Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
105 years separate two events in the history of the Polytechnic University: the first demonstration of Lev Termen’s invention to the teachers of the Polytechnic University and a big concert by his great-grandson, Pyotr Termen. On the stage of the White Hall, one of the world’s leading theremin performers, Pyotr Termen, played two instruments at once.
“Two theremins were not planned for the concert,” the musician said. “But at the sound check it turned out that there was a difficult radiomagnetic situation around, and my theremin was reacting a little nervously, there was some interference in the sound. And behind the scenes of the White Hall there was our own model of theremin, and today it sounded for the first time in a long time.”
The great-grandfather of the performer Lev Termen dreamed since childhood that when playing a musical instrument there would be no need to touch anything, there would be no resistance from the strings, calluses on the hands, and a person and sound would become one, as happens when a person sings. At the age of 12, Lev Termen made a prototype of the theremin based on Tesla coils. And when in 1918, while working in the laboratory of the Polytechnic Institute, which was then located in the choir of the White Hall, he discovered the principle that became the basis of the theremin, he realized that he had invented a new musical instrument. In November 2020, the theremin – “the voice of Theremin” – was demonstrated to teachers of the Polytechnic Institute in the White Hall.
The closer the right hand is to the vertical antenna, the higher the sound, the further the left hand is from the horizontal antenna, the quieter. Any movement turns into sound, even if I take a deep breath now, it will be heard, – explained Peter Theremin and supported his words with hand movements.
No strings, no keys, and a range of eight octaves! Bach, Handel, Rachmaninov — popular and recognizable works sounded unusual. In the White Hall, theremin in a duet with a Bechstein grand piano, Pyotr Termen and Anastasia Mazankina presented the very repertoire with which Lev Termen performed in the Great Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, London’s Albert Hall, and the Paris Grand Opera in the 20s and 30s of the last century.
This concert, which has become a symbol of the unity of science and music, took place on the eve of the birthday of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, celebrated on February 19. A great gift will also be the film that the Kultura TV channel filmed on this day for the Nevsky Kovcheg. The Theory of the Impossible program series about extraordinary people who dreamed of the impossible and made it reality, such as Lev Theremin.
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