Even if you don’t know what a theremin is, you’ve almost certainly heard it. Its distinctive ‘woo-ooo’ sound has been a mainstay of film and television for decades, particularly when an eerie, atmospheric sound is required. Examples include the theme of British crime/mystery series Midsomer Murders and the title sequence of the classic 1951 movie The Day the Earth Stood Still.
The instrument also been used in a raft of esoteric albums and even the occasional pop hit – although the most frequently cited example, the Beach Boys’ Good Vibrations, doesn’t actually feature the theremin.
Created by Russian inventor Leon Theremin in 1920, the theremin was one of the world’s first electronic instruments and the first to be mass produced.
Over a century later, its main advocate is 37-year-old German-Sorb musician and composer Carolina Eyck – the woman at the centre of Theremin & Beyond.Â
Backed by the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO), Theremin & Beyond is a beguiling recital of various musical pieces showcasing the theremin, including film and television scores, pop songs and classical music.
Composers represented in the show include Johann Sebastian Bach, Erwin Schulhoff, Mikós Rózsa and Ennio Morricone.
Among them is Eyck herself, who performs her own track ‘Strange Birds’. Inspired by the forests of Northern Germany, where Eyck grew up, the piece uses the theremin to evoke the sound of birds chirping in the forest.
Theremin & Beyond includes not only famous examples of theremin – but music sometimes mistaken for the theremin (or, as Eyck says, music she wishes had utilised it). Examples include the aforementioned ‘Good Vibrations’ and the theme of the original Star Trek series.Â
In addition to playing the theremin during the show, the genial Eyck explains the instrument’s history and various pieces of music played during the concert.
She’s a natural at this, with a warm and charming energy.
The theremin is highly unusual among musical instruments in that the musician doesn’t directly touch the instrument while playing it. Instead, they move their fingers, hands, arms, shoulders and even their entire body in close proximity to it, to generate the sounds.
Eyck’s movements while playing the theremin have their own beauty – her motion in tandem with the music is visually arresting.
Despite her calm and gentle demeanour, she exudes a certain ‘showmanship’ while doing this, with her movements, the music and lighting combining to create a captivating show.
Directed by the ACO’s Artistic Director and lead violinist Richard Tognetti, Theremin & Beyond is an excellent overview of this unique musical instrument and its main progenitor, Carolina Eyck.
Backed here by traditional chamber orchestra instruments, the theremin is accorded the respect it deserves.
It holds its own amongst the pantheon of classical instruments such as bass, cello, piano, viola and violin. The combination of theremin and traditional instruments is beautiful and leads one to hope the theremin achieves more prominence in the future.
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If you miss the shows on this short Australian tour, a visit to Eyck’s website, where you can learn more about the theremin, listen to recordings and purchase music is highly recommended.
Theremin & Beyond
City Recital Hall, Sydney NSW
Director and violin: Richard Tognetti AO
Theremin: Carolina Eyck
Piano: Tamara-Anna Cislowska
With the Australian Chamber Orchestra
Tickets: $30 to $131
Theremin & Beyond was reviewed at the City Recital Hall, Sydney. The show is touring Australia, with the remaining concerts at time of writing to be held on 19 May at the Melbourne Recital Centre and 20 May at Llewellyn Hall, Canberra.
