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The Rhythmicon—also known as the Polyrhythmophone—was an electro-mechanical musical instrument designed and built by Leon Theremin for composer Henry Cowell, intended to reveal connections between rhythms, pitches and the harmonic series.
Rhythmicon (1932) and Joseph Schillinger, a music educator. In 1930–32, the innovative and hard-to-use Rhythmicon was developed by Léon Theremin at the request of Henry Cowell, who wanted an instrument that could play compositions with multiple rhythmic patterns, based on the overtone series, that were far too hard to perform on existing keyboard instruments.
Cowell wrote several original compositions for the instrument, including an orchestrated concerto, and Theremin built two more models. Soon, however, the Rhythmicon would be virtually forgotten, remaining so until the 1960s, when progressive pop music producer Joe Meek experimented with its rhythmic concept.
Cowell had already used the title for his rhythmicon concerto seven years earlier. [1] The complexity results from Cowell's lifelong preoccupation with rhythmic exploration. The piece is dedicated to J. M. Beyer. [2] [3]
Joseph Moiseyevich Schillinger (Russian: Ио́сиф Моисе́евич Ши́ллингер; 1 September [O.S. 20 August] 1895 [1] [2] (other sources: 31 August [O.S. 19 August] 1895 [3]) – 23 March 1943) was a composer, music theorist, and composition teacher who originated the Schillinger System of Musical Composition.
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In the early 1930s he worked with his brother, Benjamin, to invent an instrument called a rhythmicon. Unfortunately for them, Léon Theremin had already developed a similar instrument with the same name. [4]
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