This World: Atmospheric Sound Effects ...; released 1976] [1:02]
Icy Peak, electronic sound piece [from "Out Of This World: Atmospheric Sound Effects ...; released 1976] [0:39]
Synchrondipity Machine, electronic sound piece (2000) - [an unfinished dream; with E.A.R. ]
DISCOGRAPHY Derbyshire Links ~ ~ ~ Works by Genre ~ ~ ~ Derbyshire on Derbyshire
see also here and here
BBC Radiophonic Workshop 21 (released 1979) - see full track listing here
BBC Radiophonic Music, "The Pink Album" (released 1968; commercial release 1970) - see full track listing here
Out Of This World: Atmospheric Sound Effects from the Radiophonic Workshop (released 1976) - see full track listing here
An Electric Storm ("The White Noise") (1968) - see full track listing here
Standard Music Library ESL104 (1969) - see full track listing here
Electrosonic (1972) - ALBUM [credits on all tracks: (Don) Harper, Li De La Russe (Delia Derbyshire), and Nikki St. George (Brian
Hodgson)] - see full track listing here
WORKS BY GENRE Derbyshire Links ~ ~ ~ Discography ~ ~ ~ Derbyshire on Derbyshire ~ top of page ~
Electronic
Anger of Achilles, electronic sound piece (1964) [music by Roberto Gerhard]
Four Inventions for Radio, electronic sound piece [in collaborations with poet and dramatist Barry Bermange]
1. The Dreams (1964)
- Running
- Falling
- Land
- Sea
- Colour
2. Amor Dei (1964)
- Conceptions of God
- Rorate Coeli [sometime listed as "A capella liturgica"]
- I'd like to believe in God, but...
- There is a God!
3. The After-Life (1965)
4. The Evenings Of Certain Lives
Moogies Bloogies, song, voice and electronics (1966) [with Anthony Newley] [8:08]
Pot Pourri, electronic sound piece (1966) [5:00]
Random Together 1, electronic sound piece (1966) [with Peter Zinovieff] [20:00]
Towards Tomorrow, electronic sound piece (1967) [1:11]
Blue Veils and Golden Sands, electronic sound piece (1967) [3:25]
Pot Au Feu, electronic sound piece (1968?) [3:13]
An Electric Storm ("The White Noise") (1968)/ALBUM
[with David Vorhaus, Brian Hodgson, Paul Lytton, John Whitnam, Annie Bird and Val Shaw]
- Love Without Sound [2:57/2:55]
- My Game of Loving [3:38/4:07]
- Here Come the Fleas [2:31/2:11]
- Firebird [2:43/3:00]
- Your Hidden Dreams [4:25/4:53]
- The Visitations [11:45/11:12]
- The Black Mass: An Electric Storm in Hell [7:04/7:20]
John Peel's Voice, electronic sound piece (1969) [with Brian Hodgson] [2:20]
Standard Music Library ESL104 (1969)/ALBUM [as "Li De La Russe"; also features work by David Vorhaus and Brian Hodgson]
[much of this music was later used for "The Tomorrow People" and "Timeslip" TV series]
- Lure of the Space Goddess, electronic sound piece [0:30] [with Brian Hodgson] [also used for "Timeslip" TV series]
- Gothic Submarines, electronic sound piece [1:56] [with Brian Hodgson]
- London Lemons, electronic sound piece (9 themes)
- Restless Relays, electronic sound piece [1:04] [with Brian Hodgson]
- Planetarium, electronic sound piece [1:36] [described as "non-rhythmic"]
- Way Out, electronic sound piece [1:52]
- Fresh Aire, electronic sound piece [0:11]
- Delia's Theme: Waltz tempo, complete theme, electronic sound piece [1:22]
- Tentative Delia, electronic sound piece [0:22]
- Delia's Idea, electronic sound piece [0:22]
- Delia's Psychadelian Waltz, electronic sound piece [0:36]
- Delia's Resolve, electronic sound piece [0:07]
- Delia's Dream, electronic sound piece [0:41]
- Delia's Reverie, electronic sound piece [0:23]
- Delia's Fulfilment, electronic sound piece [0:23]
Music Of Spheres, electronic sound piece (1971) [1:32]
Dance From Noah, electronic sound piece (1971) [0:54]; "Stereo Mix" [1:07]
Electrosonic (1972) - ALBUM [credits on all tracks: (Don) Harper, Li De La Russe (Delia Derbyshire), and Nikki St. George (Brian
Hodgson)]
- Quest, electronic sound piece [1:44]
- Quest (Fast), electronic sound piece [1:09]
- Computermatic, electronic sound piece [1:15]
- Frontier of Knowledge, electronic sound piece [2:06]
- The Pattern Emerges, electronic sound piece [2:56]
- Freeze Frame, electronic sound piece [1:42]
- Plodding Power, electronic sound piece [1:52]
- Busy Microbes, electronic sound piece [1:40]
- Liquid Energy (a), electronic sound piece [1:56]
- Liquid Energy (B) (Rhythm Only), electronic sound piece [0:58]
- No Man's Land, electronic sound piece [1:52]
- Depression, electronic sound piece [1:28]
- Nightwalker, electronic sound piece [2:00]
- Electrostrings, electronic sound piece [0:21]
- Electrobuild, electronic sound piece [0:22]
- Celestial Cantabile, electronic sound piece [3:30]
- Effervescence, electronic sound piece [2:04]
- The Wizard's Laboratory, electronic sound piece [2:06]
- Shock Chords, electronic sound piece [0:33]
Oh Dear What Can The Matter Be, electronic sound piece (1972) [1:18]
Dreaming, electronic sound piece [from "Out Of This World: Atmospheric Sound Effects ...; released 1976] [1:11]
Phantoms Of Darkness, electronic sound piece [from "Out Of This World: Atmospheric Sound Effects ...; released 1976] [1:05]
Heat Haze, electronic sound piece [from "Out Of This World: Atmospheric Sound Effects ...; released 1976] [0:50]
Frozen Waste, electronic sound piece [from "Out Of This World: Atmospheric Sound Effects ...; released 1976] [1:02]
Icy Peak, electronic sound piece [from "Out Of This World: Atmospheric Sound Effects ...; released 1976] [0:39]
Synchrondipity Machine, electronic sound piece (2000) - [an unfinished dream; with E.A.R. ]
Electronic/Incidental for BBC Radio Workshop
Time On Our Hands (Titles And City), electronic sound piece (1962) [BBC Radiophonic Workshop 21] [1:12/2:01]
Arabic Science And History, electronic sound piece (1962) [BBC Radiophonic Workshop 21] [0:23]
Know Your Car, electronic sound piece (1963) [BBC Radiophonic Wkshp 21/orig. song, "Get Out & Get Under", M. Abrahms] [0:58]
Doctor Who, TV series music (1963/August-1979) [BBC Radiophonic Workshop 21/theme by Ron Grainer] [1:30]
Talk Out, electronic sound piece (1964) [BBC Radiophonic Workshop 21] [0:26]
Science and Health, electronic sound piece (1964) [BBC Radiophonic Workshop 21] [0:55]
A New View of Politics, electronic sound piece (1966) [BBC Radiophonic Workshop 21] [0:40]
Mattachin, electronic sound piece (date unknown) [BBC Radiophonic Music, "The Pink Album", released 1968] [1:15]
The Delian Mode, electronic sound piece (date unknown) [BBC Radiophonic Music, "The Pink Album", released 1968] [5:38]
Happy Birthday, electronic sound piece (date unknown) [BBC Radiophonic Music, "The Pink Album", released 1968] [0:36]
Door To Door, electronic sound piece (date unknown) [BBC Radiophonic Music, "The Pink Album", released 1968] [0:30]
Air, electronic sound piece (date unknown) [BBC Radiophonic Music, "The Pink Album", released 1968] [1:43]
Time To Go, electronic sound piece (date unknown) [BBC Radiophonic Music, "The Pink Album", released 1968] [0:24]
Environmental Studies, electronic sound piece (1969) [BBC Radiophonic Workshop 21] [0:30]
Chronicle, electronic sound piece (1969) [BBC Radiophonic Workshop 21] [0:22]
Incidental
Macbeth, incidental music (1967) [for Guy Woolfenden's electronic score for Peter Hall's Royal Shakespeare Co production]
Hamlet, incidental music (1969) [for London's Roundhouse theatre production]
TV
Doctor Who, TV series music (1963/August-1979) [BBC Radiophonic Workshop 21/theme by Ron Grainer]
Ziw-zih Ziw-zih OO-OO-OO, electronic sound piece (1966) [for episode of "Out of the Unknown",based on Asimov story] [1:44]
Chromophone Band, TV series music (1967) [by Dudley Simpson; realised by Derbyshire; for Dr Who: "The Macra Terror"] [1:56]
Cyprian Queen, TV series music (date unknown) [BBC production theme]
Great Zoos Of The World, TV series music (1969) [BBC Radiophonic Workshop 21] [0:36]
Timeslip, TV series music (1970-71) [w/Hodgson & Simpson] [some taken from "Standard Music Library ESL104, 1969]
Tutenkhamun's Egypt, BBC TV series music (1971) [2:16]
Oh Fat White Woman, TV music (1971) ["Play for Today" series, 1 episode]
The Tomorrow People, TV series music (1973-79) [w/Hodgson & Simpson] [taken from "Standard Music Library ESL104, 1969]
Film
Wrapping Event, film score (1968) [for Yoko Ono's wrapping of the lions in Trafalgar Square "happening" film]
Work Is A Four Letter Word, film score (1968)
Robert Lowell, documentary film score (1970)
Circle Of Light: The Photography of Pamela Bone, film score (1972) [with Elsa Stansfield] [30:52]
The Legend Of Hell House, film score [sound effects] (1973) [with Brian Hodgson]
Een Van Die Dagen (One of These Days), short film score (1973)
About Bridges, film score (1975)
DERBYSHIRE LINKS Works by Genre ~ ~ ~ Discography ~ ~ ~ Derbyshire on Derbyshire ~ top of page ~
The Bouquet That Keeps On Giving: Delia Derbyshire's Fiber-Optic Flowers (Jessica Hilo, Neon Tommy)
Delia and Daphne (Woebot.com) - no longer available online
Delia Derbyshire (CMJ)
Delia Derbyshire (Brian Hodgson, The Guardian)
Delia Derbyshire: The Doctor Who Theme Song (Ethan Hein's Blog)
Delia Derbyshire: A Personal Tribute (Graham Harris, delia-derbyshire.net)
Delia Derbyshire - Electronic Music Pioneer (Eric Brightwell, Amoeblog)
Delia Derbyshire's Papers (delia-derbyshire.net)
Delia Derbyshire, Producer of Doctor Who Theme Music, Has Legacy Restored (Russell Jenkins, The Times)
Delia Derbyshire Recordings Found, Including Ahead-of-its-Time Dance Track (Peter Kirn, Create Digital Music)
Delia Derbyshire – Sound Alchemist & Bobmother of British Electronica (I love kittens)
Delia Derbyshire: The Music of Mathematics (Pete Paphides, The Times/NowPublic)
Enchanting the Numbers:Ada Lovelace, Delia Derbyshire & Technological Excellence of Women (Ctr for Society/Cyberstudies)
In Praise of Delia Derbyshire (Jude Rogers, The Guardian)
Lost Tapes of the Dr Who Composer (Nigel Wrench, BBC News)
Morse Code Musician - How Delia Crashed the Sound Barrier (Christine Edge, Sunday Mercury/Martin Guy)
Radiophonic Ladies (Jo Hutton, Sonic Arts Network)
Sculptress of Sound: The Lost Works of Delia Derbyshire (BBC Radio 4)
Standing Wave - Delia Derbyshire in the'60s (Reeling + Writhing)
Structures and New Worlds: The BBC Radiophonic Workshop (elidor.freeserve.co.uk)
Variations on the Dr Who Theme (Susan Mansfield, Scotsman.com)
White Noise: Electric Storms, Radiophonics and the Delian Mode (John Coulthart, feuilleton)
Composer website . . . inquire about Delia Derbyshire: contact@delia-derbyshire.org
Derbyshire @ Delia Derbyshire Audiological Chronology
Derbyshire @ Wikipedia
Derbyshire @ Amoeblog
Derbyshire @ Answers.com
Derbyshire @ The Archives Listening Project
Derbyshire @ CITWF / Complete Index to World Film
Derbyshire @ Cosmic Surfer
Derbyshire @ Create Digital Music
Derbyshire @ Dangerous Minds
Derbyshire @ The Delian Mode
Derbyshire @ digital consultant
Derbyshire @ The Doctor Who News Page
Derbyshire @ Doctor Who Wiki
Derbyshire @ Electric Roulette
Derbyshire @ Effectrode Tube Effects Pedals
Derbyshire @ Facebook (1)
Derbyshire @ Facebook (2)
Derbyshire @ feuilleton also here
Derbyshire @ Flickr
Derbyshire @ IMDb (Internet Movie Database)
Derbyshire @ James Governor's Monkchips
Derbyshire @ KnifeFightingJesus
Derbyshire @ Malcolm Smith
Derbyshire @ MusicBrainz
Derbyshire @ Music Tools
Derbyshire @ MySpaceMusic (1)
Derbyshire @ MySpaceMusic (2)
Derbyshire @ MySpaceMusic/The Radiophonic Workshop
Derbyshire @ NNDB
Derbyshire @ prince.org
Derbyshire @ Quixotic Quisling
Derbyshire @ RadioClash also here
Derbyshire @ SoundtrackNet
Derbyshire @ Starpulse.com
Derbyshire @ Stereotype Helsinki
Derbyshire @ Synthtopia
Derbyshire @ We Love ... Life
Streaming Audio
Derbyshire @ Composer website
Derbyshire @ BBC News also here
Derbyshire @ BBC Radio 4/Women's Hour
Derbyshire @ Internet Archive/Inspired By Delia Derbyshire
Derbyshire @ last.fm
Derbyshire @ MySpaceMusic (1)
Derbyshire @ MySpaceMusic (2)
Derbyshire @ MySpaceMusic/The Radiophonic Workshop
Derbyshire @ UbuWeb
Derbyshire @ WFMU/Beware of the Blog
Recordings
Derbyshire @ Composer website
Derbyshire @ Discogs
Derbyshire @ Discogs (as Li De La Russe)
Video
Derbyshire @ YouTube
Derbyshire @ Google Video
Derbyshire @ Vimeo also here (via Google)
~ top of page ~
Derbyshire on Derbyshire: Sculptress of Sound/Documentary - 7 parts (VIDEO)
Derbyshire on Derbyshire: Who is Delia (VIDEO)
Derbyshire on Derbyshire: Radio Scotland Interview, 1997 - 3 parts (streaming audio)
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