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THE STORY OF LEON THEREMIN - INVENTOR OF THE THEREMIN

The theremin was invented in 1919 and became the first electronic musical instrument that had a career in the XX-century and it is still the only instrument which can be played without any mechanical touching. The theremin-player moves his hands near two antennas. The proximity of the right hand to the vertical antenna changes the electromagnetic field thus changing the pitch of the sound over a six-octave range. Left hand controls the volume. Theremin's sound remembers sometimes the cello or violin, sometime the flute and often the human voice. The instruments circuit uses a beat frequency oscillator, in which an audible musical tone is derived from the beating between two high-frequency oscillators. The frequency of one of the oscillators is fixed. The frequency of the other is altered by the performer's proximity to the pitch antenna.

1896 Lev S. Theremin was born in St. Petersburg.

1919 He invented the theremin. He did entertaining demonstrations of the theremin and gave a lot of concerts all over Russia, Europe and USA.

1927-1937 He had a studio, students and organized production of his instruments in New York.

1938 He was kidnapped back to Russia, where he was arrested for no apparent reason and imprisoned. After one year in Siberia he was moved to a labor camp at Omsk and later to Moscow, where a special center for scientists under arrest had been set up. Theremin worked there as a prisoner until 1947 and then as civilian until 1964.

1964 He went to the Acoustic Research and Tape Recording Department of Moscow State Tschaikovsky Conservatory.

1971 The last twenty years of his life Lev Theremin worked at the Acoustics Department in the Moscow Lomonosov University.

In the 1990s Lev Theremin was beginning to be rediscovered. He was invited to Bourges, Stockholm, USA, The Hague. S. Martin, an American filmmaker has created a doc**entary"Theremin - an Electronic Odyssey" in 1993.

1993 Leon Theremin died in Moscow

Most famous uses of theremin:
concert performance of Clara Rockmore in the USA and Konstantin Kovalsky in Russia

film music: "Lost weekend", Spellbound", "Ed Wood", "Mars Attack"

popmusic: Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin, Portishead

compositions by Edgar Varese, Alfred Schnittke, John Cage, Boguslav Martinu

use in the theater: "Alice" by Tom Waits and Robert Wilson

Tags: attack, edwood, leon, mars, moscow, newyork, russia., theremin, usa

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Comment by PEKKANINI on March 4, 2009 at 6:01pm: To Word Man: I actually saw a Theremin Cello for sale on the net. Don't remember the prize but it was quite expensive..
I think I found the link on the theremin site "Spellbound".

To Ben: The instrument played on "Good Vibrations" is probably a "Tannerin", an instrument designed to sound like a theremin but much easier to play. It's a box with a magnetic strip were you can move your finger to change the pitch of the tone.

THANKS FOR THE COMMENTS!!

Comment by Word Man on February 28, 2009 at 3:19am: The Theremin (oldest performance electronic music instrument)

Comment by Word Man on February 28, 2009 at 3:05am: Just thought I 'd add a few things I came across.
Enjoy the video!

Word Man

Comment by Word Man on February 28, 2009 at 2:58am: Theremin Cello (Back)

Comment by Word Man on February 28, 2009 at 2:57am: Theremin Cello

Comment by Word Man on February 28, 2009 at 2:54am

Comment by Word Man on February 28, 2009 at 2:52am

Comment by Word Man on February 28, 2009 at 2:50am

Comment by Bill Haynosch on February 28, 2009 at 2:00am: I had no idea that this thing has been around for 90 yrs! Amazing mind that invented it when he did. Great story. Thanks for putting it out here.

Comment by Woody Black on February 27, 2009 at 2:30pm: I am glad to see you posted this,it is very informative. Most of the general public does not even know what a theremin is or what it does! Even most seasoned musicians are unaware of the theremin. It is a fascinating instrument,and has a sound all it's own. I think I am the only thereminist in my hometown,I show it to customers every day in my music store. Many are genuinely shocked when they see it performed! It seems almost as though the player is some kind of magican. I have even had people that thought I was doing some kind of trick,and had to prove that I was really playing it! I would be willing to bet we are the only thereminists on Moiko Records! How about it? Does anyone else on Moiko Records besides Pekkanini and Woody play the theremin? Inquiring minds need to know!

Woody with his Moog Etherwave Pro Theremin

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