When it comes to music, you may think you’ve seen it all.
Whether it’s guitar, piano, violin, cello or flute, we all know what most instruments sound like—but have you ever heard of the theremin? If not, then let us introduce to you one of the weirdest and hardest instruments to play.
In a video uploaded by virtuosi Carolina Eyck on her YouTube channel, she plays an instrument without touching it.
It’s as if she’s just plucking notes out of thin air and is giving them life! As it turns out, she’s playing the theremin accompanied by her voice in an enchanting version of “Ecstasy of Gold.”
The theremin is an electronic musical instrument controlled without physical contact by the person playing it.
It is named after its inventor, Leon Theremin, who patented the device in 1928.
With over seven million views, the video starts with Eyck singing before adding different vocal patterns over time in a smooth crescendo.
Then the theremin enters, creating a mirage of forests and tranquility, of flowers and hope, of pristine waters and new beginnings.
The combination of her voice along with the mysterious sounds of the theremin makes for a truly enchanting performance!
German-Sorbian musician and composer Carolina Eyck was introduced to the theremin by her parents at the age of seven.
She took her first theremin lessons with Lydia Kavina, the protegee of Leon Theremin himself.
After her debut in the Berlin Philharmonie in 2002, she has been invited to concerts and festivals around the world.
It was not long before she was known as one of the best theremin soloists worldwide. She even got the attention of the Boston Globe, who wrote:
“If there’s anyone who can harness the theremin’s wild potential, it’s Eyck, who as a teenager developed her own method of playing the instrument.”
At the age of 16, Carolina developed a new precise playing technique called the eight-finger position technique.
She published the first extensive theremin method book entitled The Art of Playing the Theremin in 2006.
With this technique, the player can tune the theremin to their hand and rely on their finger positions, rather than correcting notes after they are audible.
This method is now being used by thereminists around the world and has revolutionized how the instrument is played.
For those who don’t know, Ennio Morricone was an Italian composer, orchestrator, conductor and trumpet player who wrote music in a wide range of styles.
With more than 400 scores for cinema and television, as well as more than 100 classical works, Morricone is widely considered as one of the most prolific and greatest film composers of all time.
His score to The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is regarded as one of the most recognizable and influential soundtracks in history.
It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The composer passed away last July 6, 2020, but performances like this one are keeping his legacy alive! If this one of a kind instrument has piqued your curiosity, be sure to check out Carolina’s website and YouTube account, where she also offers online classes. Even if you’ve never heard of a theremin until just now, it’s never too late to start learning!
Watch the entire haunting performance by clicking on the link below:
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
