Originally created from an attempt to build a proximity sensor in 1920′s Russia, Professor Léon Theremin’s musical instrument, called the theremin has been considered one of the first electronic instruments. Utilizing metal antennae to pick up the postion of the player’s hands (or other appendages) to control the frequency and volume of the electronic oscillator which is then amplified and put through speakers for all to hear.
In the 1930′s Theremin moved to the United States and began performing concerts with the theremin and other electronic music instruments he made to rapturous audiences. He also has the distinct honor of being the first electronic musician to perform at Carnegie Hall. Below is a clip from Esther Shub’s 1932 film “Komsomol: Patron of Electrification” which demonstrates one of the earliest uses of the theremin in film.
The theremin has been used in countless films as it’s unique tone worked well for many science-fiction and horror movies. Amidst its filmic and concert work the theremin has been an interesting and integral instrument, but its creator did face his some major misfortune.
From Wikipedia:
In 1938, Theremin left the United States, though the circumstances related to his departure are in dispute. Many accounts claim he was taken from his New York City apartment by KGB agents, taken back to the Soviet Union and made to work in a sharashka laboratory prison camp at Magadan, Siberia. He reappeared 30 years later. In his 2000 biography of the inventor, Theremin: Ether Music and Espionage, Albert Glinsky suggested the Russian had fled to escape crushing personal debts, and was then caught up in Stalin’s political purges. In any case, Theremin did not return to the United States until 1991.
Theremin’s return to the US was documented in Steven M. Martin’s “Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey” including is reuniting with his protege Clara Rockmore, arguably the world’s most accomplished theremin players. He also made a demonstration concert at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague in early 1993 before dying in Moscow in 1993 at the age of 97.
For more information on Léon Theremin and his instruments, I highly recommend viewing Steven M. Martin’s made a documentary about Leon Theremin’s life entitled “Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey.” Also here are two other videos that demonstrate that the theremin isn’t solely used for alienating eery atmospheric sounds.
(Thanks Dexaan!)
Information courtesy: Moog Music and Wikipedia
Image courtesy:Moog Music
As always, if YOU have an idea for a future Historical Thursday, please email it to me at thereifixedit@gmail.com.
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Geektasm!
Anyone watch “Midsomer Murders”? The main theme is played on a theramin.
o.o I had no idea. Has it always been theremin’d?
I’ve loved this instrument ever since I found out it was what was used in the theme song of the original Star Trek series.
I have just come to the sad, sad realization that I am not half the geek I thought I was. I mean, I’ve never bitten the head off a chicken, but I thought I was pretty far up the scale. NOT SO ;_;
You’re not alone. SO MUCH GEEKERY LEFT TO GEEK.
I tried listening to spot any theremin in the original star trek series theme music but just couldn’t. There is the woman singing notes in a similar fashion to a theremin, but that is definitely not theremin produced.
In Soviet Russia, musical instruments play you.
I think the cameraman was being driven around by his machine.
Now I FINALLY know what made the great music for all my fave oldie sci-fis
Science fiction hasn’t been the same since they mostly retired the theremin. I always loved it too
My two favorite theremin soundtracks are both from space alien flicks:
The Thing From Another World, and The Day The Earth Stood Still
Awesome! Although strictly speaking the oscillator in the cat video isn’t a theremin…
How difficult is it to build a Theremin from relative scratch?
Not terribly hard, just dangerous.
Oh, not that hard if you are any good with electronics. There are instructions on how to build them all over the Internet (well, several sites anyway). It’s a constant proposed project by my musician-eletronic engineer husband and with my students at my university music department – usually abandoned in the rush to the next concert but we keep thinking about it. Theremins are ace.
The theremin was featured – as itself – in an episode of the incredible cartoon series I Am Weasel, wherein I. M. Weasel’s nemesis, I R Baboon, captured a theremin and ultimately destroyed the Hollywood Bowl with it.
That was a ‘toon series of unappreciated sophistication…
Hear, hear!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJYho56INKU&feature=related – Zelda on Theramin.
@ DBS – Yep, the theremin was used on “Star Trek,” although a lady soprano voice was used in the opening credits at times (as per Alex Courage’s specifications). We hear the theremin most notably in the end credits and in a musical cue used during Vulcan mind melds and scenes of seduction.
Another interesting musical instrument that was used was the vibraphone. This looks like a xylophone or marimba, but has metal tubes under the “keys” in which metal discs spin on motorized axes, producing an oscillating sound. Now, the vibraphone is often used in jazz, and I don’t think it was ever played in the usual way on “Star Trek.” But if one places the mallets very lightly on the keys and carefully brushes them from side to side, there’s a ghostly sound. We hear it in “The Cage” (and “The Menagerie”) as the sound the “singing plant” makes, and in later episodes as background whenever the landing party is on a desolate, styrofoamy-looking planet.
Vibes produce a wonderful effect when bowed.
Where’s the Led Zeppelin’s song “Whole Lotta Love” from “The Song Remains the Same”?
Theremins are awesome — it’d be nice to see them re-enter into music for science-fiction movies & televsion shows
The theremin is also used in the Doors’ “When the Music’s Over”.
they didnt start using theremins till Tim Blake joined…
Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations” is my favorite Theremin (Electro-Theremin) moments.
I was never quite sure if it was a Theramin on that song. I’ve seen a live video where, what I think to be a Stylophone was used. A Stylophone is a type of ribbon controller that allowed pitch to be controlled easier.
Just read a story about Theramin…he developed a spy technology for the Soviets that captured audio from the office of a US diplomat for seven years…It’s operation was roughly equivalent to that of an RFID tag. Once located, the entire CIA tech team had no idea what it did. A British intelligence team eventually figured it out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thing_%28listening_device%29
Check out Randy George for a modern example of this great instrument.
http://randygeorgemusic.com/
He does a great Gnarls Barkley cover.
This guy was also a spy for the soviets too. Just about the whole time he was playing in the US, he was spying for russia.
I was unaware of that until I saw a PBS show recently. Dang Ruskies.
I love historical Thursdays….always something interesting to the minutia-minded …………
Recently I read a biography of Theremin, fascinating. He was an engineer with several important technologies to his credit. He personally demonstrated inventions to Lenin and I think Stalin. Bigtime stuff, that. He was allowed to come to the US and show off his stuff, failed dramatically as a businessman and eventually returned to the USSR. Good ol’ Uncle Joe showed his gratitude by throwing him in a gulag, where he actually improved working conditions. Eventually he was relocated to a slave-engineering facility. Post Stalin, he was allowed some freedom in a university setting, but was never properly appreciated in his homeland.
I built one from scratch using old tubes and setch for my Public Access TeeVee Horror Show the “TwoFatGhouls” (pause for applause…cricket chirps) ANYWAYS It was AWESOME until some IDJIT poured beer into it while filming one day..I never forgave myself
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onvnoiyfOm0 from 2.40 into this video there is a beautiful rendition of this instrument. this eas the first time i saw it being played, loveseing its origin. there is also a beautiful communication between the band members. ps: the wall behind them is a dam, it is all set on a mountain.
“Good Vibrations” is probably the most famous song, there is a Theremin in the American Museum of Radio and Electricity in Bellingham Wa. and you can play it.
It was also used for the soundtrack in ‘Forbidden Planet’.
“Monsters from the id!”
Actually, the soundtrack for Forbidden Planet was created using audio tape manipulation and vacuum-tube circuitry designed and built by Louis Barron. Barron would build these one-of-a-kind circuits and overload them, recording the waveforms they emitted as they burned out. He and his wife Bebe would then re-record the waveforms on audio tape, sometimes slowing down the playback to drop the pitches and lengthen the durations of some of the high-frequency “death cries” of the circuitry.
Simon & Garfunkel used the Theremin too in their last Old Friends Tour. Very audible in “the boxer”, where it plays the verse in between (sometimes also sung: “now the years are rolling by me, they are rocking evenly, i am older than i once was, younger than i’ll be, that’s not unusual. No it isn’t strange, after changes upon changes we are more and less the same, after changes we are more or less the same”.)
the only musical instrument played without touching
Theremin Hero has been made recently btw
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