Magnets
Leon Theremin
The Theremin is the only musical instrument that is played without physical contact. It was invented in the 1920s by Leon Theremin and is based on the phenomenon that interrupting an electromagnetic field can produce audible frequency changes. Essentially the Theremin has two antennae that broadcast a signal to each other and when you wave your hands between the antennae you interrupt the magnet field between them causing the signal to change.
Leon Theremin was a Russian scientist who discovered this phenomenon when working on proximity sensors for the Russian government. He went on to patent this electronic musical instrument and it’s eerie sound can be found in many a sci-fi movie soundtrack from the 1950’s. Though it became associated with campy film soundtracks in the 1950’s it was actually used in some classic films like Spellbound and The Lost Weekend and is most famous in popular music in the song Good Vibrations from the Beach Boys.
German-born musician and composer Carolina Eyck is one of the world’s foremost theremin virtuosi. She has her own YouTube channel where she presents this unique instrument to everybody interested and show its great variety. In this video, she performs the "The Flight of the Bumblebee" by Rimsky-Korsakov.
This song was written by Harold Arlen for the 1939 MGM classic "The Wizard of Oz". It is widely believed to be the most loved and enduring popular song of the 20th century. It is played here on the 1929 RCA theremin that once belonged to the late Hollywood thereminist, Dr. Samuel Hoffman.
The Maglev Train
