The Art of the Theremin

Description

In 1927, two remarkable people arrived in the United States after lengthy and successful tours of Europe: Lev Sergeivitch Termen (anglicized to Leon Theremin) and Clara Rockmore (whose maiden name was Clara Reisenberg). Theremin was a young Russian physicist who was demonstrating a new musical instrument that he invented. The instrument was played by the motion of the musician's hands in the space surrounding the instrument. Clara Rockmore, a professional violinist from the age of 9, became aware of the musical potential of Theremin's invention. She spent several years collaborating with Theremin during which time he developed his invention into a sensitive, wide-range musical instrument. Clara subsequently embarked on a performance career that encompassed well over a hundred concerts, including appearances with major symphony orchestras, and set the definitive standard for theremin performance technique.To play the theremin, the performer stands in front of the instrument, a little left of center. The feet are spread slightly to keep the body as motionless as possible. To determine the pitch of the instrument's tone, the player varies the distance between her right hand and the pitch antenna. When the instrument is properly tuned, the pitch goes from lower than two octaves below middle C when the player's right hand is back at her shoulder, to approximately 2 1/2 octaves above middle C when the player's hand barely touches the pitch antenna. To determine the loudness of the instrument's tone, the player varies the distance between her left hand and the middle of the volume antenna. Maximum loudness occurs when the hand is removed from the antenna; complete silence occurs when the hand is an inch or so from the loop. The thereminist must move her hands with incredible precision as well as speed if she wishes to play distinct notes with correct intonation. Ms. Rockmore actually uses fingering patterns to play the most rapid passages. For instance, if she were to play an upward arpeggio, she would start on the lowest note with right hand tilted back and fingers withdrawn. To play the next note she would abruptly move her hand forward from the wrist, while keeping her right arm motionless. The third note would be played by rapidly extending the little finger, and the fourth note by extending one or two more fingers while simultaneously turning the wrist sideways to bring the newly-extended fingers nearer to the pitch antenna. She would then continue the arpeggio by moving her whole arm closer to the pitch antenna while drawing her hand and fingers back, then repeating the above-described succession of movements. At the same time, she may articulate each individual pitch by rapidly shooting the fingers of her left hand into the volume antenna loop, then withdrawing them, to silence the tone during the very short periods of time that her right hand moves from one pitch to another. No other theremin player has ever mastered this difficult and intricate technique for playing rapid successions of precise pitches - "aerial fingering" as one reviewer termed it.

Reviews

A wonderful CD!

by J. Douglas Benson from Maryland on 2009-09-29
The Theremin has, for too long, been associated with cheezy sci-fi movie Martians and the Beach Boys' stoned efforts on "Good Vibrations". In contrast, Clara Rockmore's performances (featuring synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog on piano!) are absolutely stunning. You must hear this to believe it. I can't say anything else... just listen!

beyond halloween

by Diane W. Young from San Marcos, TX on 2007-11-11
I love theramin music but there are very few CDs featuring this amazing but hard to play instrument. This CD does not dissappoint. The theremin sounds much like a human voice, but with a slightly creepy edge. I will be playing this CD for many years to come.

Elegance and precision

by madamemusico from Cincinnati, Ohio USA on 2007-06-30
The theramin is, without question, the most difficult instrument in the world to play. Consider: since its invention in 1928 and commercial release in the early 1930s, only one musician - Clara Rockmore - has been able to produce any real music on it. Her performances are spellbinding and, if one sometimes years for, say, a whole sonata or something more substantial than encore pieces, think of how difficult it is to play ANYTHING on this instrument and be glad that we at least have this much.

A one-of-a-kind disc of a one-of-a-kind performer. If you like the samples you can hear on this site. by all means buy it.

Mysterious, magical, and a little bit maudlin

by Michael Morgan from Fishers, IN United States on 2007-03-08
I recently went through a theremin phase after seeing the documetary "Theremin: An Electronic Oddysey" which featured Clara Rockmore prominently. That led me to buy this recording, which seems to be the traditional standard of classical theremin artistry. The story around the instrument is even more bizzare than the music it makes: spooky Cold-War intrigue, sudden disappearances in New York and the USSR, spy gadgets, dead men found alive, old friends reuniting after decades of separation and obscurity... it all fits the eerie ethos of the music. So to really "get" the instrument, you need to know the story behind it. That's the maudlin part.

While the rest of my family violently disagrees, this is indeed lovely music. A careful listening to Mrs. Rockmore's technique reveals, I think, that she's fascinatingly far beyond waving her hands up and down in front of antennas. She makes glissandos and runs happen with discrete pitches in a way that is hard for me to picture on an instrument that can generate any pitch, and every pitch in between. She developed a way to "finger" an instrument you don't touch. That's why it's magical.

A note on the recording: the timbre of the theremin seems to land in a resonant frequency range on most systems/speakers on which I have listened to this recording, leading to the solo instrument badly overbalancing the piano accompaniment.

PS: I have given on someday owning a theremin. Phase over.

Hypnotically Beautiful

by Karl Siever from Richmond, Virginia United States on 2007-02-27
Classical music, and specifically Theremin music, is not normally my favored listening. But I took a chance on this disc and am very glad I did. Clara Rockmore's mastery of her instrument is astonishing. The music is tastefully chosen and very beautiful. She often mimics violin or human voice in her phrasing, but subtly gives the theremin its own voice and proves its suitability for classical.

I knocked a star off for the lack of arrangement-diversity, but I have to admit that I usually listen to this disc from start to end. Its lyrical qualities are very transfixing and hypnotic. A welcome diversification to my music collection!