This feature documentary takes us on an intriguing human and musical discovery of the most expressive of electronic instruments, the Ondes Martenot. A group of Martenot aficionados pursues the legacy of Maurice Martenot (1898–1980), inventor of an instrument as rare and fragile as it is magical. Musicians, artisans and scientists strive to unravel the mysteries of this “Stradivarius of the electronic age.”
This film shows that if we persevere, our dreams can come true. Introduce your students to Martenot’s dream. How did he go about designing and building his instrument? What were his main challenges and achievements? Many artists in the film say they used and loved his instrument, but who are they and how exactly did they use it? What has become of his instrument today? How would your students use it?