The ‘Electronde’ Martin Taubman, Germany, 1927

Martin Taubman play “Cinderella, Stay in My Arms.” on the Electronde in 1938. “Amazing act where Martin Taubman literally plucks a tune from the air by putting his hand before the electric waves coming out of his Electronde machine. It sounds something like a Hawaiian-style electric guitar. Martin uses some foot pedals to control the sound of the machine.” Video: British Pathé 12/12/1938 .

The Electronde was one of many developments of Lev Termen’s Theremin , in this case, a design by the Frankfurt inventor and showman, Martin Taubman. Taubman added a hand held switch for adding staccato envelope and a foot pedal for volume control. This allowed the Electronde to be able to produce notes with a sharp ‘plucked’ attack which was a significant advantage over the Theremin 1 Galpin, F. W. (1937). The Music of Electricity: A Sketch of Its Origin and Development. Proceedings of the Musical Association, 64, 71-83.
Taubman toured Europe with the Electronde during the 1930s.

References:

  • 1
    Galpin, F. W. (1937). The Music of Electricity: A Sketch of Its Origin and Development. Proceedings of the Musical Association, 64, 71-83.

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