Prior to the Workshop: In Broadcasting House, around 1957, Daphne Oram employs a tape loop, watched by Frederick Bradnum.
The Maida Vale studios, as seen from the north. The structure is essentially of steel, set in the ground and with an Edwardian stucco frontage. The Workshop occupied several rooms at the front, to the left of the entrance, as well as others in the centre of the building.
Desmond Briscoe, the Workshop's first head.
The Maida Vale studios, as seen from the north. The structure is essentially of steel, set in the ground and with an Edwardian stucco frontage. The Workshop occupied several rooms at the front, to the left of the entrance, as well as others in the centre of the building.
An outside view of the Maida Vale stuidos in the early seventies.
The corridor in Maida Vale. Each studio had a blue light to indicate the area was powered, as well as a red light to warn that a recording was in progress. These lights can be seen by the doors on the left-hand side of this picture.
An early picture, taken onthe 13th of May, 1958, looking through the window of Room 15 towards Rooms 13 and 14. The room on this side is the recording area, complete with microphone. In the distance there's Desmond Briscoe with a tape loop, with a Motosacoche tape machine beyond him, 'Dickie' Bird the engineer and Donald McWhinnie, in charge, standing in front of a Ferrograph recorder. Daphne Oram is at the controls of the 'Albert Hall' mixer, on top of which there are a pair of PEUs. Note the flowers on the loudspeaker.
Donald McWhinnie listens as Desmond Briscoe, Daphne Oram and 'Dickie' Bird work together to create sounds.
Rooms 13 and 14, with a pair of monstrous Motosacoche machines. The bay to the left is believed to be associated with the 'Albert Hall' mixer, whilst the tape recorder to the extreme right may have been an Ampex model.
Rooms 13 and 14, also known as Workshop 1, looking south towards the small studio in Room 15, which is behind the window to the right of centre.
