Theremin : ether music and espionage / Albert Glinsky ; foreword by Robert Moog.
| Author/creator | Glinsky, Albert |
| Format | Book |
| Publication Info | Urbana : University of Illinois Press, ©2000. |
| Description | xvi, 403 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm. |
| Subjects |
| Series | Music in American life Music in American life. ^A223005 |
| Contents | Soviet power plus electrification -- The great musical wonder of our time -- Capitalism plus electrification -- A Theremin in every home -- The ether wave salon -- Alarms, magic mirrors, and the ethereal suspension -- "I. Leon Theremin" -- Yowsah, yowsah -- On the Yauza: screws, politicals, and Radio Street -- Free music: new waves on the home front -- Mailboxes and the invisible man -- In the vanguard: perfume, sci-fi, and hobbyists -- A One-room flat and the microstructure of time. |
| Abstract | A creative genius and prolific inventor, Leon Theremin almost single-handedly launched the field of electronic music in 1920. The theremin--the only musical instrument that is played without being touched--created a sensation worldwide and paved the way for the modern synthesizer. But the otherworldly sound that entranced millions was only part of Theremin's epic life. As a Soviet scientist, Theremin surrendered his life and work to the service of State espionage. On assignment in Depression-era America, he worked the engines of capitalist commerce while passing data on US industrial technology to the Soviet apparat. Following his sudden disappearance in 1938, Theremin vanished into the top-secret Soviet intelligence machine and was presumed dead for nearly thirty years. Using the same technology that spawned the theremin, he designed bugging devices and a host of other electronic wonders, including an early television and multimedia devices that anticipated performance art and virtual reality by decades. This biography places the inventor at world events stretching from the Russian Revolution through the Cold War to perestroika. Throughout, the author spins whimsy and treachery into an astonishing drama of one man's hidden loyalties, mixed motivations, and irrepressibly creative spirit. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (pages 343-373) and index. |
| LCCN | 00008024 |
| ISBN | 0252025822 |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Music | Music Stacks | ML429.T43 G6 2000 | ✔ Available | Place Hold |