December 2020 - Herb Deutsch


Herb Deutsch outside the Moog Music building in Asheville, NC
The December 2020 episode of the Theremin 30 Podcast features music from Sweden, the UK, and Switzerland. Rick's interview guest is synthesizer pioneer Herb Deutsch.


▶️ Listen to this episode on Anchor.




FEATURED MUSIC*

  • "Panis Angelicus" - Rewired Stockholm (Stockholm, Sweden)
  • "Kumo Dub" - Gaudi with Mad Professor (London, England, UK)
  • "Birdies" - Therminal C (Lausanne, Switzerland)
  • "A Burst of Colour" - Kevin Sinnott (Liverpool, England, UK)

    *The full-length recordings featured in this show were used with the knowledge and permission of the artists and composers. Please support the artists by visiting their websites, purchasing their recordings, and attending their performances. 

ADDITIONAL MUSIC

  • "Opera Glasses" - Phlogiston Theory & Ron Allen (Denver, CO / Seattle, WA, USA)
  • "Time Shadows" - Phlogiston Theory (Denver, CO, USA)
  • "No Static at All" - Phlogiston Theory (Denver, CO, USA)
  • Excerpt from "Longing" composed by Herb Deutsch (Massapequa Park, NY, USA), performed by thereminist Darryl Kubian (Browning Center, VT, USA) and pianist Nancy Deutsch ((Massapequa Park, NY, USA)

INTERVIEW GUEST

CALENDAR OF THEREMIN EVENTS

MEDIA LINKS

CONTACT

CREDITS 

Copyright 2020 Rick Reid 


--------------------------------------------

TRANSCRIPT

Please note: This is a machine-generated transcript that has not been manually edited. There will be numerous errors. Check back soon for a corrected version.


David Brower  0:04  
This is Theremin 3030 minutes of Theremin news, news events and interviews with a new episode about every 30 days. Now here's your host from Denver, Colorado, USA, Rick Reid.

Rick Reid  0:19  
Hello and welcome to America's number one monthly Theremin music podcast. In this episode, I'll play some great new music from rewired Stockholm goudy terminal C and Kevin Senate. And my special guest is synthesizer pioneer herb Deutsch, but we're not going to talk about synthesizers. Let's get the festivities started with music recorded 20 meters below ground in Sweden's first nuclear reactor from their new EP release. The r1 recordings here is rewired Stockholm with Panis angelicus or the bread of angels by French classical composer says are Frank

Rick Reid  7:21  
We started the podcast with classical music from wired Stockholm, featuring Martin Anderson on Theremin and Carl herdsmen on piano with the song recorded inside arwen Hall. It's part of the no longer operational nuclear reactor built in the 1950s below the kth Royal Institute of Technology. It's from rewired stockholms latest EP the r1 recordings available now on Spotify. After that, we heard Gowdy with mad Professor on a really fun track called kuhmo dub. It's from the recent gauti album 100 years of Theremin the dub chapter. You can listen to or download the whole album from all of the usual places including Bandcamp and Amazon. coming up in the next segment, I've got some ornithological music from Coralie a injure, so stay tuned.

Rick Reid  8:24  
Coralie a ginger has been a very active leader and innovator in the Theremin community for many years. Under her stage name terminal C. Quarterly released her first full length album this year. Song j is electronic or electronic dreams poorly tells me that the song I'm about to play for you was not multitrack she performed the melody accompaniment and sound effects all at the same time by linking her mug ether wave pro to modular synthesizers using control voltage. I love the title. This is called birdies.

Rick Reid  14:04  
That was birdies by terminal see from her 2020 album soldiers electronic you can buy a digital download of the whole album on Bandcamp also check out the Facebook group quarterly runs called Theremin and synth. I'll post a link to it in this month show notes. Coming up next I'll visit with my special guest herb Deutsch. So stay tuned.

Rick Reid  14:37  
If you haven't heard of herb Deutsch, he's a professor emeritus of electronic music and composition at Hofstra University. In the 1960s. He used his musical expertise to help Bob Moog develop the first mogh modular synthesizers, and that historic collaboration may not have happened. If it weren't for a shared interest in Theremin I reached her by telephone Just a few days ago to find out how it all happened. Herb Deutsch thank you so much for being on Theremin 30.

Herb Deutsch  15:07  
Well, you're welcome and it is a pleasure to be on with you. I look forward to talking with you.

Rick Reid  15:13  
I hope that your family is staying safe in this strange year we have and wish you the best for the holidays.

Herb Deutsch  15:20  
It is a strange idea that we're having but so far thank god things personally are going okay.

Rick Reid  15:28  
I first met you at knob con a few years ago when you got the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Herb Deutsch  15:33  
Oh, yeah, yeah.

Rick Reid  15:34  
That was all a synthesizer convention. I'm going to do something unusual today and we're not going to talk about synthesizers. We're going to talk about their amens.

Herb Deutsch  15:43  
Okay, I put them both in a world that I love.

Rick Reid  15:47  
Now you got your first Theremin? What around 1962 61?

Herb Deutsch  15:53  
Yes, I got my first Theremin. After reading Bob moulds article on the Theremin what it is and how to make it fascinated me very much because, of course, I knew what a Theremin was. I never had one. And so it was a fascinating thing to read. And as soon as I read it, I call his office. The phone number was given in the article. And I call that phone number. And of course his wife answered and I've probably said this a million times through a million people, but I did the same thing everyone else would do. And I said Bob Moog here and of course she she corrected me. He wasn't there, but she sent me a Theremin kit, which I believe cost me about $45.

Rick Reid  16:46  
You were a professor at Hofstra at the time, right?

Herb Deutsch  16:49  
Yes, yeah, absolutely. I had been a professor at Hofstra for what I did was in my second year of teaching, did

Rick Reid  16:56  
you use the Theremin in your classroom,

Herb Deutsch  16:58  
I used it to some degree once I had gotten it assembled. And then in fact, I bought another Theremin from Bob. And I used it in the classroom a little bit. The problem was getting it and the students to relate well enough to deal with ear training, which is what naturally you'd want to use the Theremin for the idea of sight reading and ear training.

Rick Reid  17:22  
When you were teaching. Did you introduce the Theremin two generations of students? Or was it just back in the 60s

Herb Deutsch  17:29  
I taught at Hofstra for 57 years. I did not retire from teaching until about five years ago and then the university four years ago actually. And I always taught at least once every semester, a course on the history of electronic music. You know the importance of the growth of electronic music and the music industry. And I always talked about the Theremin or had to play to show

Rick Reid  18:01  
you eventually did Meet Bob Mogae because of the Theremin. Is that right?

Herb Deutsch  18:05  
Oh, absolutely. After I made that phone call. I did Meet Bob Moke. And I was in my third year of teaching, but I was a kid. I actually met him at the New York State Education conference, which was going on in Rochester. So he was there to sell Theremin kits, I assume Yeah, Theremin Theremin kits. He was using a room and sharing it with water fear the guy had designed to but that's an odd combination. It was very interesting, because fortunately, no one was in that room at the time except Bob. And there were quite a few of them and sitting on stands. And there were also at least six or eight tubers sitting there looking very lovely. But the guy wasn't there. And he was in fact a tubist and had designed some evidently very good professional tumis which I don't know what happened with that world. Because we'll have to see very shortly became a member of the era mode company and started to work with Bob.

Rick Reid  19:14  
Now that led to you working with Bob on his modular synthesizers.

Herb Deutsch  19:19  
Oh yeah. I actually was called to go up there to look through and evaluate the development of the instruments. But I was still teaching at Hofstra and I live on Long Island. So I worked it out for a couple of years as a part time job where once every single week, I would fly up to ethica where the plant was, so I went back and forth and I continue that relationship until the mug company called me and asked me if I would be willing to go up there with more of a full Hi, i'm john. I was a member of the gray monk company until the end of the 1970s.

Rick Reid  20:09  
I've read and heard that even though Bob's focus went to the synthesizers for a very long period of time, obviously, that his first love you might say was the Theremin. Always had his hand in the Theremin somehow, yeah, at the same time.

Herb Deutsch  20:23  
Well, I don't know how much he had his hands in them well near them around them. Yeah, it was absolutely because

Rick Reid  20:34  
Did you ever have a chance in your professional career to either meet Professor Theremin or Clara rockmore or any of the other pioneers of the Theremin?

Herb Deutsch  20:43  
I almost met clever rock. almost almost because I did see Clara rockmore performed but I know I did not ever meet.

Rick Reid  20:55  
Let's talk about your song longing track on the Theremin 100 album that the New York Theremin society released? How did that song come about? What inspired you to write it?

Herb Deutsch  21:05  
What wired me to write it was really that I heard the potential beauty of the Theremin through listening to higher rock more. There was originally written for Theremin and piano. And then I expanded it for Theremin String Quartet. Recording I just on the album is feminine.

Rick Reid  21:32  
You had girl Caribbean, play Theremin. And it's got your wife Nancy on piano. How do you know Darrell? Was he a student of yours?

Herb Deutsch  21:42  
I met a bunch close in Asheville during your first major move.

Rick Reid  21:52  
What are the challenges and rewards of writing for Theremin it's quite a different instrument than your history and jazz in particular.

Herb Deutsch  22:01  
The reason it is related to my history and interest in jazz is because jazz in itself is really music which never totally locks itself on specific tones and uses the movement in and out of key periods of tension and excitement. That is really how I feel about what I feel about the Theremin is as it allows the player to approach his or her specific feeling about a tone and a melody and its direction. Because you really do it in air. And what that does is it makes your body physically relate to what your ear does when you're playing jazz. You're always improvising around the right notes. And that kind of thinking relates to the thinking of a Theremin.

Rick Reid  23:14  
I'm curious about why you had Darryl, perform Theremin on the recording rather than doing that yourself.

Herb Deutsch  23:21  
Because I never was that good. I mean, I still play my sermon. So I have one Theremin that I still use. But I don't play it every day. I don't sit down and say well, I'm gonna play a tune now. I enjoy playing the Theremin. I do play it quite frequently. I'd say the last couple of weeks I haven't been playing Theremin. But I've been playing music I've been playing on my flugel horn playing on three or four different mode synthesizers. But no, I haven't been playing my sermon that it's sitting right there.

Rick Reid  23:57  
Kind of wrapping up. So what do you think the future holds for Theremin music? Is it going to fade out or is it it's kind of on a big Renaissance right now? What do you see as a future of the pyramids and gesture controlled musical instruments?

Herb Deutsch  24:12  
Thurman has been of interest from a lot of people. Obviously, it's never been a popular instrument. But it's been an instrument that has given interest to a lot of people and I think it will continue that I cannot see that there would be any reason for it to not remain a fascinating instrument.

Rick Reid  24:31  
The Theremin 100 album features the herb Deutsch composition logging, and several other artists who have appeared on Theremin 30. It's still available from the New York Theremin society on CD vinyl or as a digital download. And no matter which version you buy, you get a bunch of downloadable bonus tracks. There's a link to the album in this month show notes. And herb Deutsch will be your virtual tour guide at a streaming event hosted by the Bob Moog Foundation and it's magium On December 13, there's a link to it on the Theremin 30 calendar. To wrap up this episode I'm going to play a track from the 2006 Kevin senate album, their remains of the world unite and takeover. I first heard Kevin's music about a decade ago when I started listening to David vessel's Sunday evening streaming radio show called spellbound, a brief program of music for Theremin it was Kevin, who performed the show's theme song. Sadly, that show ended with the death of David vessel several years ago, but it was my fond memory of spellbound that inspired me to launch this podcast last year. Here's Kevin Sennett, with a burst of color.

Rick Reid  29:10  
A big thank you goes to all of the artists who gave me permission to play their music in this podcast. Please buy their albums, watch their streaming events, and go to their shows when that's possible again in the near future. I also want to thank my special guest herb Deutsch for the great conversation. In the January episode, I'll have music from Finland based film score composer cap off left and in and the German duo brueckner and everlink. Until next time, I'm your host, Rick Reid, please wear your mask and follow the other public health rules where you live, so you can stay safe and we can all get together again soon. Happy Holidays.

David Brower  29:49  
You've been listening to the Theremin 30 podcast visit Theremin 30 on the web at Theremin three zero.com

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October 2020 - Thorwald Jørgensen

The October 2020 episode of the Theremin 30 Podcast features music from Italy, USA, and the UK. Rick's interview guest is classical thereminist Thorwald Jørgensen, who previews his forthcoming album "Air Électrique: Original Music for Theremin and Piano."


▶️ Listen to this episode on Anchor.




FEATURED MUSIC*

"Vanishing Point" - Timeless Sonic Factory (Rome, Italy)

"Afterlife Aria" - Divine Hand Ensemble (Philadelphia, PA, USA)

"One of Their Agents" - Simon Beck (London, England, UK)

"Halloween XVI" - Phlogiston Theory (Denver, CO, USA)

*The full-length recordings featured in this show were used with the knowledge and permission of the artists and composers. Please support the artists by visiting their websites, purchasing their recordings, and attending their performances. 


ADDITIONAL MUSIC

"Opera Glasses" - Phlogiston Theory and Ron Allen (Denver, CO / Seattle, WA, USA)

"Time Shadows" - Phlogiston Theory (Denver, CO, USA)

"No Static at All" - Phlogiston Theory (Denver, CO, USA)

Excerpts from the album "Air Électrique" - Thorwald Jørgensen and Kamilla Bystrova

INTERVIEW GUEST

Thorwald Jørgensen previews his new album with pianist Kamilla Bystrova, "Air Électrique: Original Music for Theremin and Piano."


CALENDAR OF THEREMIN EVENTS

Visit the Theremin 30 Calendar of Theremin Events for links and details of events mentioned in this episode. 


MEDIA LINKS

Get a free download of the Laurel Hill Cemetery Walking Tour Score by Divine Hand Ensemble.

The Theremin 30 Playlist on YouTube includes music videos and concert performances of songs featured in this podcast. 

CONTACT

CREDITS 


Copyright 2020 Rick Reid 

--------------------------------------------

TRANSCRIPT

Please note: This is a machine-generated transcript that has not been manually edited. There will be numerous errors. Check back soon for a corrected version.

David Brower  0:04  
This is there have been 3030 minutes of ceremonies, news events and interviews with a new episode about every 30 days. Now here's your host from Denver, Colorado, USA, Rick Reid.

Rick Reid  0:20  
Hey, welcome to Episode 19 of Theremin 30, the more or less monthly podcast devoted to Theremin music. In this October 2020 edition I've got a brand new track from Italy plus some Halloween music and my special guest is Tor wild Juergen son who will give us a sneak preview of his new classical music album that's due out in late November 1 up I've got a new single from timeless Sonic factory. That's the electronic music project of Italian thereminist or Rizzuto man seletti. His new album called vanishing point just came out a few days ago. And here is the title track

Rick Reid  6:12  
That was vanishing point title track of the new album by timeless Sonic factory, it's available to stream and download now in all the usual places.

Rick Reid  6:31  
It's time now for that Theremin 30 calendar of Theremin events. Of course, it's Halloween coming up this weekend so there has to be some Theremin shows in Japan and Moe will be performing at the Coby Big Apple. here in Denver, Colorado, USA the ichiko marching band has several socially distanced hollow mass concerts scheduled between October 30 and November 7. Also on Halloween Dorit Chrysler will lead an afternoon of Theremin workshops in Berlin, Germany few plans to have her new mobe Clara Vox Centennial Theremin set up for students to try out. On November 6 and December 4. band camp will waive its usual fees. So those are great days to purchase music for many of the artists that have been featured on the Theremin 30 podcast. And on November 8, Michelle Moga kusa will lead a virtual tour of the museum focusing on the early history of the big Briar company, you can find links to more information about all of these events on the Theremin 30 calendar at calendar dot Theremin thirty.com more just look for a link on the main page of the Theremin 30 website. And if you have an event you'd like on the calendar, send me the details through the website or the Facebook page. Coming up after the break. I've got some fun Theremin music for Halloween. So stick around.

Rick Reid  8:04  
Can I kind of didn't want to do a full Halloween themed show this year. With the pandemic and everything else going on. It just seems like there's enough scary stuff in the world already. But I couldn't let the holiday pass by completely. So here's a collection of music to put you in the Halloween spirit without getting too spooky. I'll give you the track details at the end of the set.

Rick Reid  17:44  
We started that set with afterlife Aria from divine hand ensemble that's part of a soundtrack to accompany a walking tour of the Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia. You can get that track as a free download. The link is in this month show notes. Next we heard one of their agents some groovy spy music by Simon back a multi instrumentalist from London, England. And we finished that set with an excerpt from an ambient piece called Halloween 16. It's on my own album titled moth to a flame. After the break, I'll visit with tour while you're concerned. Stay tuned.

Rick Reid  18:49  
Dutch thereminist Torvalds your grandson has a new album coming out in late November. He recently joined me from his home and hope as valuer North rabbits to give us all a sneak preview to our wild Juergen son, thank you for being on Theremin 30

Thorwald Jørgensen  19:04  
You're welcome. Lovely to be there.

Rick Reid  19:06  
So you've been rather busy during the pandemic. You've been recording a new album

Thorwald Jørgensen  19:11  
actually I recorded two new albums and added a movie. On November 20. My first album with original music for Theremin and piano will be released worldwide. So really happy and looking forward to that. And that's called air electric original music for Theremin piano.

Rick Reid  19:27  
Yeah, electric and you're joined by your usual piano partner, Camila strober.

Thorwald Jørgensen  19:32  
Correct. And we decided to do an album now because we both had the time because obviously with the corona situation work was not there anymore. So we just put together repertoire which we loved, rehearsed it and then went to the studio. We were lucky to have a label which wanted to record with us and to release it.

Rick Reid  19:50  
I'm curious about how you recorded were you in the pianist in the same room at the same time performing together or is this a multitrack thing

Thorwald Jørgensen  19:58  
because I play two instruments on one Pease that one is, of course multitrack. But how we did it is just basically as a concert, we record it in a beautiful concert hall in the Netherlands with very good acoustics. And we just had several microphones surrounding us. We just played our music and we recorded it basically live. And of course, we recorded several times. So it's edited together. The best takes are of course, obviously there is like a constant situation. We just played it and it was recorded.

Rick Reid  20:25  
You start the album and actually half the album is 10 preludes for Theremin and piano. How did you find this composition? And why did you choose it?

Thorwald Jørgensen  20:33  
Well, it was given to me by Lera. Auerbach, the composer, I play a lot of her music with orchestra. And I always liked what she wrote. And then all of a sudden, she said to me, Oh, look, I have this piece for Thurman, maybe you're interested in it. And I saw the score and immediately thought, Oh, my God, this is so cool. And I shared it to my pianist, and she had the same reaction. And we worked on it and we performed it several times. And we just fell in love with it, because it's such a good piece and it highlights the chairman as well as the PMO in a very good way, it gives a very good impression of what is possible if you combine both instruments.

Rick Reid  21:20  
The Theremin took on the characteristics reminiscent of the stringed instruments.

Thorwald Jørgensen  21:27  
That obviously is not the Theremin is what I do. I play certain pieces, which I think are this is really like a cello melody, I can imagine how a cello would play it. And then I tried to mimic it with a Theremin. And because this is imprinted so much into my brain, most of the time it goes automatically I don't even think about it. This just happens and it's just the way I play.

Rick Reid  21:53  
The next section of the album is Barry Barry me wind for voice Theremin and piano that's a composition by Joseph schellenger you have the added challenge of performing as a trio with Theremin piano and a wonderful vocalist it sound medicine Chico.

Thorwald Jørgensen  22:21  
When I started playing the Theremin, I was not only interested in Theremin, but also in his history. And for the first three, four years, I was extensively looking in all the archives all around the world for original music. And this was one of the first pieces written for chamber music with an electronic instrument. I think it was written in 1929 or 1930. So it's really besides being good music, a very interesting piece of history.

Rick Reid  22:54  
That track I found interesting and how both you and the vocalist sort of take turns being the center of attention.

Thorwald Jørgensen  23:02  
It really is not a duet, the vocal is the main part because she has the lyrics and the melody. But every now and then determine takes over and has a little cut of the melody. It was my challenge to try to mimic her voice as much as possible. And especially in the end of the piece when she doesn't seem worse anymore. But she seems like the main theme on an M like, it becomes very difficult to hear which one is Theremin and which one is voice. And I really love that part because it's very strange, but it's extremely beautiful. I really love this piece very much.

Rick Reid  23:39  
The one piece on the album that has been reported before is of course sweet for Theremin and piano by Lydia cabinet. She released it in 1999, I believe. And I just can't imagine how challenging it must be to play music that not only has been recorded by the composer, but has been recorded by Lydia cabinet.

Thorwald Jørgensen  23:59  
It's always a challenge to make your own version. And what I did is obviously I know Lydia's recording very well. But for this album, I really did not listen to it at all, because I really wanted to have our version. Obviously the melody and the harmony is the same, but the intention of what we do and the articulation and the phrasing is completely different. And the funny thing with music, if you have one piece of music, you can make it sound like 1000 different ways. And with this particular piece with sweet, we did our version, and I think it turned out pretty well.

Rick Reid  24:46  
On the next piece, we find out a little bit about you that a lot of people don't know that. You're also a percussionist.

Thorwald Jørgensen  24:56  
That's my first Well, I started out as a percussionist. How did

Rick Reid  24:59  
you go From percussion to Theremin,

Thorwald Jørgensen  25:02  
well, I studied classical percussion. percussion, of course, as an instrument group is amazing. You have all the colors in the world and you can do anything. Being in a symphony orchestra is fabulous. It's very cool. But I did it for a very long time. I still do it actually. Although not this year, of course, but as a percussionist in the symphony orchestra, it can be very boring because usually what you do is you sit for the entire Symphony. And if the fourth movement at the last eight bars or the last 20 bars, you stand up and you do boom, chick, boom, chick, boom, Ting, and you're finished. So that was to me, not satisfying, as much as I thought it would be. And I wanted to have more of a solo voice and then more of an expressive voice. And it's not that you're not can be very expressive on the marimba, or on percussion you can, but to me, I wanted something else. And then I heard Clara and fell in love. Not knowing what she played, I just fell in love with her phrasing. Then I found that was the Theremin. And I thought, this is the way to go. And I just opened the door, got in, close it and run as fast as I could with it. And I think it brought me a lot because I think it saved my musical life because otherwise I probably would have stopped making music because I was plainly bored doing it.

Rick Reid  26:15  
Tell me about this piece, fantasy for Theremin, xylophone and piano.

Thorwald Jørgensen  26:19  
That's a piece by Russian composer Valerie balloon. So unfortunately, he died very young. So he didn't have a big repertoire of compositions. But I was fortunate enough to find this composition. And being a percussionist. I was both interested in playing the Thurman and the xylophone part because both parts are very exciting, very challenging and beautiful. And what I liked about it is that it's an extensive Feat. It's not like two or three minutes. It's a long piece that has beautiful melodies. It has beautiful atmospheres, and I just wanted to record both my Theremin and my xylophone. In any case, my percussion is recorded one time professionally as a soloist.

Rick Reid  26:57  
I imagine that having started as a percussionist that you miss hitting things with it, there are many don't even get to touch it.

Thorwald Jørgensen  27:04  
making music is making music. What it is about is phrasing and interpreting and how can you make a piece of sound as best as you can with your own abilities. So if I do it on percussion, or if I do it with Theremin, or if I do it with singing, it doesn't matter. To me, it's the same. I am the instrument and I just have to, for instance, xylophone or Theremin, which I use to express my thoughts and my feelings in a musical way.

Rick Reid  27:31  
Now the last piece I thought was a really beautiful way to wind down the album kind of bring it back to the calmness that you started with Juliet for Theremin and piano

Thorwald Jørgensen  27:49  
After all, this drama, not that this piece doesn't have drama in it because it's also a little bit wild in the middle. We wanted something to cool down and really bring you back to normal life. There's a lot of atmospheres on this album with a lot of information with is really at what we tried to do is to cleanse all of what you heard and just ease

Rick Reid  28:08  
out of the album. How can people go online to find out about your new album air electric, original music for Theremin and piano.

Thorwald Jørgensen  28:17  
You can of course go to my website, which is store with your own sin.com and I do a lot on YouTube, Facebook. And if you just put in my name you will find me because not a lot of people are called Thoreau the organism.

Rick Reid  28:30  
It's easy. And the album comes out on November 20.

Thorwald Jørgensen  28:34  
Correct. It will be released in the Netherlands on the safeer level and worldwide it will be released on Naxos order your CD if you really want to have a physical CD or you can just go to Spotify or iTunes or whatever it will also be there.

Rick Reid  28:46  
Thank you so much for taking the time to visit with me about your new album. I wish you much success with it.

Thorwald Jørgensen  28:51  
Thank you so much. And thank you for having me.

Rick Reid  28:54  
And that's all the time we have for this October 2020 edition of the Theremin 30 podcast. I want to thank timeless Sonic factory divine hand ensemble and Simon Beck for sharing their music. And a big thank you goes to Torvalds jurgenson for letting us be among the first to hear about his new album, air electric. There's a link to his website in the show notes. And I've added a live video performance of one of the songs from the album on the Theremin 30 YouTube playlist. If you've got an original Theremin recording you'd like me to play in the next podcast, contact me through the Facebook page or the website. And if you enjoyed the show, please share it with your friends. Purchase music from the featured artists and support the sponsors that help keep this podcast in the ether. Until next time, I'm your host Rick Reid, stay safe, wear a mask and try to keep other people out of your control zone.

David Brower  29:50  
You've been listening to the Theremin 30 podcast visit Theremin 30 on the web at Theremin three zero.com

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September 2020 - Mike Beauchamp



The September 2020 episode of the Theremin 30 podcast features music from the UK, Brazil, Japan, and Canada. Rick Reid's interview guest is Mike Beauchamp, designer of the Therevox electronic musical instrument. 






FEATURED MUSIC* 

"A Rare Request of Theocentric Heaven" - Alexx Mazonowicz (Birmingham, UK) 
"1972 (version 2)" - Andmo' (Kawabe-gun, Hyogo, Japan) 
"Teia" - Teia (
São Paulo, Brazil
)
"Live @ Eastern Bloc 2017/07/03" - Pat McMaster (Montreal, QC, Canada)

ADDITIONAL MUSIC 

"Opera Glasses" - Phlogiston Theory (Denver, CO, USA) and Ron Allen (Seattle, WA, USA)
"Time Shadows" - Phlogiston Theory (Denver, CO, USA) 
"No Static at All" - Phlogiston Theory (Denver, CO, USA)
"Therevox and Red Panda" - Mike Beauchamp, Mark Calcott, David Bergeron
"Therevox ET-4, Ableton and EH 2880 Synth Jam" - Martin Schiller (Windsor, ON, Canada)
"Untitled Therevox Improvisation" - Chris Koltay (Detroit, MI, USA)
"Vocalise" - Mark Calcott (Windsor, ON, Canada)

INTERVIEW

Mike Beauchamp is the designer of the Therevox electronic musical instrument. Learn more on the  Therevox website and Instagram page. 

CALENDAR OF THEREMIN EVENTS

Visit the Theremin 30 Calendar of Theremin Events for links and details of events mentioned in this episode. 

MEDIA LINKS

The Theremin 30 Playlist on YouTube includes music videos and concert performances of songs featured in this podcast. 

CONTACT

CREDITS 


Copyright 2020 Rick Reid 


---------------------------------------

TRANSCRIPT

Please note: This is a machine-generated transcript that has not been manually edited. There will be numerous errors. Check back soon for a corrected version.

David Brower  0:04  
This is Theremin 3030 minutes of Theremin music news events and interviews with a new episode about every 30 days. Now here's your host from Denver, Colorado, USA, Rick Reid.

Rick Reid  0:19  
Hello and welcome to the 18th episode of the Theremin 30 podcast, the only monthly Theremin music podcast in the entire world at least until somebody convinces me otherwise. In this September 2020 edition. I've got new music from Brazil, the UK and Japan and my special guest is Mike Beauchamp, designer of the Thera box electronic musical instrument. Let's get started now with thereminist Alex mehsana Vich with a wonderful track he produced just a few months ago in his home studio in Birmingham, England. This is called a rare request of theocentric heaven

Rick Reid  9:45  
We started that set with music by Alex Musonda Vich Alex compose produced and played all of the instruments on a rare request of theocentric Kevin. Then we heard a single edit of a new track called 1972 by the Japanese band and him Oh, featuring say, oh Rico Jima, Makoto Kikuchi and guest musician, so Tarot Kiera, you can watch antimo were formed the full length version of 1972 in the Theremin 30 playlist on YouTube. coming up soon I've got experimental music from Brazil. And later in the show I'll visit with Canadian instrument designer Mike Beauchamp so stay tuned.

Rick Reid  10:36  
Now it's time to take a look at the Theremin 30 calendar of Theremin events. Lydia Cavanagh continues her weekly online Theremin workshops every Sunday from Oxford, England. Andrew Levine has a bunch of live performances scheduled for mid October in Hamburg, Germany, and a band we heard earlier in the show and mo will be performing at the Big Apple and Kobe, Japan on Halloween night October 31. For details on all of these events, follow the links at calendar dot Theremin thirty.com. And to get your Theremin related events on the calendar and mentioned in the podcast, send me all the details through the contact form on the Theremin 30 website or on the Facebook page. Now let's listen to some fascinating experimental music by the Brazilian duo Taya. This track is also called Taya which means web in Portuguese

Rick Reid  16:30  
That was Taya featuring thereminist Juliet elisse and vocalist Ynez teta from their current album, which is also called Taya, and can be downloaded from bandcamp. You can learn more about Taya and all of the artists that appear on this podcast by clicking on their names in this month show notes at Theremin thirty.com. After the break, I'll visit with my special guest Mike Beauchamp, designer of the Thera box electronic musical instrument, so stay tuned.

Rick Reid  17:16  
In the olden days before the pandemic, I used to use my vacation time to travel to a few different music conventions and trade shows. One of the coolest instruments I got to try out at a couple of the events was the Thera box. The Thera box is made in Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada, which is not far from Detroit, Michigan. its inventor is Mike Beauchamp and he is my special guest this month. Thank you so much for being on Theremin 30.

Mike Beauchamp  17:41  
So happy to be here Rick sights man.

Rick Reid  17:43  
A few years ago, I was at mcg best, and I saw one of your instruments called the Theravada ox and I was really fascinated with it. Can you tell our listeners what is a Thera box

Mike Beauchamp  17:53  
This box is an instrument that I've been making for a really long time. The current model that you saw at moogfest is sort of my interpretation of an own Martino mixed with a classic synthesizer say like a Korg, Ms. 20, or Mini Moke. The unmarked uno is playing with your finger through a ring that's connected to a string, and your finger is underneath sort of like a mock keyboard that has divots for each semitone. So you're moving the pitch by moving your finger to these divots. And underneath your left hand is a touch sensitive piece that moves up and down and it controls the amplitude that's sort of equivalent to like what your left hand would be doing with a Thurman but it offers sort of like a squishy resistance. So you're not just moving your finger but you're pushing down harder and harder to make the sound go louder. And on the third box, specifically, I have two of those and two separate oscillators. So you're playing two voices at the same time and one of them can be disconnected from the ring. So it can be like a preset pitch. So it doesn't always have to follow the ring and it can sort of play accompaniment or bass notes at the same time.

Rick Reid  19:02  
Now how does the their evox relate to the Theremin besides the similarity in names,

Mike Beauchamp  19:09  
so I guess that's what I'd have to go back to the history of it. Probably back in the 90s I was playing like an indie rock band. And on stage I had a single antenna thirimanne I believe I got it from a company called Thoreau maniacs and was mostly kind of using it for sound effects at the time through like a tape echo. As I got more familiar with it, I was sort of starting to play more melodic small sections and quickly realizing that it's a very hard instrument to play. Well sort of trying to play guitar at the same time. There's too many things moving around. So it's very hard to get pitch right. So I kind of abandoned that. And then on Saturday Night Live I think it was I saw Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead playing and this was I think, just when QA came out, what I didn't know at the time he was playing an on Martino. All I saw was a shot of him making a very sermon like sound But his finger was in this metal ring. And he was moving his finger on this mock keyboard and pointing to the notes he won. So, you know, I had no idea what that was. So I went down into my parents basement, and probably in the next year, I started building sort of what I thought this thing was. So I took like an old function generator circuit. And I took a washer from a hose, the little green plastic washer, and that's what I put my finger around, and I put some string around it and I had this instrument that did kind of what I needed it to do. And so I guess that's why I called it a thorough Vox because, you know, I was going for the voice of a Thurman. I'd say that was maybe 2001. And I put it up on my personal website at the time, and I had gotten an email from somebody and he ran a website that was dedicated to the instrument, the electro thirimanne. Are you familiar with that one,

Rick Reid  20:52  
Rick, Paul Tanner, I think made that for the Beach Boys.

Mike Beauchamp  20:56  
Yeah, so after he messaged me, then I sort of had an idea for him. I'm like, Wow, so there was an instrument. It's a continuous pitched instrument. So then I started building things more similar to Paul Tanner's electro Theremin and that's sort of when the name thermo hawks kind of stuck because it made sense. So probably for the first 1012 years I was building small batches for people mostly in Beach Boys cover bands of one off electro Thurman's, then I stopped doing it or in 2007 and then I started learning about the en Martino and then I sort of went back to the original bring design and then came back to the on Martino sort of interface because I do think that made more sense compared to potaters electrode Theremin,

Rick Reid  21:42  
the Onde Martenot and the Theremin although they were developed independently at roughly the same time period, they both use hetero dining to create their sound. Did you incorporate that into your instrument

Mike Beauchamp  21:55  
is definitely one of the things that I tried because of the accuracy required on the own Martino I just found the the stability over temperature and overtime just wasn't there unless you sort of retune the instrument pretty regularly. So I went with a more traditional analog VCO type circuit that you find in like a synthesizer from the 70s.

Rick Reid  22:18  
What does the Thera Vox sound like?

Mike Beauchamp  22:22  
thermoblock sounds very sort of ethereal, angelic. But then it can also sound scary as hell. One person sort of described it as being able to do with the sound of a like air raid siren. When you do hear in films like The Handmaid's Tale, it's sort of just this pitchy dramatic reverb drenched, you can play it in a way that can sort of make things sound like they're not going quite right. That's the amazing flexibility that you have with an instrument that is a continuous pitching. You're not constrained, you know, but it can also be played just beautifully in vocally. And again, sort of similar to

Rick Reid  23:15  
what is the 85 model that you're working on

Mike Beauchamp  23:18  
the 84 I designed in 2010 2011. And I've been making that for eight or nine years now as sort of collecting feedback from people that use it over time on little extra features that they thought that it should have. Last year, I went to California and got to meet with some customers there. And while I was talking to them, I was sort of making notes of all the suggestions that they had with this instrument. And on the flight back, I think all six or seven hours, I was just scribbling away in my notebook with ideas for this instrument. And I came back this year, and I'm in the process of finishing up the first prototype, it's very similar to the 84. It's just every part of the deform is being sort of reconsidered. And it's being improved if there's a way to improve it. Small things that didn't get used by people are being removed in favor of new features that people have suggested that I think they're going to use. And the idea is to sort of just take what the 84 was, but to just continue it And further it and make it better.

Rick Reid  24:18  
Now, is this something that I can just walk into a store and buy? Or do you make the instrument as they're ordered?

Mike Beauchamp  24:24  
since I've started making the 80 fours, there's always been a waiting list. And sometimes it's been short, where if somebody needs one right away, I can get it to them within a month. But we have had to deal with a few stores. Noise bog in Los Angeles carries them when I do have stock so you can order them directly from them when I do have enough available for them.

Rick Reid  24:44  
So if somebody is interested in purchasing one of your instruments, and you've got this 85 in the works, can they get on a new waiting list for the new instrument right

Mike Beauchamp  24:52  
now I'm taking names for the 85 waiting list and I'm also sending out an email to everybody every month or so. So to kind of let them know how the developments coming and asking for feedback, and they can just go to Theremin fox.com, they won't see anything about the 85 yet, but you can just contact me through there. And you can see all the details for the 84 to kind of give you an idea of what the instruments are and what the price ranges are and what kind of features there are.

Rick Reid  25:18  
That's th e r e vox.com.

Mike Beauchamp  25:23  
Exactly. The other thing I want to mention to Rick, I'm gonna put up on our Instagram page, a copy of the book. I have it right here. It's called us conductors. Have you heard of that book?

Unknown Speaker  25:32  
I have.

Mike Beauchamp  25:33  
I think your listeners would really like it because of the sermon content. So I have a copy of this. I've read it. It's an awesome book, and I'm gonna put it up on Instagram for your listeners. And if they want to just drop their name in the comments. I'll pick a one to win the book and I'll mail it out to them.

Rick Reid  25:50  
Oh, that sounds great. Thank

Mike Beauchamp  25:51  
you. The Instagram page is Thoreau evox Hq that's th er e Vo x underscore HQ. Mike, thanks

Rick Reid  25:59  
so much for coming onto the podcast to tell us about the Thera box.

Mike Beauchamp  26:03  
Yeah, thanks, Rick. I really appreciate it.

Rick Reid  26:06  
To learn more about the Thera box and to follow Mike's Instagram account for a chance at snagging that book you mentioned follow the links in this month show notes. Unfortunately, we don't have time to squeeze in another full song. So I'm going to finish out the show with an excerpt from a live improvised performance by Thera box player Pat McMaster, you can watch the video of his full performance on the Theremin 30 YouTube playlist.

Rick Reid  28:44  
And that is all the time we have for this September 2020 edition of the Theremin 30 podcast. I want to thank Alex mehsana Vich Taya and mo and pat McMaster for sharing their music. And of course, Mike Beauchamp for telling us all about the Thera box. Coming up in the October episode we'll get into the Halloween spirit a bit with music from Simon Beck, the divine hand ensemble, and maybe you if you've got an original Theremin recording you'd like me to play in the podcast, contact me through the Facebook page or the website. And if you've been enjoying the podcast over the last year and a half, I would really be grateful if you would recommend it to your friends. I'm trying to decide if I want to continue the show after the Theremin 100th anniversary wraps up at the end of this year. helping me to attract a bigger audience and more Theremin recording artists would be an effective way to twist my arm. You can also drop a small gift in the virtual tip jar on the website. No tip is too small or too big for that matter. Until next time I'm your host Rick Reid Remember to wear a mask in public and try to keep people out of your control zone.

David Brower  29:51  
You've been listening to the Theremin 30 podcast visit Theremin 30 on the web at Theremin three zero.com

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August 2020 - Agnes Paz and Paulo Pascual

The August 2020 episode of the Theremin 30 podcast features music from Chile, Spain, and England. Rick Reid's interview guests are Agnes Paz and Paulo Pascual, co-hosts of the Facebook Live video series Electromagnetic Interviews from Planet Theremin.




FEATURED MUSIC*
"Air Glow" - Modulador de Ondes (Vigo, Spain)
"Second State" - Agnes Paz (Santiago, Chile)
"They Spoke of Comets" - Chris Conway (Leceister, England)

*The full-length recordings featured in this show were used with the knowledge and permission of the artists and composers. Please support the artists by visiting their websites, purchasing their recordings, and attending their performances.

 ADDITIONAL MUSIC
"Opera Glasses" - Phlogiston Theory (Denver, CO, USA) and Ron Allen (Seattle, WA, USA)
"Time Shadows" - Phlogiston Theory (Denver, CO, USA)
"No Static at All" - Phlogiston Theory (Denver, CO, USA)


INTERVIEW
Agnes Paz and Paulo Pascual host Electromagnetic Interviews from Planet Theremin every Thursday through September on these Facebook pages:
CALENDAR OF THEREMIN EVENTS
Visit the Theremin 30 Calendar of Theremin Events for links and details of events mentioned in this episode.

MEDIA LINKS

CONTACT

CREDITS 


Copyright 2020 Rick Reid

---------------------------------------

TRANSCRIPT

Please note: This is a machine-generated transcript that has not been manually edited. There will be numerous errors. Check back soon for a corrected version.

David Brower  0:04  
This is Theremin 30, 30 minutes of ceremonies, news events and interviews with a new episode about every 30 days. Now here's your host from Denver, Colorado, USA, Rick Reid.

Rick Reid  0:19  
Hey there, welcome to the 17th episode of Theremin 30. Quite possibly the world's only monthly podcast for Theremin music lovers everywhere. This month I've got a new track from Chris Conway and my interview guests are Agnes paws director of the electromagnetic festival in Chile, and Paolo pesc. Wall owner of planet Theremin studio in Spain. They have a great new Facebook Live program made especially for Spanish speaking Theremin enthusiasts, and they'll tell us all about it. Let's start the show with music from both Agnes and Paolo. First up is a track from Paulo Pascal's trio project. My doula door de owned us this is called airglow

Unknown Speaker  5:25  
fluidly remain

Unknown Speaker  5:28  
simple

Agnes Paz  5:31  
simply listen use externals at all.

Agnes Paz  5:39  
The focus is ours is on EOS externos EDM disperses. The water is now liquid, it flows freely

Unknown Speaker  5:57  
fill the water around.

Agnes Paz  6:00  
Field external sounds around lead to some external sounds and waters guide your steps

Rick Reid  10:00  
We started the show with air glow from the 2018 album release planet a Theremin by my doula door de owned us, featuring Paolo Pasquale on Theremin you can get a free download of the entire album on Bandcamp I've put a link to it in this month's show notes at Theremin thirty.com. Next we heard an excerpt from second state by Agnes paws. It's part of the soundtrack to an experiential sound art project called triple point that Agnes created for the acts of air online exhibition that premiered last month. You can experience her art piece anywhere in the world by streaming her music and instructions while taking a 100 minute walk that starts at a source of water. I've included a link to the project in this month's show notes. I'll be visiting with Paolo and Agnes later in the show. But first I've got some new music from Chris Conway, so stay tuned.

Rick Reid  11:05  
Now it's time to take a look at the Theremin 30 calendar of Theremin events. Robert Meyer will be performing on the beach and Xena Wits Germany on Wednesday, August 19. And on August 27. Susana v Leon ma will provide live musical accompaniment to an outdoor dance film screening at the park Keno festival in Finland and Lydia cabina continues her weekly online Theremin workshops every Sunday. You can check out the calendar anytime by going to calendar dot Theremin thirty.com. And if you have an event you'd like added to the calendar send me a note with all the details. Now let's listen to an improvised multitrack performance from the multi talented multi instrumentalist Chris Conway from Leicester, England. This is called they spoke of comets

Rick Reid  19:17  
You just heard they spoke of comments from Chris Conway. A small portion of that track is layered into Chris's wonderful new album Tokyo trip, Chris traveled from England to Japan to see a pop music concert. right around the time that pandemic shutdown was getting underway earlier this year. He collected several field recordings throughout the trip. He took them home and blended them with some new ambient music compositions. I think the result is really cool. You can listen to Tokyo trip and buy a CD or download from his website. Just click on Chris's name and this month show notes. After the break Agnes paws and Paolo pesco will tell us all about their new Theremin interview series streaming on Facebook. So stick around

Rick Reid  20:23  
Agnes paws in Santiago, Chile, and Paolo Pasquale in Vigo, Spain have teamed up for a new live streaming video program for Spanish speaking Theremin enthusiasts. I visited with Agnes and Paolo recently, and since I only know a poketo amount of Spanish and Paolo knows about that much English, I had Agnes also serve as translator for us, Agnes and Paolo. Welcome to Theremin 30 I'm so glad you took the time to speak with me

Agnes Paz  20:50  
today. Hello, thank you very much for the invitation. First of all,

Rick Reid  20:57  
I'd like to have you introduce yourselves to our listeners, starting with you Agnes, can you tell me a little bit about your background with the theorem and then what you're doing now in Chile,

Agnes Paz  21:06  
I say it's about myself. I am a sound Explorer, and thereminist I am now full time dedicated to play and to make some concerts and workshops for people who want to learn about Theremin and also I'm work as a cultural manager and I am the director of the festival electromagnetic this international Theremin festivals that we're making here since 2013. And we already made four versions and this year we supposed to do the festival number five but of course by obviously reasons it's has to be suspended

Rick Reid  21:55  
Paulo Tell me about your background and experience with the Theremin I know you're in several different groups my doula door day on this also film a company event project I believe it's called 16 millimeter see

Agnes Paz  22:07  
in practice in a story that's separate or different is

Agnes Paz  22:12  
involved in very different projects in many different projects. But for now he's more playing by here sample like a solo repertoire planeta.

Agnes Paz  22:25  
Theremin is local. by contemporary Okay,

Agnes Paz  22:31  
lanita Theremin is a place Pablo has in Vigo in Spain, where he teach lessons to people who are interested in Thurman. And also it's his studio where here we here so and where he has enough space to make their headset with the video productions and also he made some meetings and like small geeks with other feminists there and but for now because the quarantines everything is going online. Tell me about your new project which

Rick Reid  23:13  
is called anthro VISTAs electromagnetic

Agnes Paz  23:17  
intervista electromagnetic is the is the planet that Theremin is a very long name in English. And in Spanish to his electromagnetic interview from planet Theremin is like making mix with boats project that we have that is something that we create sinking in the part about the circumstances we experienced now with the lockdown that people cannot go to concerts and to geeks and to see music also because is 100 years of creation of Theremin. So we already see some projects on the internet. What started Dorit Chrysler past year with the compilation and some other project like from Theremin times that they made interview and thinking more on the people who speak Spanish we create this alternative and also in a way to show what happened with the thirimanne in South American Spain because we have many musicians who are dedicated to Theremin and who have very interesting projects and they don't vary know from one country to another. So that is why we start to make this transmissions which we're making every Thursday at 3pm in Santiago by you can see us on Facebook Live lanessa Theremin also on Facebook of festival electromagnetic Have

Rick Reid  24:54  
you done three episodes so far?

Agnes Paz  24:56  
Yes. The first one was with Manuel shallot. So very talented thereminist from Argentina. The second one was with Julia Tillis from Brazil. And yesterday, we have Romina telone from Chile. And for like our fears plan is nine episodes from July 13 to the last one will be on September 24.

Rick Reid  25:23  
What's been the most pleasant experience or the pleasant surprise so far in hosting your video interviews

Paulo Pascual  25:29  
with me, but I mean, if kotera there

Agnes Paz  25:34  
was some other thereminist and other music made by Theremin and have the possibility to know more about the thereminist and also that you can speak and share knowledge and experiences, even like the music's approach are very different from one terminates to another.

Rick Reid  25:58  
How about the technical challenges? Agnes? What are some difficulties you had to overcome that might help other people who want to do streaming video interviews like yours?

Unknown Speaker  26:07  
Oh,

Agnes Paz  26:07  
you need to very good video cards on your computer. And good connection to internet because actually, it's not so hard, you have good programs where you sync OBS to make the transmissions so we connect by jitsi for the part where we talk and what we decided to do to have more stability for the musical person part is record this means the concerts previously because sometimes you have to delay a little bit delay on Facebook or something. So to avoid that we prefer to record previously

Rick Reid  26:51  
Do you invite your viewers and listeners to donate to you to help cover the cost and help support you as you spend your quarantine time your pandemic time doing this work to host the show?

Agnes Paz  27:07  
Oh yes, we do. Actually we create a page on coffee coffee.com slash agonists pass also like the idea to the program to make some money to share with all the musicians who we invite on to our program and actually also for us like musician or on organisers and that's donations is not only donations because we will make a price contest with all the people who will donate and we have CDs and some beans and postcards and posters from the festival electromagnetic

Rick Reid  27:47  
Tell me again how people can listen to your program intravenous does electromagnetic something something

Agnes Paz  28:00  
electromagnetic as there's the planeta Theremin you can follow us by Facebook, you can follow planet Theremin and also festival electromagnetic on Facebook. And you can see every Thursday or program there by Facebook Live and also we leave their videos of our previous program but always is better to see the programs on Thursday because sometimes Facebook have copyright issues that after the transcriptions she needs part of our videos

Rick Reid  28:38  
watch it live in vivo

Agnes Paz  28:41  
in vivo my couldn't be more

Agnes Paz  28:44  
thank you very much grace yes

Rick Reid  28:46  
for the tmo you know almost every word in Spanish that I know now.

Agnes Paz  28:57  
Thank you very much to you. And congratulation because your podcasts because it's very interesting. I really like

Agnes Paz  29:06  
thank you grace

Rick Reid  29:07  
yes and point sts

Agnes Paz  29:10  
when I started

Rick Reid  29:14  
if you'd like to catch a live episode of electromagnetic interviews from planet Theremin, just follow the Facebook links in this month's show notes. And that is all the time we have for this August edition of the Theremin 30 podcast. A big thank you goes to Chris Conway, Agnes paws and Paolo patzcuaro for sharing their music and for Agnes and Paolo for being part of my first attempt at a three continent to language interview. Until next time, I'm your host Rick Reid, remember to wear a mask in public and to try to keep other people out of your control zone.

David Brower  29:50  
You've been listening to the Theremin 30 podcast visit Theremin 30 on the web at Theremin three zero.com

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