The theremin already looks impossible before anyone plays it.
There are no keys, strings, pads or valves. The performer moves two hands through electromagnetic fields around two antennas. One hand controls pitch, the other volume.
That absence of physical contact is precisely what makes the instrument so difficult. Clara Rockmore, originally trained as a violinist, transformed it from an electronic novelty into an instrument capable of remarkably controlled classical performance. She developed precise hand positions for pitch control and worked with Léon Theremin on improvements to the instrument, including an expanded range.
What interests me is the missing resistance.
A pianist feels the key.
A guitarist feels the fret.
A violinist feels the string.
The theremin gives almost no physical confirmation that the correct note has been reached.
The player has to construct an invisible geography in the air.
Move a finger slightly and pitch moves with it.
Rockmore therefore demonstrated something important about electronic instruments very early in their history.
Electronic performance does not have to mean pushing a button and allowing a machine to take over.
Sometimes technology removes the mechanical assistance musicians normally rely on and demands even more control from the body.
#ClaraRockmore #Theremin #ElectronicInstrument #MusicHistory
