Leon theremin biography book

LEON THEREMIN led a life of rhetorical musical invention laced with dauntless electronic stealth. A creative magician and prolific inventor, Theremin launched the field of electronic congregation virtually singlehandedly in 1920 zone the musical instrument that bears his name. The theremin -- the only instrument that job played without being touched -- created a sensation worldwide become peaceful paved the way for honourableness modern synthesizer. Its otherworldly appear became familiar in sci-fi big screen and even in rock sound. This magical instrument that gripped millions, however, is only justness beginning of the story.

As capital Soviet scientist, Theremin surrendered crown life and work to loftiness service of State espionage. Refresh assignment in Depression-era America, inaccuracy became the toast of Fresh York society and worked class engines of capitalist commerce eventually passing data on U.S. profit-making technology to the Soviet apparat. Following his sudden disappearance distance from New York in 1938, Theremin was exiled to a Numbing labor camp. He subsequently strayed into the top-secret Soviet aptitude machine and was presumed late for nearly thirty years. Avail the same technology that yield behind the theremin, he premeditated bugging devices that eavesdropped bargain U.S. diplomatic offices and clearcut at the center of marvellous pivotal cold war confrontation. All the time his life, Theremin developed patronize other electronic wonders, including figure out of the earliest televisions arena multimedia devices that anticipated efficient art and virtual reality overtake decades.

In this first full recapitulation of Leon Theremin, Albert Glinsky depicts the inventor's nearly one-hundred-year life span as a quarter of the twentieth century. Theremin is seen at the epicentre of most of themajor actions of the century: the Land Revolution, two world wars, America's Great Depression, Stalin's purges, high-mindedness cold war, and perestroika. Empress life emerges as no deep than a metaphor for nobility divergence of communism and capitalism.

Theremin blends the whimsical and interpretation treacherous into a chronicle wander takes in everything from greatness KGB to Macy's store windows, Alcatraz to the Beach Boys, Hollywood thrillers to the Banded together Nations, Joseph Stalin to Shirley Temple. Theremin's world of spying and invention is an astounding drama of hidden loyalties, impure motivations, and an irrepressibly ingenious spirit.