The theremin, the very first electronic instrument, was invented and developed by Leon Theremin, a Russian scientist, just after World War One.
The instrument is played by the body interacting with an electromagnetic field surrounding the box and antenna. It’s a strange sensation. (I have one that was built for me by a friend years ago. It’s primitive but it works.)
The sound of the theremin is now inextricably linked with creepy other-wordly sound effects from old sci-fi b movies and, perhaps more respectably, that brightly swoopy lead-in to the chorus on Good Vibrations (26 seconds in). (Although technically, that’s an electro-theremin - slighty different, but close enough for jazz.)
Quite apart from the importance of the instrument as the precursor to the Moog and pretty much everything electronic that came after, the story of Leon Theremin himself is remarkable in its own right.
Steven Martin’s documentary “Theremin - An Electronic Odyssey” gives a fascinating insight into his extraordinary life, as does the book by Albert Glinsky “Theremin : Ether Music and Espionage” (University of Illinois Press 2005)
Clara Rockmore
Clara Rockmore was - and is - widely acknowledged as the greatest of all theremin players.
Her friendship with Leon Theremin allowed her to become heavily involved not only with showcasing of the instrument in her astonishing classical performances, but also in various aspects of its development.
Due to her classical training, perfect pitch and passion for the musical possibilities of the instrument, she was able to introduce a new and challenging instrument to a wide and surprisingly mainstream audience. Her style of playing often sounds more like a human soprano voice than an electronic sound.
Hardly surprisingly, her skill led her to develop a specific technique for playing, one which she wanted distributed free of charge.
So here it is.
“Now, take it further with all my blessings and may the theremin remain yet another voice in the world of music”
Clara Rockmore