1938 Rosen September Theremin

Who Commissioned This Instrument?

Lucie and Walter Rosen

Who Owned This Instrument?

Lucie Rosen

Where is This Instrument Now?

Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts

What Do We Know About This Instrument?

Metal chassis, mounted vertically. Separate power supply/amplifier chassis connected with cable, originally served as speaker base.

Cabinet is very similar to the 1938 Rockmore Theremin. Seven octave range, auditorium type amplifier. Rotary switch tone color selector, Neon pitch indicator. Many parts have been replaced.

Why is it Special?

This is most likely the most powerful theremin ever built by Lev.

Tube Complement:

• Instrument chassis: 27 (4), 24A (1), 53 (1)
• Power supply/amplifier chassis: 5Z3 (2), 874 (2), 6SK7 (2), 6L6 (4)
• Total tube count: 16 (14 + 2 VR tubes)
• Audio output power: parallel push-pull 6L6 quad

Schematics

Schematics by Leon Theremin. Two versions of the chassis schematic exist, one that is revised. Corrected Diagram of Instrument is written at the top of the revised document. Lucie's notes are found on the back of that page.

Photos

Photos courtesy of Caramoor Center of Music and the Arts

Photos by Rob Schwimmer

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