Debussy’s Clair de Lune On Theremin

Sunday Synth Jam: Debussy’s Clair de Lune On theremin, played by Randy George.

via ooo6:

he theremin entered my life four years ago. It has been a tremendously challenging journey, but it is immensely rewarding. The theremin is absolutely deceptively difficult to play with musical precision and finesse.Clara Rockmore, the foremost virtuoso of the theremin introduced it to the world as a serious musical instrument. Over the course of recent music history, this expressive voice was forgotten. Watch/listen to electronic music pioneer Robert Moog discuss this very subject in a video entitled “bob moog cnn” in my video favorites section.

I feel it’s definitely time to reconnect with the roots of the instrument. With these classical theremin videos, I hope to light the way back home.

I would like to send a huge personal thanks to mathematician/thereminist, Thierry Frenkel.

The volume expression circuit of my Moog Etherwave Pro theremin has been modified with a very important enhancement that he designed. visit his website for more info at: http://theremin.tfrenkel.com

12 thoughts on “Debussy’s Clair de Lune On Theremin”

  1. Very difficult to do on a theremin, but I don't get the appeal of either the theremin's sound, or its lack of attack, or its wild intonation and its complete absence of dynamic expression.

    If this performance was on a violin it would be good enough only for a beginner and I don't think it can be improved on the theremin any more than Mr. George's performance.

    Can't the theremin be hooked up to other sound sources with some decent aural interest at least?

  2. Very difficult to do on a theremin, but I don't get the appeal of either the theremin's sound, or its lack of attack, or its wild intonation and its complete absence of dynamic expression.

    If this performance was on a violin it would be good enough only for a beginner and I don't think it can be improved on the theremin any more than Mr. George's performance.

    Can't the theremin be hooked up to other sound sources with some decent aural interest at least?

  6. You obviously don't like the theremin. Why are you wasting your time watching this video??

    Never too busy to spread a little ill-will, eh?

  7. You obviously don't like the theremin. Why are you wasting your time watching this video??

    Never too busy to spread a little ill-will, eh?

  9. @ guest#2

    I don't like the theremin.

    I'm surprised why so many talented musicians disregard every other aspect of creating or performing music and only concentrate on the technical difficulty of playing a note with just an adequate level of intonation.

    Instead of attacking me, why not explain why bad pitch is not a factor for an instrument that plays a monotonous tone with only volume as a changing parameter? With any other instrument, a theremin-like performance would be inexcusable for an advanced or professional musician.

    I'm not getting it.

  10. @ guest#2

    I don't like the theremin.

    I'm surprised why so many talented musicians disregard every other aspect of creating or performing music and only concentrate on the technical difficulty of playing a note with just an adequate level of intonation.

    Instead of attacking me, why not explain why bad pitch is not a factor for an instrument that plays a monotonous tone with only volume as a changing parameter? With any other instrument, a theremin-like performance would be inexcusable for an advanced or professional musician.

    I'm not getting it.

  11. I have to agree that the theremin is a cool noisemaker, but ultimately an inferior instrument. I saw the lead singer of Fishbone use one to great effect once, but it was fast skapunk, and he was using it as a crazyfying addition to the anarchy and chaos. Its not really an instrument of subtlety. People today are missing the point, chasing frantically to find a gimmick, instead of doing what Debussy did, compose a great piece of music on a great, established instrument.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *