Let It Be MeTHEREMIN VIDEOS
Ever since Leon Theremin introduced his new invention to the world in the 1920's, people have been fascinated by seeing thereminists perform. As the legendary Clara Rockmore said, there is something “magical” about it. I have posted some of my own theremin videos to MySpace.com, and you can see them by clicking on the links next to the thumbnails below.
A classic pop ballad “chestnut” from 1959 arranged for keyboards, theremin and pedal steel guitar.
This video begins with the original version of the music just as it was written in the 12th century (in Latin) by the German mystic and visionary, Hildegard von Bingen. Songs of this sort were meant to be sung in churches and cathedrals, where powerful echos and reverberations supply a kind of harmony. The effect here was supplied by a Lexicon MPX1. The harp, made by Maine harpmaker Jay Witcher in the 1970’s, is a reproduction of the famous brass-strung “Brian Boru” harp (now in a museum in Dublin, Ireland) dating from the late medieval period. The theremin I used is a Moog Music Etherwave Pro. The tunic that I am wearing in the beginning of this video is not a modern costume. It is a rare piece of genuine clothing surviving from the medieval period, sewn with silver and gold threads around the collar and cuffs, and intended to be worn by a knight.
This composition by the Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff is one of the most popular classical transcriptions for theremin. It was originally written as a melody for soprano without words (it was to be sung on an open “ah” sound), which makes it a natural for the theremin. I have performed it many times in concert, including twice with orchestra. The theremin I am using in this video is the Moog Etherwave Pro.
The surbahar is a bass sitar with roughly the range of a cello. This instrument was made for me by the celebrated Indian luthier Kanai Lal of Calcutta and its sound is surprisingly deep and resonanat. I have combined it here with the Moog MIDI Ethervox theremin, which I play by moving the neck of the surbahar to different precise positions within the electromagnetic field of the theremin's vertical pitch antenna. Since it is not possible to control the volume of the theremin in the traditional way while playing the surbahar at the same time, I use a small volume control which is on the floor to my left. I am also using a Ground Control unit (under my right foot) to change MIDI programs. The Ethervox is triggering a Roland JV 2080 module. This composition is intended just as a sort of meditative mood piece - a marriage of two very unusual musical instruments.
This song was written by actor/songwriter/singer Tom Waits, who has long been a supporter of the theremin (he used one in his musical ALICE). I am playing it here on an 88 key Korg TRITON EXTREME, which is also triggering a Roland FANTOM XR. The theremin is the Moog Etherwave Pro. I play my Moog E'Pro a lot because I like it, and it is one of the few theremins I own that is commercially available to people who are interested in learning to play.
The theremin in this video is the Moog MIDI Ethervox. In the first half of the piece I use the Ethervox to gesturally trigger a Roland JV 2080 which is fed into a Boss RC-50 loop station (the unit on the floor). The RC-50 then plays back the first half of the improvisation as an accompaniment, while I play the Ethervox in its “traditional” theremin mode.
