Malcolm Clarke
Encyclopedia
Malcolm Clarke was a British
composer
, and a member of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop
for 25 years from 1969 to 1994.
Clarke proved somewhat controversial when he joined the workshop, due to his views that Radiophonic music should be, in his words, "fine art," a philosophy that was not shared by other workshop members at the time. He composed the soundtrack for the 1972 Doctor Who
episode The Sea Devils
; only the second score that the workshop provided for the series. Clarke returned to the series ten years later for the serial Earthshock
, and continued to work on the series on a regular basis until 1986.
His most critically acclaimed work was probably 1976's radio piece August 4th 2026, based on a short story by Ray Bradbury
.
Outside of the workshop, Clarke was an automobile enthusiast, and over a period of years built up a Bugatti
from a collection of spare and scavenged parts.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, and a member of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop
BBC Radiophonic Workshop
The BBC Radiophonic Workshop, one of the sound effects units of the BBC, was created in 1958 to produce effects and new music for radio, and was closed in March 1998, although much of its traditional work had already been outsourced by 1995. It was based in the BBC's Maida Vale Studios in Delaware...
for 25 years from 1969 to 1994.
Clarke proved somewhat controversial when he joined the workshop, due to his views that Radiophonic music should be, in his words, "fine art," a philosophy that was not shared by other workshop members at the time. He composed the soundtrack for the 1972 Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
episode The Sea Devils
The Sea Devils
The Sea Devils is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts from February 26 to April 1, 1972.-Synopsis:...
; only the second score that the workshop provided for the series. Clarke returned to the series ten years later for the serial Earthshock
Earthshock
Earthshock is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 8 March to 16 March 1982...
, and continued to work on the series on a regular basis until 1986.
His most critically acclaimed work was probably 1976's radio piece August 4th 2026, based on a short story by Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury
Ray Douglas Bradbury is an American fantasy, horror, science fiction, and mystery writer. Best known for his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 and for the science fiction stories gathered together as The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man , Bradbury is one of the most celebrated among 20th...
.
Outside of the workshop, Clarke was an automobile enthusiast, and over a period of years built up a Bugatti
Bugatti
Automobiles E. Bugatti was a French car manufacturer founded in 1909 in Molsheim, Alsace, as a manufacturer of high-performance automobiles by Italian-born Ettore Bugatti....
from a collection of spare and scavenged parts.