Theremin, electronic musical instrument invented in 1920 in the soviet union by leon theremin also called lev termen. Builders of the original minimum theremin may easily update their circuit to the latest version. A documentary about the inventor of the first electronic synthesizer instrument and his subsequent life after he was abducted by the kgb as. Martin profiles russian leon theremin, inventor of the worlds first electronic musical instrument. It looks something like a box with two protruding antennas, a vertical one which controls pitch and a horizontal one which controls volume. The surprising history of electronic toll collection can be traced back to the theremin and a russian spy program. Todd rundgren list of movies and tv shows tv guide. Watch him revive the technique in a 1995 french tv broadcast above. Born in 1896, theremins experimentation with electronic instruments led him to the kremlin where, in 1922, he personally demonstrated his. An electronic odyssey pics, images, clips, trailers, production photos and more from rotten.
Ours is an update of the 1967 plans and features potentiometer tuning for the coils and a. See rare footage of leon theremin, clara rockmore, samuel hoffman, and more. An electronic odyssey is a 1993 documentary film directed by steven m. Todd rundgren full list of movies and tv shows in theaters, in production and upcoming films. Silicon chips theremin projects silicon chip theremin. An electronic odyssey dvd, 2001 1993 film w insert steven. It is a story about a man with a passion for electronics and music, a man with an inventive and radical mind. A documentary about the inventor of the first electronic synthesiser instrument and his subsequent life after he was abducted by the kgb as well as a history of his instrument.
Even though many theremin sounds can be approximated on many modern synthesizers, some musicians continue to appreciate the expressiveness, novelty, and uniqueness. He spent his last dollars on a plane ticket to europe, and shopped the film. An electronic odyssey a bit tedious for anyone but diehard aficionados of obsolete electronic musical instruments. The ether wave violin or aetherwellengeige shown here in a 1952 film. He studied and worked in his native city, attending its university and conservatory and directing a lab at one of its technical. The aetherwellengeige was one of many instruments inspired by leon termens theremin using the same heterodyning principle and body capacitance to generate a variable tone from two thryatron vacuum tubes other instruments were the sonar 1933, neo violena 1927, electronde 1927, emicon 1932 and croix. Apr 26, 2016 the theremin is widely regarded as the worlds first electronic musical instrument. Theremin an electronic odyssey 1993 sheds light on the early era of electronic music. He returned to the united states in 1991 with his daughter natasha and granddaughter olga, as shown in the wonderful documentary theremin.
Pg 1h 23min documentary, biography, history 24 august 1995 usa. It is also a touchless instrument, which means that it is played without actually touching any part of the instrument. Dec 07, 2005 then, the theremin slipped back into obscurity until the recent revival of the 1990s. Theremins article about theremins by the free dictionary. An electronic odyssey dvd, 2001 for sale online ebay. An electronic odyssey, 1995 ross mcelwee was born in 1947, into an oldline southern family from charlotte, north carolina.
A documentary about theremin, the man who pioneered the field of electronic music. It should come as no surprise that he had a profound influence on the development of electronic music as we know it. An electronic odyssey in 1993, the instrument has enjoyed a resurgence in interest and has become more widely used by contemporary musicians. An electronic odyssey is a documentary about the creator of the theremin musical instrument, lev sergeyvich termen aka leon theremin.
A documentary about the amazing life of leon theremin, inventor of the theremin, the electronic musical instrument so beloved of 50s scifi. An electronic odyssey dec 31, 2012 a very very cool documentary on the inventor of one of the most imaginative musical instruments ever constructed the theremin. You begin with interest, and then you pass through the stages of curiosity, fascination. An electronic odyssey 1995 this documentary explores the life of leon theremin, the inventor of an electronic synthesizer called the theremin, which uses motion to produce a sliding. An electronic odyssey attempts to chronicle the history of the first electronic instrument, named the theremin after its inventor leon theremin. Fans of the first star trek series will recognize its sounds, but it was used in orchestral compositions and movies quite extensively for many decades, and even played a role in the brian wilsons. Jul 25, 2008 in 1994, after finishing a show at lounge ax in chicago, i was taken by a friend to another club to check out pere ubu. What few people realize is that the theremin was originally promoted by its russian creator leon theremin as a serious musical instrument. The 2006 version of the minimum theremin, described here, supersedes an earlier version described in the original, 1999 article. It is the kind of movie that requires a musical score only the theremin possibly could supply. In 1994, after finishing a show at lounge ax in chicago, i was taken by a friend to another club to check out pere ubu. It is the only instrument that is played without the performer ever touching it. The spooky sound of the theremin was used in several movie soundtracks during the 1950s and 1960s.
Martin about the life of leon theremin and his invention, the theremin, a pioneering electronic musical instrument. Theremin leon theremin playing his own instrument youtube. Linux journal article on how to turn a wireless network card into a simple theremin poor mans theremin. After a lengthy tour of europe, during which time he demonstrated his invention to packed houses, theremin moved to the. It consists of a box with radio tubes producing oscillations at two soundwave frequencies above the range of hearing. While the documentary contains few objectionable elements, the lack of a narrative, a point of view and true insight into the man makes theremin. The theremin produces a sound which is an eerie throbbing wail, unlike any other instrument. Watch jimmy page rock the theremin, the early soviet. For several months in 1971, writes fansite achilles last stand, page used a doublestacked theremin for twice the sonic assault. A history of the theremin in movie music classical mpr. A new documentary about his life, the electronic odyssey of leon theremin, by steven m. An electronic odyssey is a documentary on both the theremin, the instrument, and prof.
In 1989, after the fall of the berlin wall, he left russia for the first time since 1938, visiting festivals of electronic music in france and sweden. An electronic odyssey, we see clips of leon theremin from the 20s and 30s, standing before. See more ideas about instruments, electronic music and electronic music instruments. Page used a sonic wave theremin in his zeppelin days in a very guitarlike wayrunning it through a maestro echoplex and orange amps and cabinets. He attended brown university in rhode island, where he was exposed to the socially conscious films of frederick wiseman.
It follows his life, including being imprisoned in a soviet gulag, and the influence of his instrument, which came to define the sound of eerie in 20thcentury movies, and influenced popular music as. Its still in use, even as tollbooths are being eliminated. The theremin was the product of soviet governmentsponsored research into proximity sensors. Leon theremin, musical inventor, is dead at 97 the new. Blog of a first time theremin build adventure in the remin. The theremin holds a place in history as the first manufactured electronic musical instrument, and is credited with laying the foundation for all electronic music to come. A profile of russian leon theremin, inventor of the worlds first electronic musical instrument.
Today, lots of bands use theremins, though many unfortunately limit themselves to using the theremin as a novelty. To produce music the musician moves her hand or baton around the antenae without touching them. The instrument has seen a surge of new interest in recent years established by a 1993 film titled theremin. He found old documentary footage of theremin himself including home movies at. The film follows both through a strange sequence of events and interweaves these stories with those influenced by the machine and the man. Martin, the film chronicles leon theremin and his rise from a soviet gulag to develop the instrument that would come to enrapture people with its otherworldliness. This documentary is fun to watch and brings to light a lot of history that is little known. Hear from lydia kavina, bob moog, and brian wilson about how the theremin influenced their lives. The device that bears his name produced a strange, undulating, alternately threatening and soothing sound that didnt exist in nature, noted a new york times writer, and when it was first used in classical music compositions during the. The right hands proximity to one antenna controls the pitch of the sound and the left hands proximity to the other antenna controls the volume. We wont be able to verify your ticket today, but its great to know for the future.
Sep 15, 2016 the surprising history of electronic toll collection can be traced back to the theremin and a russian spy program. With leon theremin, robert moog, clara rockmore, nicolas slonimsky. This version contains changes that permit the use of u1 and u2 integrated circuits from a wider variety of manufacturers. Jul 15, 2016 the instrument has seen a surge of new interest in recent years established by a 1993 film titled theremin. Martin may be the best american documentary feature of 1994. An electronic odyssey click to enlarge apart from crumb, this film by steven m. Hbo game of thrones the complete eighth season dvd. The theremin is an electronic box of radio tubes with two long antennae. You begin with interest, and then you pass through the stages of curiosity, fascination and disbelief, until in the last 20 minutes, you arrive at a state of dumbfounded wonder. Very few people would recognize the name of leon theremin 18961993 if it werent for the electronic musical instrument he invented around 1918. An electronic odyssey pictures and movie photo gallery check out just released theremin. Martin by frankie demarco, cinematographer on vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the. By the 1950s, the thereminthat weird electronic instrument that musicians play by waving their hands in the air around ithad become the signature sound for sciencefiction film and television, thanks to its eerie keening effect, which sounds like it originated on a distant and probably unpleasant planet.
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