Transcript for the Piece Audio version of RN Documentary: The Intriguing Theremin

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 theremin is often mistaken for a human voice. “One afternoon I was listening to the radio”, says Pringle. “I heard this remarkable soprano and I thought that’s odd who could be singing like that?” It wasn’t a human voice, but the voice of the theremin. “I swore then and there I was going to play this instrument.”

Since its invention the theremin has wielded a strange power over a relatively small number of enthusiasts. One of them was the Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin. “Theremin was invited to come to Moscow to play for Lenin.” Says musician Wilco Botermans. “At one point Theremin invited Lenin onto the stage and held his arms to make him play one of Lenin’s favorite songs ‘skylark’ by Glinka. Lenin loved the instrument! He said this was proof that electricity and socialism are good for the people.”

Lenin was so enthusiastic about the theremin, he sent Leon around the world as an ambassador for the soviet union. Eventually he moved to New York where the theremin was celebrated by luminaries of the age including Einstein. From New York it was a quick leap to Hollywood where the theremin made a name for itself as the “spooky” sound in films such as the “The day the world stood still” and “Spellbound”.

Todays players shun the ‘spooky’ reputation of the instrument. “I guess we thought it was kid of scary back then but today it’s old hat, it’s backward looking. This is a good thing because people who want to do something with the theremin are going to have to be a little bit more creative in order to capture the interest of the listening public.”

And Pringle has done just that. He’s performed many times to enthusiastic crowds, solo and with orchestras. “People are thrilled with the instrument. It’s the novelty. I always give people an explanation beforehand, otherwise they say ‘well he waved his hands for a while and someone was singing’. They still can’t believe their ears when they hear it.”

In the 1930’s Theremin returned to Russia under mysterious circumstances. Soon after he was sent to a work camp. His inventiveness helped secure his release and before long he was back in favour. Though he produced a number of devices for the military, his heart remained with electronic instruments and he kept building them until his death in 1993.

Wilco Boterman writes and performs his own compositions for theremin. His style is a far cry from the classic ‘vocal’ style of playing. It’s rhythmic and urban, more atmosphere than melody. “I think Theremin would be interested in hearing this. He wanted music to evolve. He built an instrument that enabled people to do that, but the world wasn’t ready. Now they are.”

Peter pringle disagrees. “I don’t think it’s day will ever come. It’s just too difficult to play. But having said that I think it will endure. Audiences are fascinated by it. It’s an instrument which is not going to go away” Says Pringle. “It can emulate, but nothing can emulate it.”