MUS 191L Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Thaddeus Cahill, Telharmonium, Synthesizer
Document Summary
Music 191/l lecture #1 early electronic instruments. Invented by thaddeus cahill: 220 tons, 60 ft. long, 2 keyboards, looked like a power generator, occupied entire floor and basement, designed to broadcast music directly into homes, restaurants, and hotels via telephone. Installed in ny on 39th st. lines: revolutionary concept for the time, 1906: No radio, phonographs not yet mass marketed, no amplifiers. Performers had problems with the keyboard design - 36 notes per octave. Invented by leo theremin (musician/engineer), 1920: a lot of popular interest in the instrument, concert tours in russia, europe, came to ny, concerts in carnegie hall, still in use today, theremin"s business goal: Create an instrument that had a different sound and different method of playing. Inspired by meeting with theremin: played by pulling a string with one hand to manipulate pitch, volume and timbre controlled by a bank of switches, later designs added a keyboard.
