Theramin

[tbdana]

I've always loved the Theramin. I tend to see similarities and overlap with the trombone in terms of its musical challenges. I think most lay people know of it only from the original Star Trek theme and 1950s SciFi where it is always used as a novelty. If you're not familiar with how beautiful the instrument can be, check out this video of Carolina Eyck.



I LOVED this. The voice accompaniment is beautiful, but I have so much respect for anyone who can play the Theramin that well. Hearing someone with such great chops, who can move between pitches with such precision and facility (and a minimum of glissandos), and imbue the sounds with natural and beautiful musicality is a rare treat! Much respect! Theramin shares many musical challenges with the trombone, so I really appreciate this.

I love that she uses tasteful, modern vibrato, which she does not begin until the last third of the note. Excellent. I've always disliked the frantically fast, wide, and weirdly electronic sounding vibrato that is so common on the Theramin. But her vibrato is tasteful and perfect!

I want to hear more! It makes me want to learn to play the instrument. Is it a good double for a trombonist? LOL!

[Doug Elliott]

And Sammy Nestico's arrangement with trombone on the Theremin part (that's me)

[Finetales]

I want to hear more! It makes me want to learn to play the instrument. Is it a good double for a trombonist? LOL!

Theremin is hard, I've played a few. Not for those with shaky hands. That level of expressiveness and control is mastery. But hey, it's the instrument you play by not touching it, so it won't hurt your trombone chops! Nor will the much cheaper alternative, an otamatone.

I do like the theremin, but I prefer keyboard synthesizers, since they have a lot more parameters to change the sound with. Theremin is just a very limited monosynth with a unique method of inputting control voltage.

[harrisonreed]

Carlonia Eyck can sound like a cello or human voice, almost anything on that instrument. She is at the peak virtuosity for Theremin.



I love Kalevi Aho's long concerto works, and this one is one of his best.

[tbdana]

And Sammy Nestico's arrangement with trombone on the Theremin part (that's me)

Well, I gotta admit, I like the Theramin part better on trombone.

[AtomicClock]

I think most lay people know of it only from the original Star Trek theme

Clearly a soprano singer, not a theremin.

[robcat2075]

A few years ago I went to a performance of Miklós Rózsa's "Spellbound" concerto, drawn from music for an Alfred Hitchcock movie that somehow had the same name.

Although it is a piano concerto of sorts, it has a theremin part in the middle section. Once that thing gets started you never notice the piano again. You are ... spellbound.

I think most lay people know of it only from the original Star Trek theme

Clearly a soprano singer, not a theremin.

History has identified the original singer as Loulie Jean Norman

[VJOFan]

If you have an Apple TV subscription there are a couple series that feature a Theramin prominently. They are equally weird but very different presentations.
The Big Door Prize and the latest season of Severance: trippy shows with a trippy instrument.

[Doug Elliott]

[heldenbone]

Theraflu? Theremin?

Didn't the theme to the old Rockford Files series make prominent use of some sort of Theremin-esque synthesizer?

[VJOFan]

Theraflu? Theremin?

Didn't the theme to the old Rockford Files series make prominent use of some sort of Theremin-esque synthesizer?

Probably just a synthesizer.

But such a great opening lick that the band arrangement we played in junior high put in the trombone part.

[2bobone]

I refurbished a 1920's Tube-Style Theremin and eventually sold it to a woman from Boston who was seriously into the instrument. I never cared for the Theremin but always admired the spirit that saw a wild idea become a reality. I ran across a 45RPM vinyl album sponsored by a cosmetics company called "Corday" with specially composed music to advertise their perfume line. Every cut features the Theremin played by Dr. Samuel Hoffman. The orchestra and chorus were conducted by LESLIE Baxter ! Could that be LES Baxter ? Photos below --------