Lydia Kavina

As a follow-up to her first CD of original theremin works, Music from the Ether, Lydia Kavina returns with first recordings of major works for theremin and ensemble. The first recording of Miklós Rózsa’s chamber version of music from the Hitchcock film Spellbound. 3 premiere recordings of works by Howard Shore, Olga Neuwirth and Christian Wolff. 2 premiere recordings of graphically notated works for multiple theremins by Percy Grainger.

Oscar winning composer Howard Shore (Lord of the Rings) created his suite from the movie Ed Wood especially for Kavina, who performed on the original movie soundtrack. Leading Austrian composer Olga Neuwirth created this suite from her opera Bählamms Fest for Kavina, who performed in the opera’s premiere. Christian Wolff wrote Exercise 28 especially for this project. Shore and Wolff supervised the recording and rehearsal of their works.

This program was premiered at the 2000 Lincoln Center Summer Festival to a sold-out audience and received rave reviews. Liner notes by theremin expert Olivia Mattis. Original 96khz/24-bit high definition recording. Enhanced CD features a 16-minute video documentary from the recording sessions, including interviews with Kavina, Shore and Wolff.

Howard Shore: Suite from “Ed Wood” (1994, 2000)
Percy Grainger: Free Music No. 1 (1936) for four theremins; Free Music No. 2 (1937) and Beatless Music (1937) for six theremins
Christian Wolff: Exercise 28 (2000) for theremin, violin, French horn and double-bass
Olga Neuwirth: Suite aus “Bählamms Fest” (1999)
Miklós Rózsa: “Spellbound” (1945, arr. 1946), concerto for theremin and chamber ensemble

Lydia Kavina, theremin
Ensemble Sospeso, Charles Peltz conductor