http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miZEaW27pCY

Sunday Synth Jam: Peter Pringle delivers another stellar live theremin performance, a transcription of Vilia’s Song, from Franz Lehar’s operetta, The Merry Widow. 

via copperleaves:

Lately I have had some emails from people who said they couldn’t see the “aerial fingering” very well in my theremin videos, so I concentrated on trying to get up close. Unlike other instruments, the theremin is played intuitively.

Even if you carefully watch what a thereminist is doing and how he or she does it, that does not mean you will be able to emulate the technique. You just have to PLAY every chance you get, and listen carefully to what you are doing.

The arrangement of this piece was inspired by the OSIPOV FOLK ORCHESTRA, a group of wonderful Russian balalaika players who were internationally popular a number of years ago.

The theremin I am playing in this video is the Moog Etherwave Pro, in which I have installed the EPVM1345 module designed by French engineer Thierry Frenkel. This simple modification greatly improves the volume control of the instrument that is so important for a composition of this kind.