It must be a good week for rediscovering early Russian Theremin Film Music.
Elizabeth Brown, herself the composer of the 55-minute piece for voice, theremin, and recorded sound "Rural Electrification", later learned of an earlier Russian piece which not only dealt with the impact of electricity but also included the theremin. Now she is performing the theremin part in Gavriil Popov's Symphonic Suite No. 1, "Komsomol--Patron of Electrification" (1932) with the American Symphony Orchestra, at Avery Fisher Hall this Friday night!
In the on-line notes on the piece for American Symphony Orchestra, Laurel E. Fay notes:
"Popov was an early and eager recruit to the task of composing for Soviet sound film, some of which contributed to his Symphonic Suite No. 1. ... Appropriately, the performance features a theremin, an electronic instrument invented in Russia in the 1920s by Lev Termen (1896-1993). "
The theremin only plays in the first movement and has a very challenging part entering out of silence and immediately required to make large jumps without accompaniment.
And this piece is having a Trans-American resurgence, Charles Richard Lester performed it last season with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Disney Hall (a major venue with lots or aether activity lately as well).
Congratulations to both of our fellow ThereminWorld members on their symphonic adventures, exciting times for concert theremin and the come back of early film music from Russia.
Feeds:
Showing 8 Comments
I'm a peace-loving man, but I think I might just kill for the latter!
good one.
It's the Soviet Luna 2 Probe.
I suspect it also guest stared on Star Trek after plastic surgery, and if it wasn't also a theremin it sure should've been.
I'm so excited the theremin is appearing on a major concert stage again.
THEREMIN
Elizabeth Brown.
The Popov is a wonderful piece, very engaging, sweeping, and one of the best orchestral uses of the theremin. The part is serious, the first two minutes or so are challenging to the max. The theremin plays a unique and integrated part leading the movement to it's swirling transcendent peak. A major voice in the story without overbearing.
Elizabeth's tonal registrations fitted right into the subtle foreground of the sonic landscape and not only sung out in the low registers but pulled you right out of your head returning in the highest tessitura, easily floating over soprano and orchestra.
It was really excellent. There were some folks there who knew the theremin, some who didn't and weren't shy asking about it, plus there were a lot of kids. Occasionally distracting a bit, but hey they were hearing a nice big orchestra (this was really a cast of hundreds with big resets between each work) in the spatial context of live performance, not the flattened wall of sound of home hi-fi and headphones. And at least those youngin's surrounding me, when they learned my friend the theremin player was up next, not only listened in silence, but became a massed 12 year old theremin cheering section for Elizabeth's acknowledgement from the conductor at the end. The crowd kept applauding well after the bows, it was of those pieces and performances that hit really the spot.
It's hard to express how beautiful, captivating, and unfolding in a compositional story telling kinda way the suite was. And it was the first movement's solo theremin opening that hooked and drew us in. Knowing Elizabeth's work exploring the impact of electricity in the American hinterlands, then hearing her play theremin in this rich Russian expression of the electrical promise was thrilling.
I wish I could have heard Charles' performance in LA, I won't miss hearing this work live when it happens again.
In the instrument department: did Elizabeth perform on her Etherwave?
How could we hear what the piece sounds like ? Is there recordings of it ?
It made me wants to listen to it.
Haven't found a recording yet, would love one too!
Some works also had other rarely heard instruments like the Flexatone:
http://en.wikipedia....
in the Shostakovich Incidental Music from "The Bedbug".
And there was a giant suspended steel rod for the "Iron Foundry" and of course the theremin for the Popov.
Jason, good find at NYT, thanks! Hope that piece does get more play as they suggest (didn't think it eerie at all was very lovely). Most excellent they mentioned the theremin and the player by name. Kudos again Ms. Brown!
It's at 8 o'clock at the Morse Recital Hall, Yale and is free
Andy