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REEL 57 [DAT 29]
London, England April 27/75
A 1-7. CLOCKS AT GREENWICH OBSERVATORY
[ID 1 0:28]
1. bell in clock room
[ID 2 0:49]
2. Roupell Park Turret clock
[ID 3 2:15]
3. Shepherd Clock
mark * transition from one clock to another. [3:22]
[ID 4 5:58]
4. Atomic clock (very short take)
5. CLOCK EXPLANATIONS READ ALOUD
mark * description and sound of atomic clock. [13:38]
6. CONTACT RECORDING OF 24 HOUR CLOCK, at entrance to Greenwich observatory.
[ID 7 17:57]
7. GREENWICH GATE CLOCK
[ID 8 22:01]
8. mark * CLOCK EXPLANATIONS READ ALOUD [22:04]
Ripon, York May 3/75
9. WAKEMAN'S HORN, from village square. 9'20"
Take begins with change ringing church bells.
mark * second set of changes [26:31]
mark * Wakeman's horn, 4 long sustained tones (of same pitch), accompanied by traffic and partly by bells. [30:13]
10. HORN BLOWER (Phil Harrison) TALKING ABOUT HORN, 7'15"
mark * talking about horn blowing as an occupation ( while driving inside car. Note heavy low frequencies!) 3'55" [40:33]
11. WAKEMAN'S HORN, in front of Mayor's house 3'15"
mark * last sustained tone, clean take of horn (no cars) [44:53]
COMMENTARY
1-4. These clock sounds (ie. ticking) are accompanied by a background of visitors' conversation. Note interesting rhythm of Shepherd's clock (3).
5. Series of short takes. Spoken descriptions of clock operations take on the qualities of the mechanical background itself.
6 & 7. Outdoor ambience of people, birds in combination with regular ticking of clock.
9. The use of this horn dates from 886 A.D. when it was used as a curfew signal. After 1604, the custom was continued, although not functionally (after this date the Wakeman became the city's first mayor and no longer performed "protection" duties). Its survival is purely a matter of the city's affection for and identification with the horn blowing custom. A prime example of a soundmark. Note the occurrence of the horn between the bell change ringing which precedes the horn and the single bell which follows it. Note also the acoustic -imbalance between the traffic noise and the horn blowing.
10. Hornblower talks to a group of tourists, then his voice takes on the characteristics of a tourist guide ( but not unpleasant); this is followed by a rather lively discussion between him and tourists.
11. Note the length of each individual tone blown!
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