Build A Better... um... Theremin?
When you're talking about orchestras and the instruments within them, there are a lot of legitimate questions that can be asked. (Why do we have trombones and bassoons, but no saxophones? Why clarinets but no harmonica? Why two violin sections and only one of cellos when the cello is without question a better instrument?) But I have to admit that the idea that we might be lacking some instruments that no one's even invented yet isn't something that I've spent a lot of time considering.
But apparently, someone has. And that someone has thousands of dollars lying around that s/he is willing to throw at inventors who come up with these incredible new noisemakers. Some of them are honestly pretty stupid and unpleasant-sounding (there are sound files of all the finalists on the Wired story I linked to above,) but some others (the Silent Drum and the Sorisu in particular) are instruments I wouldn't mind hearing worked into a larger ensemble.
After all, there's a history of using technology to enhance the orchestra. Messaien made extensive use of the oddly spacey ondes martenot, and the electromagnetic air guitar known as the theremin has become something of a cult favorite over the years. My only question is how long I have before someone decides that a Sorisu section would be a nice replacement for violas...
But apparently, someone has. And that someone has thousands of dollars lying around that s/he is willing to throw at inventors who come up with these incredible new noisemakers. Some of them are honestly pretty stupid and unpleasant-sounding (there are sound files of all the finalists on the Wired story I linked to above,) but some others (the Silent Drum and the Sorisu in particular) are instruments I wouldn't mind hearing worked into a larger ensemble.
After all, there's a history of using technology to enhance the orchestra. Messaien made extensive use of the oddly spacey ondes martenot, and the electromagnetic air guitar known as the theremin has become something of a cult favorite over the years. My only question is how long I have before someone decides that a Sorisu section would be a nice replacement for violas...
a theremin in action...
posted by Sam at
3:06 PM
1 Comments:
Finding new tools for making music is an interesting pursuit, if not often successful. While electronics have allowed an almost limitless ability to modify sound in interesting ways, it is always the musicality that seems most important to me. If the tool allows for an interesting bit of music, then it has done its job. If not, it is just a noisemaker.
That said, the theramin is a fun instrument, if crushingly difficult to play well due to the lack of feedback in any way other than audio (since you do not touch the instrument). Notable exceptions like Clara Rockmore should be mentioned, if only given her attempts to play classical works with such a non-classical instrument.
The MacArthur foundation must have liked Walter Kitundu's instrument hybrids enough to make him a fellow. James Patten and Ben Recht's Audiopad interface was an clever idea as well.
Personally, I'd like to see something performed with a Blaster Beam. It can't be any stranger than using canon fire during Wellington's Victory
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