A NEW MUSICAL BOX

Evening Star, Issue 19802, 28 February 1928, Page 11

A NEW MUSICAL BOX

WHITHER WILL IT LEAD? •The wonders of wireless have induced even the sceptic to believe in miracles (writes Margaret Sutherland, in the Melbourne ‘Argus’)- When we in Australia can sit back in our armchairs and listen, with every appearance of calmness, to “ London calling,” it would seem as if torpor must follow exao.ss'.of'Judulgonce in, excitement to enable us to'’recover‘''from its aftereffects. TAot so, however. We arc required to revive our flapping appetites for another .course, provided by Prolessor Leo Theremin, a Russian, who lias recently invented a new and amazing instrument by which he can draw from the air musical tones of whatever pitch, timbre, and duration he pleases, following a successful demonstration in Berlin, he recently took his modestlooking little box, with its rod projecting from the top, to London,, and there, before a private gathering, at the Savoy Hotel, he gave his first lesson on .“ how to got. music from the air.” There is apparently no end to the number of different- qualities of tone that can he produced by Professor Theremin. By moans of movements of his left hand in the air, holding a loop which comes from the side of tho box, lie produces differences of volume. With the rod in Ids right hand he varies tho pilch of each note. Air Ernest Newman, writing in the ‘Sunday Times,’ says; “The imagination is intoxicated by the musical possibilities latent in the invention.”

Jt is impossible to imagine every timbre possible in sound, or every quality which onr ears arc capable of detecting; but there is apparently no shade which cannot be produced by this instrument. Besides being able to imitate to perfection every known instrument, as well as the, human voice, it can be itself distinctly, and can. give every musical color outside the range of instruments or voice. _ The exact working of the invention is secret, but the system would appear to be something’similar to a magnetic field which, when disturbed hy the hands in certain ways, produces these sounds from the air. The very youth of both invention and inventor nmke prophecy at this juncture of little value. But it does seem, judging by the paucity of idea in recent composition, as il the end of present resources bad boon reached. Mr Newman says, again: “ livery addition to-the instruments in general use, and every improvement in the mechanism of the instruments lias in the past led not merely to the superficial exploitation of new color effects, but_ to a new vitalisation of the composer's imagination ; indeed, when wo survey the history of music and observe the regular operation of this law, the reflection arises whether the sterility into which art lias lately fallen may not he owing, in large part, fo the fact that a new development of the material for the making of music is long overdue." A peep into the future brings ns back to an interesting analysis of our present musical position. One asks oneself the question, “If sound of any range and any quality may he produced without reference to natural limitations of voice or instrument will it have for us the same charm as that which has had to conform to, or be dependent on, those limitations?” When one comes to think of it analytically, the whole of musical literature as wc know it lias been made possible only by courtesy of the compromise between the imagination of the composer .and the moans at his disposal. In many cases, indeed, it is this conflict which gives ns onr “thrill.” A certain emotional quality is brought into being which otherwise would be absent. The very restraint and tension necessary, for instance, in the human voice at a certain pitch give an emotional effect which adds immeasurably to the moment. Take this away and something—often very vita!—is lacking. One wonders whether it will have to go. and whether anything will arise to take its place? These and many other questions arise when an invasion so far-reaching threatens the musical world. But, perhaps, the little musical box will assert itself so cunningly and so unobtrusively in our music that the stream will be painlessly diverted, and we shall contentedly adapt ourselves to its course.