Week of 09.13.10 Leon Theremin

Professor Leon Theremin was a Russian inventor and man of electronic music exploration. His inventions paved the way for the modern era of electronic music. He was born in Russia in 1896 and died in Russia in 1993 having lived a long and turbulent life. Theremin began working with electronics from an early age, and continued studying electronics through higher education. In the Russian military he attended Military Electronic School and Graduate Electronic School for officers, which landed him a radio oversight position for the Russian military during the first World War and during the Russian Civil War.
In 1920 Theremin invented the Theremin, an electronic instrument that utilizes the electrical capacity of the human body within generated fields. The result is an instrument that does not need to be touched to be played. The Theremin generates a tone through the creation of magnetic fields surrounding a vertical and a horizontal post. The vertical post controls the pitch while the horizontal post controls the volume. This was a whole new kind of instrument unlike any invented before, and it inspired the imaginations of millions. Theremin demonstrated it to Vladimir Lenin, whole began to learn the instrument himself. By touring demonstrations of this new instrument, Theremin eventually ended up in the United States, where he had it patented in 1928. It was here that he stayed and opened a laboratory in New York. During this time he met and worked with individuals like Nicolas Slonimsky, Albert Einstein, Joseph Shillinger, and Clara Rockmore, and invented and perfected numerous other electronic instruments including the Rhythmicon and the Theremin Cello. The Rhythmicon was on of the earliest drum machines and could play multiple rhythmic patterns triggered by a keyboard. By establishing a fundamental pitch, different rhythms were generated based on the addition of notes from that pitch’s series of harmonic overtones. Another invention was the Theremin Cello, which was based on a lot of the same concepts as the Theremin but was played on a cello like instrument with only one string. It had one ribbon running the length of the neck that produced a tone when touched, while the volume was controlled by a lever. Other inventions developed at this time involved motion censor technology based in principle on the Theremin design of magnetic fields. After the Lindberg Baby ordeal, one application of this technology was generating fields in cribs so that if someone tried to reach into it an alarm would go off. This also led to the first motion censors for store fronts in New York City.
During this time in New York Theremin was involved in numerous public performances of the Theremin. At one point an orchestra of ten Theremins performed at Carnegie Hall. Among them was Theremin’s star player Clara Rockmore, who became as much of a Theremin rock star as there has ever been. The Theremin became popular but in many ways as a novelty. It was popularized as the instrument without touch where music was “pulled out of thin air” which was probably more of the attraction than the performances and musical content. The Theremin was used to play classical music like violin concertos, which it was not as good at playing as the violin. The instrument would have had more impact had there been more music composed specifically for the instrument to utilize the unique aspects of the sound. The Theremin was also being used in conjunction with ballet, and there was a whole Theremin ballet troupe. It was here that Theremin met his second wife, Lavinia Williams, who was a black ballet dancer from the group. This union was of course bold and controversial in 1930s America, and provides some insight as to the kind of man Theremin was.
In the mid thirties Theremin left the United States and went back to Russia. The reasons behind this are not all that clear in the eyes of history. Most of the people in his lab, including Rockmore, did not know he was going to leave, and have no idea why. Witnesses claim he was taken away by men with guns and theorized that we was kidnapped by the Russian government, others theories claim that he was totally broke and was forced to go home. Theremin was imprisoned in Russia, and made to work on developing military technology for the KGB. From this came The Thing, or the “bug” which is a small spy tool for remotely listening and recording audio. A small microphone transmitter can be hidden in a room and transmit audio to the listening source. We was also made to restore this audio and the audio of all kinds of spy tapes using filters and eqs. He lived most of the rest of his life in Russia, but did make it back to the states in his later years after the Cold War.
Theremin’s influence on the electronic world can not be measured. He was a huge inspiration for Robert Moog, the inventor of the modular synth and one of the most significant electronic instrument innovators of the mid 20th century. Moog built Theremins as a kid and was even designing his own by his late high school years. Theremin’s inventions paved the way for Moog and his synthesizers, and consequently the bulk of modern day electronic instruments. His influence on Moog alone changed the musical world forever.
It is very difficult to imagine what I could have done differently as Theremin. I think one of the biggest things that would have benefited his career would be to push more new original compositions for the Theremin. This would better establish the Theremin as its own instrument, rather than an electronic imitation of other instruments. Were the Theremin to have had more of an identity when it was popular it could have become a more prominent and powerful instrument in 20th century music. If I could work with him for three moths it would definitely be during his time in the laboratory in New York. To be in an environment of such stimulation, creation, and innovation would be phenomenal. Working with him to help develop his instruments and inventions or to help with the Theremin performance production would be really exciting.