Banjo Jack in Catonsville, Maryland writes:
Hi, Patrick – Your video on your new Theremin and approach to playing it inspired me to send you a silly poem I wrote a few years ago. My dad made one for me when I was a kid, but I never worked to master it. This is one of a number of silly poems I posted at http://forums.familyfriendpoems.com/djackmac. I love your videos and approach to music – keep it up!
To my knowledge there has never been A poem about the Theremin The what? You rightfully ask To explain it now becomes my task Well, to be concise It’s an electronic device Full of capacitors and more Resistors and diodes and an oscillator Two antennae make it complete One for each hand; isn’t that neat? (If you prefer, you may use your feet) One controls volume, the other the pitch It produces a sound that is eerie and rich (But some folks find it makes them twitch) An instrument the player doesn’t touch You’d expect it not to sound like much No calloused fingers or embouchure dystonia As is typical with instruments of symphonia It makes music not to be found Among orchestras of renown Not likely to hear it in a church yard But in sci-fi movies and the avant-garde It should be spelled with a capital ‘t’ Since it’s the name of a man, you see Leon Theremin lived in the Soviet Union And started an aural revolution Now there’s a poem about the Theremin My task is done, so I’m turning in.