Clara Rockmore
The Art of Theremin

A simply astounding album, mainly because the principal parts of the work are performed by the violinist Clara Rockmore, who, after years of study, specialized in the art of the theremin.

For those who do not know, it is an instrument based on the emission of waves in the ether: without touching anything, but by moving the hands in an appropriate way, one can obtain a certain range of sounds. One of the best models is the work of Moog (who also produced TAOT: rip). And beware, this is not just simple "adapted noise", as our star manages to effortlessly perform pieces by Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky without any noticeable difference from the classical versions. The sound of the Theremin is akin to an intense violin, at times capable of even modulating a human voice. I would like to initially dwell on the superb technique of the artist in question, capable of orchestrating the notes to perfection and essentially inventing a way to play the instrument.

Someone said that it's not the instruments that make the music, but those who play them: never has a statement been more suited to this peculiar case. Indeed, aside from Led Zeppelin and a few others, very few have used this splendid instrument, now fallen into oblivion and certainly worth rediscovering. The pieces boast a compactness worthy of a classical music masterpiece, and it is complex to highlight the best ones: as usual, I like to mention a couple. First of all, "Swan" by Saint-Saëns, one of the most well-known among those not fond of classical music: simply stunning, and very suitable for starting the listening experience. Also noteworthy are "Hebrew Melody" and "Serenade melanconique" - undoubtedly for the darkness, the sense of disorientation, combined with the melancholic sweetness of every note. These are the main sensations that "The art of theremin" manages to evoke. The greater charm of the album lies precisely in the novelty, in the fact that the use of a theremin in a musical work is quite uncommon (it was very popular in the sci-fi soundtracks of the '50s). A work that surprises, stimulates listening, but does have a few flaws, if we want to be picky. Firstly, the not excellent quality of the recording (from 1977) and a "first listen" monotony that accompanies the work. This is partly due to the use of the instrument, its particular tone, which is certainly not the most common sound heard around, and the choice of pieces, endowed with a very moderate pace that might easily weary. At certain moments, it creates an effect of dissonance that is really hard to digest. Fortunately, this sensation of alienation is partly mitigated precisely by the piano chords, and the ability to orchestrate, modify, modulate each sound precisely.

Obviously, the regular classical music listener "has an advantage", provided that they are willing to accept the presence of the first entirely electronic instrument in the history of music, and to grasp the uniqueness of the sound obtainable with it. Certainly, Rockmore's artistic qualities are notable, but we must not forget the excellent work of Nadia Reisenberg on the piano. Enjoy listening everyone...