RN Documentary: The Intriguing Theremin
From Radio Netherlands
| Part of the RN Documentaries series
| 00:29:28
Producers: michele ernsting
People fainted when the Theremin was first performed onstage in Paris in 1928. It’s haunting sound resembled voices from beyond the grave. It was the first electronic instrument – and at that time, the only one which was played without actually touching it. Its ingenious maker, the charismatic Russian Leon Thermin, was in many ways as mysterious as his invention.
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Review of RN Documentary: The Intriguing ThereminIf you've never heard a Theremin played before, or if you have and want to hear it played exceptionally well, listen to this piece. Good pacing, lots of beautiful music and an absorbing, brisk account of the inventor and history behind this unusual instrument. Playful, fun, and informative. |
Transcript
It caused riots when it premiered at the Grand Opera in Paris in 1927. “Women fainted in the belief that they were listening to the voices of spirits.” Says performer Peter Pringle. “They couldn’t believe their ears! People had never even seen a speaker before” let alone a theremin.
The Theremin was invented in 1918 by a Russian engineer Leon Theremin Theremin was an inventor and a musician and these two passions came together when he discovered he could use electricity to make music. The theremin was the first electronic instrument and the only one you played without touching.
Essentially the theremin is a small wooden box with one upright antenna on the right hand side and a horizontal loop antenna on the other side. By moving your hands away from the antennae you can increase the pitch and volume.
The sound that comes out has an oddly human vocal quality – in fact the there...
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Musical Works
234994 Music from the ether/Free music #1/Mode records/mode 76/Lydia Kavina/percy grainger/3:17
Many Voices/Les Productions D’our/Ellington on 54th street/pdo1001/pringle/Pringle 2:11
Many Voices/Les Productions D’our/solveg’s song/pdo1001/pringle/grieg/1:45
Many Voices/Les Productions D’our/o mio babbino aro/pdo1001/pringle/Puccini/2:26
Many Voices/ Les Productions D’our/white voices/pdo1001/pringle/pringle/1:54
The art of the Theremin/delos/Volcalise/de 1014/clara rockmore/rachmaninoff/2:17
The art of the Theremin/delos/The Swan/de 1014/clara Rockmore/Saint-saens/1:47
The day the earth stood still/varese sarabande/prelude and outer space/3020663142/joel Mcneely/Bernard Herrmann/2”37
The day the earth stood still/varese sarabande/space control/3020663142/joel Mcneely/Bernard Herrmann/6:42
The day the earth stood still/varese sarabande/the elevator/3020663142/joel Mcneely/Bernard Herrmann/3:12
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Additional Information
- Produced: Nov 29, 2004
- Added to PRX: Nov 30, 2004
- This piece is in English
Marjorie Van Halteren
Posted on December 23, 2004 at 12:27 PM | Permalink
Review of RN Documentary: The Intriguing Theremin
This little half-hour just shoots by if you're at all curious about this instrument. The piece really makes you want to try playing one until at the end an interviewee talks about how difficult it is to master! Darn! Any station with classical music listeners should offer this. Impeccably produced.