Theremin - Clara Rockmore play "Air" (Mattheson)

[0THC0]

cool, but somehow creepy

[frenchiecocorico1]

Johann Mattheson (1681-1764) Aria, Doubles 1 & 2 from Suite n°5 in G minor for harpsichord

[SuperJohnnykay]

Carmela,thank you for your intelligent comments.jk

[BluntCommentGuy]

Seeing her flick her knuckle out almost instataneously is frightening to me, in a peculiar way which I cannot describe.

[Rayo000008]

Nice interpretation from this great artist

[maccafan10]

No wonder her hubby always looked so happy.

[nyjeen5]

love

[AudioCranium]

She was the best at her art. Watching her effortlessly express herself on what is, in my opinion, the most difficult instrument to play is astonishing. Nothing she has ever done has failed to send shivers down my spine.

[SuperJohnnykay]

@AudioCranium :Seems Prof Theremin and his good friend Clara had the skills however Sam Hoffman isnt bad . There are some competent players now,pete pringle-i like.But the instrument really does sound awful when you hear the beginners...ouch!!!

[Carmela1881]

@SuperJohnnykay

Most instruments sound awful in the hands of the beginners :) Especially non-tempered ones...

I've never heard anyone playing a theremin like Mrs Rockmore - her dynamics and expression are just unearthly, beyond the reach of any mortal...

[ampdavolts]

I miss her and I miss Bob Moog very much, even today.

Reid Welch

(ampdavolts, ReidWelch, HartfordTommy, etc.

[ampdavolts]

See the furnishings? Although I met her some twenty years later, and by then the piano had gone mute (a 1930 Steinway M, wedding gift of Nadia, seen here). NOTHING in that apartment had changed. That is her dear friend, Paul Robeson, in portrait behind her shoulder.

The low cello register of a somber, but beautiful heart, of an instrument she, herself, designed.

"I invented this sound; Professor Termin merely made the tone that I wanted, trial after trial, until, I knew, 'that's it!'."

[Failzx]

Amazing.

[bobbo924B]

I'm so grateful that these older videotapes have been preserved. Watching and listening to Ms. Rockmore is a delight.

[Bergunthera]

I never knew Dame Edna Everidge played piano

[JonasClark]

Fantastic! Nothing like seeing the true Master (or Mistress) at work. Her style and sound are really stunning. An RCA tube theremin can be seen at the Museum of Radio & Electricity in Bellingham, WA, and visitors are allowed to play it.

[Leftyguitarplayer123]

Its cool that they can play it, but can they touch it?

[JonasClark]

Yes. The master switch is left "on" so the tubes stay warm, but the play switch must be turned on by the visitor. The theremin stands on a raised podium facing one of the museum's main display areas, and if there are other visitors the player has the sense of having an audience of sorts.

[srvinfinity]

Sounds so much like a cello. Beautiful!

[elanmak]

Sounds just like a theremin to me

[dokuninjincom]

これはすばらしい。

[callenishss]

this should go with Richard Matheson's I am Legend

[enfernox]

wow such striking movements but yet such elagance

[killanator21]

the movement of her volume hand is very different then that of more modern thereminists

[JackofClubs]

it's because she had leon theremin design her a custom theremin with a faster volume antenna to suit her "classical" needs.

[BlueCougar]

Actually, the RCA tube theremins had a very slow volume response due to the design (the volume depended on filament heating, which was controlled by the volume antenna, so heating and cooling the filament took some time). CR had that changed, as you write, but it was still slower than modern theremins. These have an instant volume action, because the circuit design is different. Tube theremins, like the RCA and CR's custom instrument are rather different to play than modern transistorized ones.

[Cosmicalex13]

Wow, she's very good. I want a theremin now

[ammariposa]

Such elegance.

Such grace.

Such soul.

Thank you so very much for posting this...

There will never be another quite like her.

[bluebeardit]

Today I bougth a theremin...

[Triljali]

@bluebeardit I wish I could say the same.. First time I heard it I thought I MUST have.. Are they expensive?

[bluebeardit]

@Triljali

You can find a good one (Moog) on Ebay for about 3/400 bucks...

Peace

Massy

[swallowthemind]

sublime and stunning

[HartfordTommy]

I knew Clara and will be happy to answer any questions about her or about her unique theremin. My name is Reid Welch.

[multipleoranges45]

what's the range of the theremin? anddo you simply learn the note positions by heart or is there some similarity between the spacing of the notes, iuswim?

[PurpletracksStudios]

theremin nowadays have an adjustable range and note spacing, there is a video of the assembly process by moog somewhere on youtube.

[0blacone]

theremins now days are not heard too much of.. i just found out it existed today!

[drlahye]

Me too..well on a different day.

[guitaristLee]

Did Clara use any other speakers or direct amplification besides the speaker behind her? I am puzzled because I don't see a microphone near that speaker. Thank You.

[Eldrian88]

today I have learned to love the theremin too.

[GiI11]

she really is

today i learned to love the theremin

[NicleT]

She's a master!

[hardwaremister101]

WOW... there she is....

The phrasing is just, stunning; the transitions between notes, instantaneous...