The Art Of The Theremin

Clara Rockmore (Artist), Manuel de Falla (Composer), Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov (Composer), Henryk Wieniawski (Composer), Sergey Rachmaninov (Composer), Maurice Ravel (Composer), Camille Saint-Saens (Composer), Igor Stravinsky (Composer), Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky (Composer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Composer: Manuel de Falla, Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov, Henryk Wieniawski, Sergey Rachmaninov, Maurice Ravel, et al.
• Audio CD (December 14, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Delos Records
• ASIN: B0000006U6
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #64,206 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #92 in Music > Classical > Ballets & Dances > Waltzes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clara Rockmore and the Theramin, October 30, 2002

By 

Nancy Moran (Baltimore, Maryland USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Art Of The Theremin (Audio CD)

Imagine a virtuoso soprano with an unlimited upper range. Imagine a violin with the lower range of a cello. Imagine an instrument that allows for every nuance, for every slight embellishment, for every dynamic flourishment imaginiable.

This album consists of plain piano and plain theramin - no other orchestration.

The Theramin, as proved by Clara Rockmore, is capable of soaring song, of delicate melody, of pure expression.

Rockmore's performance is a pure joy and a testament to the versatility of the instrument. When she takes off in the higher registers, the only thing missing is diction. But she more than amply supplies it with her exploration of all the registers this instrument is capable of - she is also capable of exploring the theramin as a contralto.

This is an extraordinary album and well worth the price paid. Were it not for synthesizers and whatnot, the theramin would be envied as an instrument for virtuoso musicians.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a family member's perspective, November 7, 2006

By 

peter sherman - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Art Of The Theremin (Audio CD)

As a family member, I will not write a review of this album but rather provide a reflection upon Clara and her sister the pianist Nadia Reisenberg who perform together on this album. Even as a young kid sitting in Clara's Manhattan living room while the two sisters practiced these and other pieces, I was aware of the love between them that infuses every measure of what you hear. Clara and Nadia were musically inseparable. With the perennial Russian teas and cakes adding an aromatic backdrop, the ethereal sounds created a sensory-scape that could only be forged through long lives of shared love, respect and understanding between two people. This album represents much more than two virtuosi at the peak of their careers. This album is about connection between two people and the music they love, and between one another. Perhaps, this is a less known reason why people respond so emotionally to this album. I have witnessed how the music and the emotions that helped to create it are one and the same. Enjoy.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning work; essential recording of this instrument, April 8, 2002

By 

happydogpotatohead "happydogpotatohead" (New Orleans, LA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Art Of The Theremin (Audio CD)

This is, in my opinion, THE theremin recording to have in your collection. Ms. Rockmore's touch on the instrument is unbelievable. Her command of dynamics and pitch on this notoriously difficult instrument is impeccable, all the more considering that this was recorded when she was 76 years old! We can only wonder what it was like to see and hear her in the 1930s and 1940s, when Ms. Rockmore played the Theremin as a soloist with symphony orchestras.

On this recording, she is only accompanied by the sensitive piano playing of her sister, Nadia Reisenberg. The result is a quiet, intimate recording that ably showcases Ms. Rockmore's ability to serve the music through the instrument she so obviously loved. Ms. Rockmore treats the music with the touch of a true virtuosa. On any instrument, a performance this good would be amazing. On the theremin, the music attains a magical quality that's impossible to describe in words.

This is far from a novelty recording, and should be in the collection of any serious music lover.