Ron Chaplin ([log in to unmask]) wrote:

>Jos Janssen sent a great reply to my post on Messiaen.  Thanks, Jos.
>
>Jos, I wonder if you would help me again.  When I first started reading
>about the Turanglila, I saw the name 'Ondes Martenot.' Searching the net,
>I found out that it is an electronic instrument.  However, reading the
>description, I couldn't picture it.

Literally "Martenot waves" is was invented by M. Martenot in the 20s.

>It would be great if you would describe it for me.

AIR there is a single keyboard, with some sort of sliding device on a
wire immediate over it, which is maniuplated to make the swooping sounds.
The speaker (or whatever) is a curious shape and sits atop the keyboard.

THis is from memory.

>Also, and please correct me if I am wrong: Wasn't the
>Turangalila composed in the 1920's?

Sorry, you are wrong.  Turangalila was composed after the war and first
performed in 1947 (8?) by the Boston SO under Leonard Bernstein (did he
ever perform it again?)

>If it was, wouldn't that make the Ondes Martenot one of the first
>electronic instruments used in composition?

It was - but not 'cos of Turangalila.

Deryk Barker
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