Waves in the Ether: The Magical World of the Theremin

Waves in the Ether: The Magical World of the Theremin

Track Listings

1. Lunar Rhapsody

2. Moon Moods

3. Lunette

4. Celestial Nocturne

5. Mist O' the Moon

6. Radar Blues

7. Toujours Moi [Always Me]

8. Tzigane [From Gypsy]

9. Possession

10. Ardent Nuit [Ardent Night]

11. Jet

12. Fame

13. This Room Is My Castle of Quiet

14. Darkness Gives Me You Again

15. Remembering Your Lips

16. My Troubles Float Away Like Fallen Leaves

17. Your Soft Hand on My Brow

18. I Dream of a Past Love

Tracks:

Lunar Rhapsody
Moon Moods
Lunette
Celestial Nocturne
Mist O' the Moon
Radar Blues
Toujours Moi [Always Me]
Tzigane [From Gypsy]
Possession
Ardent Nuit [Ardent Night]
Jet
Fame
This Room Is My Castle of Quiet
Darkness Gives Me You Again
Remembering Your Lips
My Troubles Float Away Like Fallen Leaves
Your Soft Hand on My Brow
I Dream of a Past Love

Customer Reviews:

Les Baxter, too!.......2007-02-25

This disc was formerly marketed as DR. SAMUEL J. HOFFMAN AND THE THEREMIN, a package of 3 individual discs replicating the very brief original 1947-50 albums, each one in its own sleeve, the whole of it priced at around $30 (at least, that's what I paid). The cover is that of the third album, a 1950 Billy May-directed project entitled MUSIC FOR PEACE OF MIND.

Much of the music here is fairly tame cocktail stuff - all of it composed by Harry Revel and nothing at all like the film work Dr. Hoffman had done in Hitchcock (and Dali)'s SPELLBOUND or would be called upon to do in the 1950s. The collection was a disappointment to me in that regard, but as I'm a Les Baxter fan and 2 of the 3 original albums were Baxter/Hoffman projects, I enjoy the opportunity to hear some of Baxter's pre-Nat Cole work.

The first album, MUSIC OUT OF THE MOON, is mostly doo-wah pop vocals. The theremin might double the vocal line or take an occasional solo. This album reminds me a bit too much of the "Wake the Town and Tell the People" type of Baxter.

The second album, PERFUME SET TO MUSIC, is unquestionably exotica in spirit. There's far more variety of sound and mood and Dr. Hoffman's theremin is put to better use. His solos are more free - anticipatory of the vocalise for which Baxter would become renowned in the 1950s with Yma Sumac. Nice! I know that at least one of these tunes, "Jet", was released on 45 at the time of this recording (on RCA Victor), billed as "Orchestra and Chorus under the direction of Leslie Baxter / Samuel Hoffman - theremin" since I myself have it. Its B-side was another Revel ditty entitled "Struttin' with Clayton" which is not included here - no great loss actually, but cause to wonder whether more might be out there somewhere.

The Billy May album may be my favorite of the three. The theremin is front and center from the outset. The ensemble playing is better. It's a good big band rather than the cocktail orchestra of the Baxter recordings. The piano work is stronger. Also, the sound is opened up - not so squelched as in the older Baxter projects. The whole thing is vigorous, if not quite as enchanting as the Baxter PERFUME recording.

An intriguing listen.

popular theremin music from the forties and fifties.......2005-11-29

This CD is actually a collection of three albums from the days when the theremin began appearing in American popular music. The first six tracks are from "Music Out of the Moon" from 1947; the next six tracks are from 1948's "Perfume Set to Music"; the last six tracks are from "Music for Peace of Mind" from 1950. The liner notes nicely document these releases and the people involved in each production.

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