The terpsitone was an
electronic musical instrument, invented by
Léon Theremin
Leon Theremin (born Lev Sergeyevich Termen rus, Лев Сергеевич Термéн, p=ˈlʲef sʲɪrˈɡʲejɪvʲɪtɕ tɨrˈmʲen; – 3 November 1993) was a Russian and Soviet inventor, most famous for his invention of the theremin, one ...
, which consisted of a platform fitted with space-controlling antennae, through and around which a dancer would control the musical performance. By most accounts, the instrument was nearly impossible to control. Of the three instruments built, only the last one, made by Theremin in 1978 for
Lydia Kavina
Lydia Evgenevna Kavina (; born 8 September 1967) is a Russian-British theremin player, based in Oxfordshire, UK.
The granddaughter of Léon Theremin's first cousin, Soviet anthropologist and primatologisMikhail Nesturkh Kavina was born in Mosco ...
, survives today. The instrument was named after the Greek muse of dance,
Terpsichore
In Greek mythology, Terpsichore (; grc-gre, Τερψιχόρη, "delight in dancing") is one of the nine Muses and goddess of dance and chorus. She lends her name to the word "terpsichorean" which means "of or relating to dance".
Appearanc ...
(from the Greek words τέρπω, "delight", and χoρός, "dance").
See also
*
Theremin
The theremin (; originally known as the ætherphone/etherphone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox) is an electronic musical instrument controlled without physical contact by the performer (who is known as a thereminist). It is named afte ...
References
*Mason, C. P. (1936)
Theremin "Terpsitone" A New Electronic Noveltyin ''Radio Craft'', Dec. 1936, p.365
*Saggini, Valerio (2004)
The Last Terpsitone on Earth
Inventions by Léon Theremin
Electronic musical instruments
Continuous pitch instruments
Russian electronic musical instruments
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