Another story of an accident yielding wonderful results. Leon Theremin, who discovered the instrument that came to carry his name, was a Russian physicist attempting to create a proximity sensor, with its obvious military uses, but ended up creating a musical instrument which is played without touching it. It ended up being used for making eerie music, or futurist sounds. It was actually the inspiration for the original Star Trek theme music. Now it is respected for its sound, and unique playing method,
Kind of makes sense now, how a critic described the sound of a theremin as a cello lost in a dense fog, crying because it doesn't know how to get home.
Wow, this is such a perfect description. The sound of a theremin is something between a string instrument and a human voice, it's pretty disconcerting and very powerful. Both very human and alien
Please note: The Theremin video has an explanation (in Russian) for the 1st 14 seconds, followed by playing for the rest of the video. I think Leo Theremin, in his explanation, is saying the following: The electro-musical Theremin is the 1st of its kind. It’s a song-melody instrument. The melody is achieved by magnetic field changes near the instrument.
You can definitely hear a Theremin in Good Vibrations, apparently it was an electro-theremin...different to the one here. You can buy them online....all kinds.
Yes, and these cheesy films ruined the possibility of people realizing the immense serious musical abilities of the instrument. In sense, they killed the Theremin.
It's even better when you remember that he invented it. This man built his technique, his musical style, and his instrument all toward a common goal - so they're more in sync than almost any other musician in history. Very few other humans have invented an instrument, the technique for playing that instrument, and the music which will be played upon it. But the result is something wholly unique.
He has to get a feeling for it in order to play it. After all, the woman who invented the method for getting somewhat reliable notes out of the theremin did so relatively recently.
@@cerebrummaximus3762 It's a really hard instrument that has to compete with too popular instruments. It's niche is taken by vocals and strings. You won't find it in an orchestral setting as it has strings and you won't find in more modern bands as they have vocalists.
@@cerebrummaximus3762 I love Theremins. I'm kind of obsessed with them actually. But truthfully the theremin is basically just a synthesizer that is awkward to control and lacks all of the other functionalities that come with modern synthesizers.
Most people don't even know how hard this is. Playing mary had little lamb in a theremin is about as hard as playing Für Elise with your feet (on a piano)
This particular footage is from 1954, in Leon's 58th year, 34 years after the invention of the theremin. He went on to live another 39 years. The theremin, along with the musical saw, blaster beam & portative organ are 4 of the most interesting musical instruments.
I know its been awhile since you posted this but if you are still interested in sound making equipment, my uncle just wrote a book called The Sound of Things to Come. Reading his introduction brought me here after he mentioned the Theremin Electrical Symphony Orchestra. I had no clue what an etherphone looked or sounded like. Such a far out instrument.
The musical saw? Come on. the hydraulophone is cooler than that. Practically any instruments built by Author & Punisher is cooler than a saw. Waterphone. Wheel harp. Marble machine. The Funfair Organ Sound Effects Instrument!!!!!
Imagine having a family member owning a Theremin and plays it everyday to practice.. *You're either in a 1900s Disney Princess movie or a psychological horror movie*
Carolina Eyck invented a new system that is the new standard, which is a lot easier to teach than Theremin's technique which was "I did it for 30 years and figured it out".
He was also probably the best player on its own instrument. Most of modern players can't get most from theremin: they do very low dynamic expansion. In his own hands It heards like a violin. And its own creator called it as Thermenvox, not theremin.
it kind of makes me wonder about instruments that were invented before we had actual recordings of their very inventors playing them for the first time
This makes me feel joy that this dude was able to use the technology at his time to make this instrument instead of conceptualizing it and never seeing it be made
I was greatly pleased to see him actually touch the volume loop, making sure his instrument won't embark on its own personal solo performance. I do the same thing myself, as a sensible precaution! Thanks for posting!
It's a common misconception that the Beach Boys used a theremin on "Good Vibrations". They used a different instrument called the Electro-Theremin, or Tannerin, which is more like a synthesizer ribbon controller with a fake keyboard superimposed over the ribbon. It was also used on the theme for the "My Favorite Martian" TV show. I collaborated with Tom Polk to produce a Tannerin sound for Arturia MMV (as well as Theremin and Ondes Martenot sounds).
I am saying hi from 2020! I really did not expect that there was an absolute amazing instrument invented back then. Now, I consider my self lucky to discover this. Theremin captured my soul. Idk why. Wish I could play it some time.
truley amazing how even in the 1920's they were capable of making such an electrical instrument that has still to this day has the same built and shape, also played the exact same way.. lots of nock offs but this guy is the shit!!!!! amen to Leon. Starting the movement of electronical instruments which rule the world today.
The technique he's using (holding his forefinger and thumb together for a clearer, more precise pitch) was discovered by Clara Rockmore. She was a true innovator in electronic music of her time :)
for all of its faults, RU-vid is such a world-changing tool. without it, I don't think me, or you, or anyone would have ever seen this footage in their lives, much less had it randomly recommended to them 15 years after someone decided to show it to the world, and 65 years after it was first recorded. oh and Leon's ability is great too!
The theremin is the most bizarre musical instrument I've ever heard. Played to perfection in such sci-fi classics as "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (1951) & "It Came from Outer Space" (1953), as well as the modern masterpieces "Ed Wood" (1994) & "Mars Attacks!" (1996). I just love watching an expert theremin player at work
Hi Kristine, the title of the documentary is Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey (produced in 1994), and it is worth seeing. Here is an excerpt from the film; Clara Rockmore is reminiscing about how Leon Theremin courted her 60 years earlier (hopefully before he was married to the ballerina you mentioned, rather than during).
The piece is called "Do not scold me, dear". A transcription of this music, for solo and piano, could be found here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-3_79heDF04w.html
I've played around with a theremin before but never understood how you're supposed to go between notes and not sound choppy. Now I get it, the chop is hidden in the vibrato. Really really good stuff
Fabulous I love this instrument, so ethereal and played without touching it, magic! Clara rockmore was a fine exponent of the device, this has been a treat to so the creator and his machine together!
Look at what people can do when they have the freedom to create and be the best that they can be! One day I hope we ALL can get back to that freedom and pleasure!
Masterfully played, the voice of the Theremin takes on an operatic human character. I have achieved similar effects on pedal steel guitar using an electromagnetic string exciter called the E-Bow. A neat effect when used tastefully. The opera singer's part on Ennio Morricone's "Once Upon a Time in the West" I feel would make an excellent arrangement for the Theremin.
Leon was not only a really brilliant constructor of his own instrument, but also a brilliant musician, I heard here!!! Thanks so much for this fantastic upload!!
For those of you that are clueless, a Theremin is a musical instrument with electronic tone generation, the pitch and tone volume being controlled by the distance between the player's hands and two metal rods serving as antennas.
I got the chance to play a theremin at a composition course in Ohio University recently and I realised how overconfident I am with this. It’s so intensely difficult to get a sound this precise and his playing is incredibly impressive. After seven years of viola I thought I could do it but it’s a whole new level of precision
I used to have a similar "effect" when i solded a part on my first pc soundcard, long time ago... later a friend told me i accidently built a "Theremin".... he had such a device back then ;)
