Leon Theremin would have been 109 today; Theremin World observes the date with a virtual birthday card signing.
How will you spend the holiday? I’m thinking a screening of the brilliant Theremin documentary is in order here at CDM HQ. Or I could set off the building fire alarm with 109 candles.
Thanks for the link, and keep up the great music blogging!
Jason / ThereminWorldThereminWorld
I don't see how anyone could consider that documentary brilliant. It's ridiculously incomplete, poorly edited and flat out WRONG in some parts. I especially love Brian Wilson talking about playing the theremin on "Good Vibrations", they used an electro-theremin which is drastically different, i.e. mechanical controller of an oscillator instead of hands-free. Check out http://www.electrotheremin.com/etfaq.htm
for the full story on that, but I think Brian Wilson's "performance" on the theremin after his crazy tangent says it all.
Oh also what the hell is up with that clip of the guy showing how the Rhythmicon works? I know that Termen had a hand in building it but they don't even say that, they just show a guy explaining how it works and that's the end of it, it doesn't relate to the previous scene or the scene before it at all.
If anything the documentary is terribly disappointing just because there's such a potentially amazing story to be told there and the director (not gonna bother looking up his name) squanders it. I guess it's better than nothing but that's really not saying much.
The documentary is deeply moving to me just because they keep the camera running on all these amazing people, and these incredible moments as Theremin returns to the U.S. I agree that as filmmaking, I have some issues with it — I know the "no voiceover"/"no explanation" thing is hip, and all, but yes, I agree — it loses something. I guess the point is really that these topics need more. The book on Theremin is superb background and actually covers more of the history.
Anyway, if the documentary itself is less-than-perfect, the footage on it is sheer history and for me has stood up to repeated viewings. I consider it a must-own, anyway.
And yes, you're of course right about Good Vibrations. Not that Brian Wilson (or many other people, for that matter) are aware of the difference between these fundamentally different instruments.