Masami Takeuchi, a Japanese thereminist invented Matryomin in 1999 – a theremin built into a traditional Russian wooden doll, Matrioshka.
Matryomin is a pitch controlled theremin capable of a five octave range. Masami Takeuchi tells us that the distance of 1 octave at Low-Middle range is pretty much the same as with Moog’s Etherwave theremin so if you have acquired the basic technique to play one of those, you can play Matryomin the same way.
Mandarin Electron, a company directed by Masami Takeuchi, started manufacturing Matryomin on a commercial basis in 2003. Now, a 2nd generation model is available.
If you want to see a whole bunch of the dolls in action check out the YouTube vid of Dvorak’s Symphony No.9 in E minor,op.95 from the New World… perhaps better known to us uncultured oiks in the UK as the Hovis advert music.
Thanks to Gizmodo for putting us onto this one.
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• www.mandarinelectron.com
  
  
  

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