Difference between revisions of "The Autocrat"

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{{Thumb|''The Autocrats''' KRAB.FM programme listing}}
 
{{Thumb|''The Autocrats''' KRAB.FM programme listing}}
  
Delia is credited with ''[[Autocrats]]'',<ref name=TLL/> an Arts & Education Feature for radio produced by [[Paul D'Andrea]]<ref name=PDA>Personal communication from Paul D'Andrea, September 2016.</ref> and directed by [[Michael Rolfe]], whose tape's catalogue entry is dated April 1971.<ref name=TLL/>
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Delia created music for ''[[The Autocrat]]'',<ref name=TLL/> an Arts & Education Feature for radio written<ref name=endcredits>The end credits to the radio play run: "''The Autocrat'' was written by Paul D'Andrea".</ref> and produced by [[Paul D'Andrea]]<ref name=PDA>Personal communication from Paul D'Andrea, September 2016.</ref> and directed by [[Michael Rolfe]]. The "entry date" for its tape is April 1971.<ref name=TLL/>
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The tape catalogues and programme listings call it "''Autocrats''" or "''The Autocrats''" but its correct title is "''[[The Autocrat]]''".<ref name=endcredits/><ref name=PDA2>Personal communication from Paul D'Andrea, June 2017.</ref>
  
 
The non-profit non-commercial, listener-sponsored Seattle radio station KRAB.FM lists, in its programme guide for April 1974,<ref name=krab>[http://www.krab.fm/ProgramGuides/KRAB-Guide-xxx-1974-04.pdf KRAB.FM's programme listing for April 1974].</ref> on Sunday 28th<ref>The 28th April 1974 was indeed a Sunday.</ref> at 7:30:
 
The non-profit non-commercial, listener-sponsored Seattle radio station KRAB.FM lists, in its programme guide for April 1974,<ref name=krab>[http://www.krab.fm/ProgramGuides/KRAB-Guide-xxx-1974-04.pdf KRAB.FM's programme listing for April 1974].</ref> on Sunday 28th<ref>The 28th April 1974 was indeed a Sunday.</ref> at 7:30:
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</PRE>
 
</PRE>
  
A KRAB.FM archivist writes: &ldquo;KRAB broadcast ''The Autocrats'' at least four times:
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=Track Listing=
* Apr 28, 1974 - 7:30pm
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The play is almost all spoken voice with a few "flare" effects (which sound like bursts of filtered noise) and Delia contributes two pieces of music, one as the Intro before the speaking starts and one as the tail-out, again without a voiceover.
* Oct 5, 1974 - 8:30pm
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==Intro==
* Apr 30, 1976 - 2:00pm
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A smooth, gently evolving melodic soundscape. An actress sobs over the fadeout of the final sound.
* Mar 18, 1977 - 7:30pm
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{{Spectrogallery|The Autocrat - Intro}}
In the early to mid 70's, National Public Radio and the National Endowment for the Arts
 
financed the production of a series of radio plays, some of which were purchased from the BBC. 
 
KRAB was a NPR affiliate at that time.&rdquo;
 
The radio drama series was called "Earplay" and it was distributed on LP.<ref>KRAB.FM, personal communication, 26 May 2016.</ref>
 
  
Nothing in the ''Radio Times'' listings matches this. Michael Rolfe is credited with producing some radio programmes for Schools in 1971-2, mostly Stories and Rhymes for 7-9 year olds,<ref>[http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?adv=1&order=asc&q=%22Michael+Rolfe%22&yf=1971&yt=1972 Search results for &#34;Michael Rolfe&#34;] on the BBC Genome Project.</ref> while David Brierly and Garard Green act in Rolfe's ''Orange-Coloured Holiday Show'' broadcast on 27 December 1971.<ref>[http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/292bd02e2c564b50b08e1b1a8b1fec63 Orange-Coloured Holiday Show] on the BBC Genome Project.</ref>
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==Outro==
 +
"Rat Attack" is the name Paul D'Andrea gives to Delia's outro music, though the sound is more similar to a symphony of seagulls' cries.
 +
{{Spectrogallery|The Autocrat - Outro}}
  
 
=Copyright=
 
=Copyright=
The copyright to the production is owned by [[Paul D'Andrea]], not the BBC.<ref name=PDA/>
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The play's copyright is owned by its author and producer [[Paul D'Andrea]]<ref name=PDA/> who also says: &ldquo;If you come across any opportunities for broadcast or other presentation, either commercial or not-for-profit, do follow up. It's work that should be known. Delia's "Rat Attack" (33:00 to 35:19) is a masterpiece.&rdquo;<ref name=PDA2/>
  
 
=Availability=
 
=Availability=
* Does not seem to have been broadcast by the BBC.
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* Does not seem to have been broadcast by the BBC.<ref>Nothing in the ''Radio Times'' listings at [http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk the BBC Genome Project] matches it.</ref>
* Broadcast on KRAB.FM, Seattle on 28th April 1974 at 7:30pm.<ref name=krab/> The current KRAB archivist has not found a copy but is asking around.<ref>Personal communication from Chuck Reinsch, 26 May 2016.</ref>
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* &ldquo;In the early to mid 70's, National Public Radio and the National Endowment for the Arts financed the production of a series of radio plays, some of which were purchased from the BBC, and it was broadcast by KRAB-FM, a NPR affiliate at that time on 28th April 1974 at 7:30pm on the 5th October 1974 at 8:30pm, 30th April 1976 at 2:00pm and 18th March 1977 at 7:30pm.<ref name=krab/>
* Dozens of programmes in the "Earplay" series are available at<BR><TT>http://otrrlibrary.org -> Series beginning with 'E' -> Earplay NPR</TT><BR>but they do not include ''The Autocrats''.<ref>The OTRR Library catalogue was last checked on 26 May 2016.</ref>
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* Dozens of programmes in the "Earplay" series are available at<BR><TT>http://otrrlibrary.org -> Series beginning with 'E' -> Earplay NPR</TT><BR>but they do not include ''The Autocrat''.<ref>The OTRR Library catalogue was last checked on 26 May 2016.</ref>
 
* The BBC Sound Archive's tape [[TRW 7379]] is missing.<ref name=TLL>The [[Tape Library List]]'s entry for [[TRW 7379]].</ref>
 
* The BBC Sound Archive's tape [[TRW 7379]] is missing.<ref name=TLL>The [[Tape Library List]]'s entry for [[TRW 7379]].</ref>
* [[Paul D'Andrea]] has a copy on reel-to-reel tape.<ref name=PDA/>
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* [[Paul D'Andrea]] has kindly digitised his master tape and given permission for the Delian audio to be included here.
  
 
=References=
 
=References=

Latest revision as of 15:02, 10 March 2021

The Autocrats' KRAB.FM programme listing

Delia created music for The Autocrat,[1] an Arts & Education Feature for radio written[2] and produced by Paul D'Andrea[3] and directed by Michael Rolfe. The "entry date" for its tape is April 1971.[1]

The tape catalogues and programme listings call it "Autocrats" or "The Autocrats" but its correct title is "The Autocrat".[2][4]

The non-profit non-commercial, listener-sponsored Seattle radio station KRAB.FM lists, in its programme guide for April 1974,[5] on Sunday 28th[6] at 7:30:

THE AUTOCRATS BY PAUL D'ANDREA -
This play is based on an actual incident
recorded in 1720, when a ship from
Beirut was refused admission to the
port of Cagliari in Sardinia.  The
Viceroy of the port refused to grant
admittance, giving as a reason a dream
he had had of a ship carrying the
plague.  In the words of D'Andrea,
“...the play concerns an executive
intellect being confronted with a
manifestation of insurrection.”
Directed by Michael Rolfe of the BBC with
three of the BBC's finest actors: David
Brierley as the Adjutant; Garard Green
as St. Remys; Jumoke Debayo as Palla. 

Track Listing

The play is almost all spoken voice with a few "flare" effects (which sound like bursts of filtered noise) and Delia contributes two pieces of music, one as the Intro before the speaking starts and one as the tail-out, again without a voiceover.

Intro

A smooth, gently evolving melodic soundscape. An actress sobs over the fadeout of the final sound. The Autocrat - Intro - Spectrogram.jpg

Outro

"Rat Attack" is the name Paul D'Andrea gives to Delia's outro music, though the sound is more similar to a symphony of seagulls' cries. The Autocrat - Outro - Spectrogram.jpg

Copyright

The play's copyright is owned by its author and producer Paul D'Andrea[3] who also says: “If you come across any opportunities for broadcast or other presentation, either commercial or not-for-profit, do follow up. It's work that should be known. Delia's "Rat Attack" (33:00 to 35:19) is a masterpiece.”[4]

Availability

  • Does not seem to have been broadcast by the BBC.[7]
  • “In the early to mid 70's, National Public Radio and the National Endowment for the Arts financed the production of a series of radio plays, some of which were purchased from the BBC, and it was broadcast by KRAB-FM, a NPR affiliate at that time on 28th April 1974 at 7:30pm on the 5th October 1974 at 8:30pm, 30th April 1976 at 2:00pm and 18th March 1977 at 7:30pm.[5]
  • Dozens of programmes in the "Earplay" series are available at
    http://otrrlibrary.org -> Series beginning with 'E' -> Earplay NPR
    but they do not include The Autocrat.[8]
  • The BBC Sound Archive's tape TRW 7379 is missing.[1]
  • Paul D'Andrea has kindly digitised his master tape and given permission for the Delian audio to be included here.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 The Tape Library List's entry for TRW 7379.
  2. 2.0 2.1 The end credits to the radio play run: "The Autocrat was written by Paul D'Andrea".
  3. 3.0 3.1 Personal communication from Paul D'Andrea, September 2016.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Personal communication from Paul D'Andrea, June 2017.
  5. 5.0 5.1 KRAB.FM's programme listing for April 1974.
  6. The 28th April 1974 was indeed a Sunday.
  7. Nothing in the Radio Times listings at the BBC Genome Project matches it.
  8. The OTRR Library catalogue was last checked on 26 May 2016.