Dear Gordon, Thank you so much for all of these links. When I can get back to the library, these will be great. I can do a bit of it at home. It just takes a long time to download them and then the quality is not always good. I can see how the quality of the theremin and the harp are so very similiar. They both resonate quite a bit. Despite what it might seem, my experience of playing the harp is much like pulling it out of the air, but that's me. I experience it as being made physical through the use of the harp but that what is, is there. It only becomes tangible with the use of the harp. Less and less am I experiencing the physical instrument. More and more I am experiencing the music that is all around us. Oh, dear. Don't get me started or in my desire I will go downstairs and start trying to play my television antenna... From my experience with musicians playing classically and playing atonally, I agree with you. I do not know of anyone that has started atonally and has switched to the discipline of classical. Even on a small scale, it can be a nightmare. I had a student years ago that had had a very poor harp teacher. She was doing everything in reverse. She was playing quite a bit of music and pleased with herself. The problem was that she wanted to study at the conservatory and no one wanted her. When someone gets that advanced AND is happy with their product, it is overwhelmingly frustrating to go to the very beginning and relearn everything. Slowing down to that degree, restricting yourself so you cannot produce, takes tremendous patience. We got the job done though. I set her up in a practice room next to mine and she could not touch the harp unless I was with her. It took tons of time, but after about six months, she was OK and was admitted into the conservatory. I was there when she was asked if this change over hadn't been really difficult. She had this blank look on her face as if to say, "What are you talking about?" and she responded quietly, "No." I ended up qualifying as the only person allowed to teach the harp at the conservatory besides my teacher. So, believe me. I know!! Again, thank you for all of these links. I can't wait to hear them all. What a thrill! I wish I could record them and my son could listen to them. By the way, are there any CDs of these performers or is most of it on the Internet? Thanks again. Merrie --- gordonc@theremin.org.uk wrote: From: Gordon Charlton <gordonc@theremin.org.uk> To: aetherphon@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Aetherphon] Gordon - First post- interest in theremin Date: Tue, 8 Dec 2009 10:54:39 +0000 On 8 Dec 2009, at 08:36, Mary Jones wrote: > > That took a lot of nerve to blindly go to a musical instrument > without any background in music. > Not really. I enjoy figuring stuff out for myself, and I like a challenge. My previous forays into writing and photography helped a lot. Plus I was a teenager at the height of Punk Rock, so the idea that you can just pick up an instrument and make a great big glorious noise seems entirely natural. > An interesting thing happened for me tonight though. I went to our > library where they have cable connection for their computers. As > you know, this allows for a high speed connection. They had > headphones, so I immediately went to Peter's site where I could > listen to him for the first time and watch him on the videos. > Peter's a great musician. Next time you're at the library, check out this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qs55UYGfpE0 It's my favourite of his - and there's no theremin! You might find it interesting though - the title of the video is "Song By RUMI - Celtic Harp & Surbahar" Actually - a word in favour of melodic theremin playing - theremin and harp is a match made in heaven - both have an angelic quality about them, without treading on each other's toes. Also a caveat about playing atonal theremin - as far as I know no-one has ever started out playing atonally and then later learned to play in tune. Accepted wisdom is that you'd pick up far too many bad habits to make a successful transition. > I began to feel the instrument in my hands. > You're doing it wrong! Hahaha. > I finally stopped myself and turned the headphones over to my son > who became entranced with it. He just froze in one spot and > listened. He's hooked even more now, I believe. He said he was > surprised I liked it. Peter plays really well. I particularly liked > his piece for Clara Rockmore. Now I remember that that is who I > heard on the movie about the theremin. She really impressed me in > that movie. > Here are some more listening suggestions for your next library visit - some of my personal favourites. Should save you time searching through some of the more mediocre performances. (But do watch Joe Theremin - hilarious. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi69hDPupGs ) First of all, no discussion of experimental theremin can rightly go this long without mentioning the brilliant and demented Pamelia Kurstin. For a taster, visit her myspace site - http://www.myspace.com/ pameliakurstin - check out "Purcell" to hear her classical chops, then "Theremin Orchestra" for her experimental work with theremin and looper. Then go to http://www.ted.com/talks/ pamelia_kurstin_plays_the_theremin.html and settle down for a 20 minute show. Watch out for about three minutes in, where she breaks out one of her trademarks - "walking bass on a theremin" OK, back to youtube... Barbara Buchholz is lovely. Here she plays one of her own compositions - Seaweed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXDzDV_f1jw There's a good reason that people say Lydia Kavina is the best living thereminist. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn4TgYkqdi8 A couple of very gifted youngsters: Carolina Eyck - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2XGkZXu4YA Charlie Draper - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlvm3rS5Llk Do you get "Midsomer Murders" on the TV? It's a British drama. Here's Celia Sheen - who features a lot in the soundtrack - playing the title tune. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTZK9FNgK74 It's probably not a surprise that theremins are very popular in Japan. Here's a young woman who really makes it into a Japanese instrument. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfQenM5LaBI I could go on, but that will do for now. Gordon ------------------------------------ AETHERPHON, the global thereminist community To contact the moderator, e-mail porphyrous@yahoo.com Yahoo! Groups Links
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Gordon - First post- interest in theremin
2009-12-08 by Mary Jones