Theremin Kaddish For Clara

This is a short kaddish for Clara Rockmore. I wrote it on March 9, 2009, which would have been Clara's 98th birthday. What she achieved during her lifetime continues to be a tremendous inspiration to many people who find they have an affinity with the theremin, the instrument to which she dedicated her life and career. It is because of Clara's efforts, and those of her dear friend the late Robert Moog, that the theremin exists today and is more popular than it has ever been.

I wrote this as a vocal improvisation which I played and sang at the keyboard. I then took the vocal out and replaced it with the theremin which you hear on this video.

The instrument I am playing is the 1929 RCA theremin that once belonged to thereminist Dr. Samuel Hoffman. If you would like to hear this piece without the YouTube audio distortion, you can find it at:

peterpringle.com/thereminmp3s.html

Category:

Music

Tags:

• theremin
• clara
• rockmore
• rca
• samuel
• hoffman
• peter
• pringle
• kaddish

[woro90]

@uItravioIet It is possible to alter the signal the same way you would do with an electric guitar. Overdrive, phase shifting effects (flanger, phaser, chorus..), volume-dependent filters, reverb/delay/echo..

But there is no instrument with such a clean tone and vocal-like properties which is what makes theremin unique and so impressive, something between a violin and a smooth female voice. If I ever find the time to build my own theremin, it will sound as close to this as possible.

[uItravioIet]

Good piece. I would love to see a Theramin with different waveforms, filters, etc and open up the possibilities for a more expressive range of sounds and timbres.

[faunfables]

There could not have been a more fitting tribute for Clara. Wonderful job!

[jbearden]

You are the greatest thereminist of all time!

[AudioCranium]

Phenomenal. Absolutely fantastic! Your tribute to Clara surely would have been received well. You show a mastery of this instrument that not a lot of people are capable of. Thank you.

[EvangelionFan]

WOW just WOW. amazeing

[kadmelmdd]

tan puro!

[jpitzone]

Heartwrenchingly played with much pathos. Bravo!

I loved her playing just like you! Your music reminds me of a quote which I'd like to share with you...

"It is cruel, you know, that music should be so beautiful. It has the beauty of loneliness and of pain: of strength and freedom. The beauty of disappointment and never-satisfied love. The cruel beauty of nature and everlasting beauty of monotony."

Benjamin Britten

[Wyrehedd242]

SPECTACULAR. thank you.

[thereminy]

beautiful!