Anyone else read Glinsky's Theremin Book?

"Theremin: ETHER MUSIC AND ESPIONAGE" by Albert Glinsky

I finished it a couple of days ago.  There aren't too many of these types of books, and I don't mean to in any way dump on the author, but comparing it to the book on Hugh Le Caine ("The Sackbut Blues: Hugh Le Caine, Pioneer in Electronic Music" by Gayle Young) there is perhaps too much (related and unrelated) historical background, and too little focus on the book's subject - particularly from a technical angle.  I would have liked at least a brief appendix covering the musical instruments Theremin designed.  Pictures, and ideally schematics (if available) and some technical depth on what we know about each of his designs would have been awesome.  I also got the feeling the author's meeting with Theremin in his 90's dotage perhaps made too strong an impression on the author.

It was an interesting read though, and I'm glad the book exists.

[EDIT] I should add that there are three sections of pictures in the book, and many of Theremin's instruments are shown there.  And  there is some discussion of the instruments in the text.  I think a dedicated appendix or chapter on the instruments themselves would have been nice.

Hi Dewster,

Yeah - I think the mistake is the readers not the authors, though... The "Theremin" in the title is reference to the person, not the instrument.

I was "dissapointed" at the lack of technical detail, but if I had been after (Glinsky's version of - not everyone here agrees with what he says ;-) the history / biography of Lev Theremin, there was probably everything needed to keep them happy.

I really enjoyed the book - I particularly enjoyed seeing how someone with high intellegence and education etc could allow his enthusiasm to blind him to reality - some of his ideas were just plain loony! ... In particular, his delusions of grandeure - believing himself possibly capable of preserving Lennin for resurection..

When it comes to the history of electronic music, there is a huge technical void IMO on a most of the early instruments, not only those designed by Lev.. I would love to see a catalog and compilation of technical data on these.. But it is already probably too late to acquire this stuff, and it will be lost... Even getting data on some instruments built 30 years ago can be  impossible or nearly impossible

Fred.

As I understand it, the manuscript that was eventually published as THEREMIN, ETHER MUSIC & ESPIONAGE was not originally written as a book. It was musicologist Albert Glinsky's PhD thesis. This could account for what dewster feels is an excess of historical (and perhaps too scholarly) details. 

I'm sure it will appeal to a much wider audience when it comes out as a graphic novel.

"Yeah - I think the mistake is the readers not the authors, though... The "Theremin" in the title is reference to the person, not the instrument."  - FredM

Yes, sorry, I should have been clearer.  The book was about a lot of things, some peripheral and some not so, and I guess I expected to learn more about Theremin himself, as well as his claims to fame (his inventions).  Like what was the input from his friend / biographer in Russia?  There seem to be huge gaps in Theremin's life in terms of detail.

"... some of his ideas were just plain loony! ... In particular, his delusions of grandeure - believing himself possibly capable of preserving Lennin for resurection.."  - FredM

I wonder how much of this was the doddering old Theremin relating things to the author?  Though he certainly was capable of pulling a huge rabbit out of a hat when he was younger.  Hard to tell what he might have come up with next given the time and resources.  That the Theremin itself functions as well as it does still seems like a minor miracle to me.  So many impediments to creativity in ordinary life, not to mention the work/concentration camps, gulags, and other such prisons for the exceedingly unlucky.

"It was musicologist Albert Glinsky's PhD thesis."  - coalport

Ooh, very interesting!  How do you know all these amazing things Peter?  You are the go-to guy when it comes to music history.

"I'm sure it will appeal to a much wider audience when it comes out as a graphic novel."  - coalport

Ha ha!

I have read this book. I enjoyed it as a biography of Lev Termen. It geed me up to build a Keppinger Theremin.

I have purchased all of the parts, but they are still in boxes under my bench pending my getting a bigger workspace -- which is itself a current project.