Theremin

Invented by the Russian physicist and musician Lev SergeyevichThermen (Léon Theremin) in 1920, the theremin was one of the first electronic musical instruments. Unlike conventional instruments, the player does not touch the Theremin. The performer moves their hands through electromagnetic fields generated by two antennas: one controls pitch and the other volume. Subtle changes in hand position produce the instrument’s ethereal sound.

In 1929, the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) produced the first theremins made in America, making it one of the first electronic instruments available for home use. Approximately 500 were made by RCA in 1929, of which around 120 survive. Marketed as a symbol of technological modernity, it reflected widespread fascination with radio, electricity, and the promise of a future reshaped by novel technologies.

Although the challenges of learning to play the theremin accurately and the instrument's high price, which was underscored by the Great Depression, kept it from achieving mass popularity, the theremin profoundly influenced the development of electronic music. Its otherworldly sound later became associated with science fiction films, avant-garde experimentation, and ongoing explorations of the relationship between the human body and musical technology.

The sound of the theremin is projected by a speaker or amplifier. The distictive diamond-shaped example shown with this instrument is a replica of those designed by Theremin in the 1930s and was made by Floyd Engels.