A Theremin Bibliography
Publications and Films
I would like to extend very special thanks to Hal Layer, Matthew
Freedman, Matthias Sauer (who has a larger collection of articles
than any other I have ever heard of!), and all the other contributors
for helping compile this bibliography. For another list of
resources, compiled by Matthias Sauer, check out Leonardo Online's Theremin Resources.
Several of the articles are in my own personal collection, thanks to
gracious Internet citizens. Many of them are also available through
the TECI
Theremin Bible.
Magazine Articles:
"Mein Ziel", by Theremin, Leon, in Berliner Tageblatt, 1. Oct. 1927
"The Latest Marvel in Music", Literary Digest, Oct. 1, 1927, p. 30
"Ether-Wave Music", Literary Digest, Oct. 29, 1927 p. 25
"Wege zur elektrischen Musik", by Huth, Arno, in Der Auftakt, Dec. 1927, p. 303-308
"Music From The Ether", The Scientific Monthly, pp.283-285, 1928
"Music and Musicians", Outlook, February 15, 1928
"The Theremin", Outlook, October 9, 1929
"The RCA Theremin", Radio Broadcast, February, 1930
"The Modern Music Box", Radio News, March, 1930
"New Trailes in Musical Creation", by Theremin, Leon, in The Musical Leader, 58, March 6, 1930, p. 19
"Instruments of the Future", Scholastic, April 30, 1938
"Electricity: the Liberator of Music", by Schillinger, Joeseph, in Modern Music Quarterly, Vol. 8, March 1931, p. 26-31
"The R.C.A. Theremin. A New Musical Instrument for the Home", anonymous, in Radio Broadcast, Feb. 1932, S.202 f
"Radio Squeals Turned to Music for Entire Orchestra", Popular Science, June, 1932, p. 51
"An Easily-Built 'Theremin'", by E. L. Deeter, Radio Craft, April 1935
"Theremin Terpistone: A new electronic novelty", by Mason, C.P., in Radio Craft, Dec. 1936
(The terpistone was a theremin made to play by dancing)
"An Electronic Musical Instrument with Photoelectric Cell as a Playing Manual", by W. Saraga, Electronic Engineering, 17, pp.601-603
"A Simple Electronic Musical Instrument - The THEREMIN", by Ernest J. Schultz Radio-Television News, 42: 66-67+, October 1949  Question Box: "Volume Control for Theremin", Radio-Electronics, p. 80, April, 1951
"How To Build a Theremin", Hansen, C. L., Radio Electronics, pp.84-86, Nov. 1953  "The Theremin", "The Theremin", Radio-Television News, by Moog, Robert A., 51: 37-39+, January, 1954
"Electronics Music with the Theremin", by Louis E. Garner, Jr., Popular Electronics, Apr. 1955, pp. 19-26 
"Music from Electrons", by Robert Moog, Audiocraft Magazine, June, 1956, pp. 16-19, 33. "Music from Nowhere", Electronics Illustrated, June, 1960.
Cover Story, Electronics Illustrated, Jan. 1961
"One-armed Theremin", by William J. Millard, Popular Electronics, August, 1962 Music and Physics, by Gleb Anfilov, Moscow (MIR Publishers)
Many passages describing the development of the termenvox
"For That Different Sound, Music a la Theremin", by Louis E. Garner, Jr., Popular Electronics, Nov. 1967
"Wide Range Theremin", by David Walker, Electronics Illustrated, May, 1968, pp 38-42, 110-111.  "A Transistorized Theremin", by R.A. Moog, Elementary Electronics, May-June, 1972
"The Unkeyboards of Professor Theremin", Keyboard, September 1978
"Theremin: a weird music machine", by Colin Dawson, ELECTRONICS Australia, June, 1982 "Search for Jimmy Page", Guitar World, July, 1986
"TV Broadcasting in 1926", by Natalya Yasnitskaya, Soviet Life, May 1988, n5. p. 34
"Lev Termen's War and Peace", by Kaplunov Mikhail and Cherenkov Mikhail, Moscow News, March 1st, 1988, p. 16
"Recordings, Clara Rockmore: The Art of the Theremin", by Thomas Rhea, Computer Music Journal, vol. 13, num. 1, pp.61-63 "Talk of the Town: Theremin", New Yorker, Sept. 17, 1990, pp. 34-36
"Inside the Theremin", by Marc Ellis, Popular Electronics, July 1991 (Vol. 8, No. 7), pp. 66-67
"L.S. Termen: Faustus of the Twentieth Century", by Bulat Galeyev, in Leonardo (24), No. 5, 1991. p. 573-579
The author is a long-time friend of Mr. Theremin
"Rebuilding an RCA Theremin", Popular Electronics, 6 articles, April 1991 - January 1992
"Leon Theremin: Pulling Music Out of Thin Air", by Olivia
Mattis and Robert Moog, Keyboard, February, 1992, pp.46-54.
"Auge in Auge mit Mephisto oder Das erstaunliche Leben des Lew Theremin" ("The amazing life of Leon Theremin"), by Galeylev, Bulat, in Sputnik Digest, Sept. 1992, p.100-105
"Synthesizer pioneer Leon Theremin, 97, dies in Moscow", Billboard, Nov. 20, 1993 (Vol. 105, No. 47), p. 13
"Died, Leon Theremin", Time, Nov. 22, 1993 (Vol. 142, No. 22), p.29
"It's Dr. Moog's Travelling Show of Controller Oddities", by Robert Moog, Keyboard, March 1993, pp. 44-49
"Leon Theremin, 1896-1993", by Robert L. Doerschuk, Keyboard, February 1994, pp. 49-51
Theremin Obituary, Electronic Musician, February, 1994
"Filmmaker Steve Martin Charts The Electronic Odyssey of Leon Theremin", by Robert L. Doerschuk, Keyboard, February 1994, pp 51-68
"Theremin Virtuoso Clara Rockmore - Recollections of Genius", by Robert Moog, Keyboard, February 1994, pp. 58-...
"Reviews: Theremin-An Electronic Odyssey produced, written, and directed by Steven M. Martin", by Emanuel Levy, Variety, Feb. 14, 1994, v35n2, p. 39
"Die Legende lebt. Das historische Theremin mit moderner Synthesizer-Technik", (German) in KEYS, March 1994, p. 76-83
1994, "Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey", by YUASA Manabu, Music Magazine, July 7 1994, pp. 102-107, (in Japanese)
"32nd New York Film Festival: Theremin-An Electronic Odyssey directed by Steven M. Martin", by J. Hoberman, Village Voice, Sept. 27, 1994, v39n39, p. 60
"Born to be Bad", by Sarra Manning, Melody Maker, Oct. 22, 1994, v71n41, p. 43
An article about Jon Spencer of the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, including their use of a theremin.
"On Screen: Theremin-An Electronic Odyssey directed by Steven M. Martin", by Don Jeffrey, Billboard, Nov. 5, 1994, v106n45, p. 53
"In Memoriam: Leon Sergeyevich Theremin (1896-1993)", by Galeyev, Bulat, in Leonardo, Vol 27, No. 2, 1994, p. 92-93
"Notes from the Underground", by J. Hoberman, Premiere, Feb. 1995, v8n6, p. 44-45
"Music in the Air - Thereminist Lydia Kavina Scores Hit in U.K.", by Dave Stewart, Keyboard, July 1995, p. 15 "Wie eine menschliche Stimme", by Sauer, Matthias, in KEYS, March 1995, p.92-94
Includes Theremin-Demo on CD
"Musik aus der Luft", by Skolnik-Nipkau, Tanja, in Die Zeit, 24, March 1995
"Build the Optical Theremin", by Charles R. Fisher and Scott Wilkinson, Electronic Musician, May 1995 (Vol. 11 No. 5)
"Fantastic Voyage", by Justine Elias, Village Voice, Sept. 12, 1995, v40n37, p. 59
"Echo der Vergangenheit", by Wagner, Christoph, in Die Tageszeitung, 13, Oct. 1995, p. 13
"Shadow Play", by Peter Forrest, The Mix, December
This is an excellent article and features an interview with Jake Rothman and Barry Wooding of Longwave Instruments 1995, pp.144-148, UK
"Now Playing: Theremin-An Electronic Odyssey directed by Steven M. Martin", by Peter Travers, Rolling Stone, Sept. 21, 1995, n717 p. 89
"Theremin-An Electronic Odyssey directed by Steve M. Martin", by Stuart Klawans, Nation, Oct. 9, 1995, v261n11, p.399-401
"Live! Lydia Kavina", by Sarra Manning, Melody Maker, Oct. 14, 1995, v72n41, p. 20
"Circuit Surgery", by Alan Winstanley, Everyday with Practical Electronics, October, 1995, pp. 792-794
"Net Watch", by Dan Karagiannis, Popular Electronics, Dec. 1995, v12n12, p. 28-29+
"Build This Theremin", by John Simonton, Electronics Now, January 1996, pp.31-32, 56-59 "Music from Another World", by Pfefferman, Naomi, in American Cinematographer, January 1996 (Vol. 77, No. 1), p.58.
"Fox Report", by Barry Fox, Everyday with Practical Electronics, February 1996, p. 108
English journalist Barry Fox discusses the history of the Theremin, the Telharmonium, the French Ondes Martenot and the Ondioline, and the
upsurge in interest in electronic music from its origins - including the work of Thaddeus Cahill of New York whose work preceded that of Leon Theremin.
"DIY: Build the EM Theremin", by Robert Moog, Electronic Musician, February 1996, pp. 86-99 "Build This Theremin", by John Simonton, Electronics Now, March 1996, pp. 43-44, 69-73 "Retro - Spooky Stuff", by Richard Blaine and Dave Robinson, Future Music, June 1996, pp. 49-51
This issue contains a CD with 4 tracks of theremin sounds. Some information in the article is incorrect - beware!
"How To--A Professional's Theremin," by Ian C. Rogers and the Grand Royal Hobby Squad, Grand Royal, Issue #3, pp. 78-80. "Survival of the Fattest," Grand Royal Staff, Grand Royal, Issue #3, pp. 52-57
Theremin Construction Article, The Modern Electronics Manual, by Jake Rothman, supplement 40.
"Martian Musician--Composer Danny Elfman On Burtonizing the Golden Sci-fi Scores of the Past," Cinefantastique, Vol 28 #7, p. 28
"Tasty Web Sites", by Joe Humphreys, Electronic Musician, January 1997, pp. 90-94
"Tape Hiss", by John Sekerka, Cosmik Debris, March 1997 - Interview with Coco of Man or Astroman? and Steven Martin.
"Infra-red Theramin" [sic], by Robert Penfold, Electronics Today International, Jan 30, 1998, Vol 27, Issue 2, "Good Vibrations - Electronic music's Soviet roots." Technology Review, March 2003, by Lisa Scanlon
Newspaper Articles:
"Ether Wave Music Amazes Savants", New York Times, Oct. 2, 1927, Section II p. 1:6
"Paris Musicians Won by New Instrument", New York Times, Dec. 9, 1927, p.3:5
"Ether Concert Stirs Musical Stars Here", New York Times, Jan. 25, 1928, p. 1:7+
"Disputes Invention of 'Ether Music'", anonymous, New York Times, Jan. 31, 1928 S.24
"Ether Wave Concert", New York Times, Feb. 1, 1928, p.31:1
"Theremin-Voxes Heard in Open Air", New York Times, Aug. 28, 1928 p. 27:1
"Radio Fair to Hear 'Theremin' Tonight", New York Times, Sept. 25, 1929, p. 28:4
"Three Concerts", The New Republic, LXI (Jan. 8, 1930), 198.
"Theremin Presents 'Ether Wave' Recital", New York Times, April 26, 1930, p. 11:3
"Low Tones for Stokowski", New York Times, Oct. 18, 1930, p. 23:5
This article covers a concert featuring the theremin and the electronic cello (or fingerboard theremin)
"Offers Music from the Ether", New York Times, Dec. 13, 1930, p. 22:5
"'Music from the Ether' Heard at the Philadelphia Orchestra Concert", New York Herald Tribune, Dec. 17, 1930
"Electrio in First Concert Features Novel Instruments", anonymous, New York Times, June 21, 1931 sec. 9, p.8
"Intonation in the Theremin", New York Times, Nov. 25, 1934, Section IX, P. 6:6.
"Another Look at Lev Termen's Long and Eventful Life", by Kaplunov, Mikhail, in Moscow News, 17, 1988 p.2
"Lev Termen's War and Peace", by Kaplunov, Mikhail, in Moscow News, 1, March 1988, p.16
"Theremin: The man, music, and mystery, and now the movie", New York Times, Aug 24, 1993, Sec. C, p. 13, col 1.
"Leon Theremin; Invented forerunner of music synthesizer", obituary, Los Angeles Times, Nov. 14, 1993, Sec. A, p. 32, col. 2
"Leon Theremin, musical inventor, is dead at 97", by William Grimes, New York Times, Nov. 9, 1993, Sec. B, p. 10, col. 1
"Documentary on early synthesizer takes note of inventor", by Eleanor Ringel, Atlanta Constitution, Sept. 29, 1994, Sec. B, p. 11, col. 3
"The strangest instrument and its even stranger inventor", by Janet Maslin, New York Times, Oct. 1, 1994, Sec. A, p. 11, col. 4
"Pop goes mad for the electronic sound of the twenties", by Alex Bellos, Guardian, Feb. 20, 1995, Sec. 1, p. 4, col. 1
"Here a woo, there a woo, everywhere a woo-woo", by Alex Bellos, Guardian, Jul. 24, 1995, Sec. 2, p. 4, col. 2
Profiles the life of Lydia Kavina and details the origins of the theremin
"The thing that goes Oo-Wee-Oo", by Chris Riemenschnieder, Los Angeles Times, Aug. 13, 1995, Sec. CAL, p. 24, col. 1
"Eerie tone resounds within 'Theremin'", by Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times, Aug. 24, 1995, Sec. F, p. 6, col. 1
"'Theremin' plays instrumental role in music history", by David Sterritt, Christian Science Monitor, Sept. 20, 1995, p. 13, col. 4
"Magical, musical life proves touching: Theremin-An Electronic Odyssey", by Jay Carr, Boston Globe, Sept. 16, 1995, p. 24, col. 1
"Notable new movies: Theremin-An Electronic Odyssey", by Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal, Sept. 19, 1995, Sec. A, p. 20, col. 1
"'Theremin' - A love story with electricity", by Jay Carr, Boston Globe, Sept. 29, 1995, p. 49, col. 3
"'Theremin' - a delightful look at an oddity", by Jeff Miller, Houston Chronicle, Oct. 27, 1995, Sec. E, p. 5, col. 1
"Little black box puts electronic music on the map", by Cynthina Magriel Wetzler, New York Times, Oct. 29, 1995, Sec WC, p. 16, col. 3
"Return of the weird", by Steven Rosen, Denver Post, Oct. 29, 1995, Sec. E, p. 1, col. 4
Features both a movie review and discussion of the 1960's rock group, Lothar and the Hand People, which made use of a theremin in several songs.
"The wizard of the weird vibes", by Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle, Oct. 29, 1995, Sec DAT, p. 42, col. 1
"'Theremin' - The man and his musical machine", by Eleanor Ringel, Atlanta Constitution, Nov 10, 1995, Sec. P, p. 10, col. 3
"Strange man, strange music", by Peter Stack, San Francisco Chronicle, Nov. 3, 1995, Sec C, p. 10, col. 1
"Please don't touch the theremin! - Stein Collection of Electronic Instruments Donated to Museum", by Margaret Downie Banks, The Shrine to Music Museum Newsletter, volume XXIII, No. 3, April, 1996
"From the 20's, an Instrument Made for Cybertimes", by Barbara Jepson, The New York Times, Sunday, July 7th, 1996, Sec. H, p. 21, 27
Books, Service Manuals, Papers and Theses:
"RCA Theremin Musical Instrument - Instructions", Radio-Victor Corporation of America, 1929, 12 pages
"Electrische Musik, Dresden und Leipzig", by Peter Lertes, 1933
"John F. Rider's Perpetual Troubleshooter's Manual", Vol. I
"Electrische Klangerzeugung - Elektronische Musik und Synthetische Sprache", by Eppler Meyer, Bonn 1949
"Electronic Music Instruments", Audio Library Volume 1, by Richard H. Dorf (audio consultant), chapter 15, 1954 by Radio Magazines, Inc., Mineola, New York., library of congress card-catalog number 55-6797.
"The Electronic Musical Instrument Manual", 3rd Ed., pp 128-131, 1957
"103 Simple Transistor Projects", by Tom Kneitel, Pub: Rider, 1964, pp. 98-99
"The Electronic Musical Instrument Manual", by Alan Douglas, Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons, Ltd., London. pp. 196-199. "How to build proximity detectors and metal locators", by J.P. Shields, Howard W. Sams, Indianapolis, In, 2nd Ed., 1972, pp. 154-156.
"The Evolution of Electronic Musical Instruments in the United States", Thesis (Ph D.), George Peabody College, August 1972, 230pp., by Rhea, T.L.
Mr. Rhea later went on to become vice-president of Bob Moog's synthesizer company.
"Experimenting with Electronic Music", by Robert Brown and Mark Olsen, Tab Books, 1974.
"The Electronic Musical Instrument Manual", 3rd Ed., pp. 108-109, 1976
"Electronic Music Projects, Vol. 1", by F. M. Mims, III, Pub: Radio Shack, 1977, pp. 81-89
"The Creative Engineer: The Art of Engineering", by Kock, Winston E., Pub: Plenum Press, New York, 1978, pp. 33-35
"EM - Versuch einer Bilanz der elektronischen Musik", by Fred K. Prieberg, Freudenstadt 1980
"Special Circuits Ready Reference", by John Markus, Pub: McGraw Hill, 1982
"Electronic and Experimental Music", by Thomas B. Holmes, Pub: Charles Scribner's Sons, NY, 1985
This book contains a nice section on the theremin with photos of Lucie Bielow Rosen and Youseff Yancy.
"Tuning In On Electronic Music Pioneers," by Olivia Mattis, Stanford University Campus Report, October 9, 1991, p.4.
"The Theremin in the Emergence of Electronic Music", Thesis (Ph. D)--New York University, 1992, by Albert Vincent Glinsky
Coming Soon! - This thesis will be published as a book. For more information, go to Mr.Glinsky's page. "Interactive Music Systems - Machine Listening and Composing", Robert Rowe, MIT Press, Cambridge MA, 1993, pp. 13-14
"The Big Briar 'Series 91' Theremins", Big Briar, Inc. Information Bulletin No. 9201A, 1994
"Building a Theremin", by Alexander Zeyliger, project write-up for EE/Mu 107c at California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, June 1, 1994
"The MIDI Theremin", by Jeffery G. Fox, B. Eng. Hons Project Report HSP 1065, University of Edinburgh, 1995
This paper also includes an autobiography of Prof. Theremin taken from a live interview
"PAiA Theremax Assembly and Using Manual", copyright 1995, PAiA Electronics, Inc.
"Moog-Style Analog Theremin", Black Cat Products Product Catalog, Black Cat Products, Dallas Texas, 1995
"Building and Playing the Big Briar Etherwave Theremin", Big Briar, Inc., 1996
"Method for the Theremin: Book 1 Basics", by Robert B. Sexton, Thin Air Series, Tactus Press, 1996, ISBN: 1-081428-08-7
"Guidebook of Electronic Circuits", by John Markus, Pub: McGraw Hill, (ISBN: 0-07-040445-3)
"Modern Electronics Circuits Reference Manual", by John Markus, Pub: McGraw Hill, p. 636
"Songs from the museum of the future: Russian Sound Creation (1910-1930)" by Mel Gordon, pp. 197-243, in "Wireless Imagination: Sound, Radio, and the Avant Garde", Eds Douglas Kahn and Gregory Whitehead, MIT Press ISBN 0-262-11168-3
Patents:
(DRP 443 536) Goldberg & Sohne Gmbh (Erfinder:Leon Theremin): Verfahren und Einrichtung zur Erzeugung von Tonen (Musikinstrument). Deutsches Reichpatentschrift Nr. 443 536, ausgegeben am May 4, 1927, patentiert seit 9. December 1924.
(DRP 567 233) Herzfeld, Hugo (Erfinder: Leon Theremin): Musikinstrument min Tonerzeugung durch hochfrequente Schwingungen. Deutsches Riechpatentschrift Nr. 567 233. Auggabe am 30. December 1932, patentiert seit 28, August 1927.
(AmP 1 661 058) Theremin, Leon: Method of an Apparatus for the Generation of Sounds. U.S. Patent Nr. 1 661 058, ausgegeben am 5, December 1925, patentiert seit 28, February 1928
Films:
 "Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey" (1994) - by Steve Martin (Not the comedian)
This must-see documentary features interviews with Leon Theremin, Clara Rockmore, Bob Moog, and more! The film was out
of print for a couple of years, but it's available on VHS or DVD.
- Microsoft® Cinemania Online® has a review of the movie.
- HotWired did a review of the movie. Read their article here. They also have a sample Quicktime movie from the film.
"Bartleby" (2001) - starring Crispin Glover
When the manager of a public records firm decides his staff of three could use some help, he hires Bartleby, the one and only candidate who applies for the job. But before long, the eccentric new employee creates an uproar by repeatedly defying his boss with the phrase "I'd prefer not to."
The soundtrack of this film features the theremin throughout, and the DVD contains an extra feature called "About the Theremin".
"The Delicate Delinquent"
- (1956) Starring Jerry Lewis. This movie has a short scene in which Jerry Lewis
accidentally plays a theremin as he walks past it. This film is available to purchase online
in the ThereminWorld store
"Pinnochio's Violin" - (1997) - Plutonium Films, 28.5 mins. Features a short introduction to the theremin, rare footage of The Art Baker Show "You Asked For It", interviews with Theremin performers Paula Mary and Dr. Samuel Hoffman (each B/W clip shows the artist playing their theremin). Also shown is a short visit to Gary Hoffman's house where Ross Marshall plays Samuel's Theremin ("The Song of An Indian Merchant"). Following is a selection of 3 classical pieces played by Ross Marshall, with many beautiful visuals.
This film is available from:
PLUTONIUM FILMS: 8055 Lankershim #2, N. Hollywood, Ca. 91605
Musical Scores:
"Computer cantata, for soprano, instrumental ensemble and two- channel tape recorder" - by Lejaren Hiller and Robert Baker. The "electronic ensemble" includes theremin (or Ondes Martenot of trautonium). Published by Bryn Mawr, PA, T. Presser, 1968, c1963. Duration, 22 minutes, 39 seconds.
"Suite for Theremin, Harp, Celeste and String Orchestra" - by Ira B. Kraemer. This piece was written for Lydia Kavina, and is dedicated to Lydia Kavina and the memory of Leon Theremin. Copyright 1996. approx. 20 min, 20 seconds. Check the website http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/3027 for more information about Mr. Kraemer's recordings. |
= Includes Transistor Schematic
