Theremin

The theremin or thereminvox (originally pronounced {{IPA|}} but often anglicized as {{IPA|}} http://www.thereminworld.com/faq.asp) is one of the earliest fully electronic musical instruments. Invented in 1919 by Russian Lev Sergeivitch Termen (also Termin, later gallicized to Léon Theremin), the theremin is unique in that it requires no physical contact in order to produce music and was, in fact, the first musical instrument designed to be played without being touched. The instrument consists of a box with two projecting radio antennas around which the user moves his or her hands to play.

History

See also: the life of Léon Theremin

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The theremin was originally the product of Russian government-sponsored research into proximity sensors. The instrument was invented by a young Russian physicist named Lev Sergeivich Termen (most commonly known in the West as Léon Theremin) in 1919, followed closely by the outbreak of the Russian civil war. After rave reviews at Moscow electronics conferences, Theremin demonstrated the device to Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin personally. Lenin was so impressed with the device that he began taking lessons in playing it, commissioned 600 of the instruments for distribution throughout the Soviet Union, and sent Theremin on a trip around the world to demonstrate the latest Soviet technology and the invention of electronic music. After a lengthy tour of Europe, during which time he demonstrated his invention to packed houses, Theremin found his way to America, where he patented his invention in 1928 (US1661058 http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=1661058.WKU.&OS=PN/1661058&RS=PN/1661058). Subsequently, Theremin granted commercial production rights to RCA.

Related Topics:
1919 - Russian civil war - Moscow - Electronics - Bolshevik - Vladimir Lenin - Electronic music - Europe - America - 1928 - RCA

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Although the RCA Thereminvox, released immediately following the stock market crash of 1929, was not a commercial success, it fascinated audiences in America and abroad. Clara Rockmore, widely considered the greatest thereminist ever, toured to wide acclaim, performing a classical repertoire in concert halls around the United States, often sharing the bill with Paul Robeson. In 1938, Theremin was kidnapped from his New York apartment by Soviet agents, and forced to return to the USSR and made to work in a sharashka. Theremin would not return to the United States until 1991. http://moogmusic.com/history.php?cat_id=2

Related Topics:
Stock market crash of 1929 - Clara Rockmore - Paul Robeson - 1938 - New York - USSR - Sharashka - 1991

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After a flurry of interest in America following the end of the Second World War, the theremin soon fell into disuse with serious musicians mainly because newer electronic instruments that were easier to play became available. Still, among a small group of enthusiasts, interest in the theremin remained high.

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As a high-school student, future synthesizer guru Robert Moog began his career building theremins in the 1950s. Moog published a number of articles about building theremins and also sold theremin kits that were intended to be assembled by the customer. Moog credits what he learned from the experience as leading directly to his groundbreaking synthesizer, the Minimoog. Today Moog Music is the leading manufacturer of performance-quality theremins.

Related Topics:
Robert Moog - 1950s - Synthesizer - Minimoog - Moog Music

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