Barry Bermange, Delia Derbyshire, BBC Radiophonic Workshop - Inventions for Radio (2023)

The BBC’s Third Programme aired four radio broadcasts between January 1964 and September 1965, collectively known as Inventions for Radio. They were ground-breaking in both form and content, conceived by playwright Barry Bermange and consisting of the voices of the general public answering questions on four themes, one for each programme: dreams, the existence of God, life after death and ageing. At a time when it was unheard of to give a media platform to anyone perceived as being of low socio-economic status, the broadcasts generated many complaints for the “rough” voices of its participants. Delia Derbyshire was assigned by the Radiophonic Workshop to edit and add electronic music/ effects. The collaborative result is dreamlike and mesmerizing, an audial window to another era. For many years Derbyshire was not credited for her contribution, nor were the broadcasts available commercially, although they still managed to acquire something of a cult following.

This boxset includes one CD for each broadcast and two further CDs of additional material. There is a 20-page booklet with extensive notes by Mark Ayres (Producer) and David Butler, (one of the lead researchers and curators of the Delia Derbyshire Archive and co-founder of Delia Derbyshire Day). The insight into Derbyshire’s archive, her music and its influences and her collaboration with Bermange is fascinating, providing context for these extraordinary pieces which have been the most elusive of Twentieth Century classics until now.

Tracklist
The Dreams
A1 Opening Announcement 1:36
A2 Running Away 6:37
A3 Falling 8:03
A4 Landscape 6:30
B1 Underwater 8:56
B2 Colour 8:42
B3 Closing Announcement 0:14
Amor Dei
C1 Opening Annoucement 0:43
C2 Amor Dei - Movement 1 8:02
C3 Amor Dei - Movement 2 9:08
C4 Amor Dei - Movement 3a 5:46
D1 Amor Dei - Movement 3b 9:01
D2 Amor Dei - Movement 4 14:30
D3 Closing Announcement 0:11
The After-Life
E1 Opening Announcement 0:56
E2 The After-Life Movement 1 7:58
E3 The After-Life Movement 2 11:36
F1 The After-Life Movement 3 10:49
F2 The After-Life Movement 4 10:42
F3 Closing Announcement 0:14
The Evenings Of Certain Lives
G1 Opening Announcement 1:20
G2 Moving 8:49
G3 Seeing 8:31
G4 Hearing[Start] 3:44
H1 Hearing[Conclusion] 3:35
H2 Time 10:14
H3 Then And Now 8:03
H4 Closing Announcement 0:17
Related And Bonus Material (Disk 1)
I1 The Dreams - Opening Music 1:02
I2 The Dreams (From The Cloud) 6:38
I3 Falling (Music Track) 3:54
I4 Underwater (Music Track) 2:45
I5 Amor Dei Background 1 3:40
J1 Amor Dei Background 2 5:08
J2 Amor Dei Background 2 (High) 3:03
J3 Amor Dei Background 3 2:34
J4 Amor Dei Background 4 (Rorate Caeli Desuper) 2:03
J5 Atheism Music (From Poets In Prison) 5:08
Related And Bonus Material (Disk 2)
K1 Amor Dei Background 1 (repurposed from Tutankhamun's Egypt 6:29
K2 Christmas Music - Plainsong Aniphons (Unacc.) - Rorate Caeli Desuper 2:27
K3 A Doorway Into A New Life 0:46
K4 The Cord That Binds 4:01
K5 Heavenly Backgrounds 1 2:45
K6 Heavenly Backgrounds 2 3:27
K7 Heavenly Backgrounds 3 3:07
L1 Heavenly Backgrounds 4 1:20
L2 Heavenly Backgrounds 5 2:17
L3 Heavenly Backgrounds 6 1:42
L4 Heavenly Backgrounds 7 3:19
L5 Heavenly Backgrounds 8 2:34
L6 The Delian Mode (Original Full Length Version) 8:05
L7 The Dreams, 1977 Repeat Closing Announcement 0:25