In 1927, two remarkable people arrived in the United States after
lengthy and successful tours of Europe: Lev Sergeivitch Termen
(anglicized to Leon Theremin) and Clara Rockmore (whose maiden
name was Clara Reisenberg). Theremin was a young Russian
physicist who was demonstrating a new musical instrument that he
invented. The instrument was played by the motion of the
musician's hands in the space surrounding the instrument. Clara
Rockmore, a professional violinist from the age of 9, became
aware of the musical potential of Theremin's invention. She spent
several years collaborating with Theremin during which time he
developed his invention into a sensitive, wide-range musical
instrument. Clara subsequently embarked on a performance career
that encompassed well over a hundred concerts, including
appearances with major symphony orchestras, and set the
definitive standard for theremin performance technique.
To play the theremin, the performer stands in front of the
instrument, a little left of center. The feet are spread slightly
to keep the body as motionless as possible. To determine the
pitch of the instrument's tone, the player varies the distance
between her right hand and the pitch antenna. When the instrument
is properly tuned, the pitch goes from lower than two octaves
below middle C when the player's right hand is back at her
shoulder, to approximately 2 1/2 octaves above middle C when the
player's hand barely touches the pitch antenna. To determine the
loudness of the instrument's tone, the player varies the distance
between her left hand and the middle of the volume antenna.
Maximum loudness occurs when the hand is removed from the
antenna; complete silence occurs when the hand is an inch or so
from the loop.
The thereminist must move her hands with incredible precision as
well as speed if she wishes to play distinct notes with correct
intonation. Ms. Rockmore actually uses fingering patterns to play
the most rapid passages. For instance, if she were to play an
upward arpeggio, she would start on the lowest note with right
hand tilted back and fingers withdrawn. To play the next note she
would abruptly move her hand forward from the wrist, while
keeping her right arm motionless. The third note would be played
by rapidly extending the little finger, and the fourth note by
extending one or two more fingers while simultaneously turning
the wrist sideways to bring the newly-extended fingers nearer to
the pitch antenna. She would then continue the arpeggio by moving
her whole arm closer to the pitch antenna while drawing her hand
and fingers back, then repeating the above-described succession
of movements. At the same time, she may articulate each
individual pitch by rapidly shooting the fingers of her left hand
into the volume antenna loop, then withdrawing them, to silence
the tone during the very short periods of time that her right
hand moves from one pitch to another. No other theremin player
has ever mastered this difficult and intricate technique for
playing rapid successions of precise pitches - "aerial fingering"
as one reviewer termed it.
Review
------
...the most original, novel and difficult to play of all
electronic musical instruments. No other thereminist has ever
come close to Clara Rockmore's artistry. -- Robert A. Moog
Clara is to the theremin what Andres Segovia and Jimi Hendrix
combined are to the guitar. -- Steven Martin, filmmaker
Rockmore is extraordinary... The theremin produces a throbbing
vibrato that will at first amaze you, then delight you, and
finally overwhelm you. -- CD Review