Have you ever heard of a theremin?
It’s a musical instrument, although to play it you don’t actually touch it. It is electronic and the two antenna sense where the musician’s (a thereminist) hands are. According to Wikipedia, “the relative position of the thereminist’s hands … control oscillators for frequency with one hand, and amplitude (volume) with the other”. It has quite an eerie sound.
The reason I am sharing this with you is because I have been watching one of my all time favourite tv shows, Midsomer Murders. The opening theme has a haunting duet with a bass clarinet and a theremin. If you’ve never seen the show, here is Celia Sheen playing the theme on a theremin (listen for the bass clarinet as well):
What do you think of the theremin? And do you like this theme music? (I do!)
July 6, 2020 at 9:10 pm
I have indeed! The most famous use of it is in the main theme of The Day The Earth Stood Still, by Bernard Hermann. Someone on Twitter bought one recently as a new lockdown hobby!
July 8, 2020 at 9:15 am
Lol, I wonder what their neighbours think of their lockdown hobby?
July 6, 2020 at 9:25 pm
There is a commercial on right now that has a lady playing one! She wins “cash for life” scratch lottery, so every week she gets $1000 (its a real person who has won it!) and she says it allowed her to learn how to play lol
July 8, 2020 at 9:16 am
I guess if you have the money and time! But I don’t think learning the theremin would be at the top of my to do list if I won money, lol.
July 7, 2020 at 2:39 am
OK, that was amazing. I almost moved on (I have a teacher webinar starting) until you mentioned Midsomer Murders. And then I clicked the video–Hooboy that was wonderful. I miss that show.
July 8, 2020 at 9:19 am
Can’t you watch it anymore? Series 21 aired in the UK starting back in January, although they are still to confirm a series 22. But we have a free streaming service in Oz called Tubi and it has the first 9 series on it, so I have gone back to #1 and am working my way through 🙂
July 7, 2020 at 6:14 am
I’d never seen a theremin, but I had heard of it. It makes an eerie sound.
July 8, 2020 at 9:20 am
It does. I imagine it has probably been used in a lot of scary movies (but as I don’t watch scary, I wouldn’t know). It must be tricky to learn how to play as there aren’t any markings in the air, lol.
July 8, 2020 at 9:24 am
Haha same!! If I ever won any money first I’d pay off my student loans, move into a better place, get a car lol
July 8, 2020 at 9:35 am
If I won a stupid amount of money, I’d pay off the house, then buy a block of land and build my dream house and sell this one, lol.
July 8, 2020 at 9:46 am
Add a wing for me to come in the winter (your winter)
July 8, 2020 at 9:51 am
Done 😉