Rob Schwimmer inhabits the same universe as the “elusive” Triple Helix — one that doesn’t exist except for his own invention. He is the master of his own musical kingdom where he, playing alone, conjures a sound world created by his singular virtuosity at the piano, theremin (on which he’s considered to be one of the world masters) and Haken Continuum — a rarely heard combination which allows him to bring audiences to beautiful and mysterious new sonic territory and perhaps find new or re-connect with forgotten feelings.

Says Schwimmer: What I love about the piano is obvious-It’s an orchestra at your fingertips! The great thing about the theremin is that it gives you expressive phrasing! That means I can hold notes forever (don’t worry; I won’t), bend notes, add vibrato, and think about phrasing more like a singer than the piano allows. The Haken Continuum also feels like playing an acoustic instrument because of its incredible response to even the lightest touch; It’s so hi-tech that the tech “ceases to exist.” The Haken Continuum has that expressiveness akin to the theremin but adds polyphony/harmony into the musical equation-It’s a huge step forward in the evolution of electronic instruments.

A veteran player who has worked with beloved legends like Stevie Wonder, Simon and Garfunkel, Wayne Shorter, and Antonio Carlos Jobim, as well as celebrated young contemporary artists such as Esperanza Spalding and Gotye, Schwimmer leads us on an organic and musically rich journey from the pensive to the thrilling, with many musical ports of call in between.

"Virtuosity, magic and humor."

The New York Times

Photo by Steve J. Sherman. Download hi-res version here.

Photo by Steve J. Sherman. Download hi-res version here.

Photo by Steve J. Sherman. Download hi-res version here.

Photo by Steve J. Sherman. Download hi-res version here.

Photo by Minna Hatinen. Download hi-res version here

Photo by Minna Hatinen. Download hi-res version here

“I just heard, like, the best playing on an electronic instrument maybe ever.”

Anthony Marinelli, Superbooth in Fex – Berlin 2024 about Rob playing Messiaen on the Haken Continuum

"Extraordinary... lyrical, harmonically ravishing... entertaining and virtuoso... Schwimmer doesn't hide his thousand and one influences, yet he's never a slave to them, by virtue of his innate musicality and fertile, inventive mind."

Gramophone

"I was bowled over by Rob’s musical prowess. People use the word “humbled” a bit too often for my taste, but that is what I felt: humbled. Rob is a master of the 88s — and a fine composer... a breathtaking musician."

Steven Blier, New York Festival of Song

Audio: Rob Schwimmer "Lost In The Stars"

Audio: Rob Schwimmer "My Funny Valentine" Live on NPR Song Travels with Michael Feinstein

Audio: Rob Schwimmer "Träume" on NPR Song Travels with Michael Feinstein

"Rob is that rare combination of superb, creative, exciting and impeccable musicianship. He is a fine talent and vastly entertaining, combining eclectic musical styles and bringing the Theremin well into the 21st Century. There is no one like him."

Michael Feinstein, NPR Song Travels

From Hal Willner Fans Support Roulette’s Salute to Movie Maestro Nino Rota:

“Throughout the evening Rob Schwimmer’s rather masterful theremin work added a mysterious tenor to a clutch of pieces. Controlling the pitch with his hands, this oddball instrument generated spectral siren songs that enhanced the band’s twists and turns… Three years and one day after his passing, the producer’s jazz valentine to Rota bloomed anew at Roulette’s U.S. premiere, and that wistfulness mentioned above wafted through the room during pianist Schwimmer’s poignant “La Strada” closer, the woman next to me actually tearing up a bit. Amarcord Hal Willner.”

Jim Manie, Downbeat April 25, 2023

“Another delightful surprise was theremin artist, pianist and Haken Continuum player Rob Schwimmer’s lively mix of banter, Great American Songbook fodder and movie soundtrack music (e.g., “Moon River” into “Goldfinger”), some avant garde and classical. Highlight: his natural rendering of John Coltrane’s balladic “After The Rain,” on theremin, no less.”

DownBeat


"Exquisitely beautiful music, worthy of deep listening."

Keyboard Magazine


“Forget Bach, Beethoven and Brahms. I’m talking Strauss, Mahler and Schwimmer.”

Adam Guettel

 Live from The Gilmore Piano Festival:

Watch The Beginning/When I Fall in Love live at Joe’s Pub, April 1st, 2024:

5 PSYCHEDELIC PIECES BY ALEXANDER SCRIABIN on HAKEN CONTINUUM 0:07 Heavy Traffic (Prelude op 67 #2) 1:12 Floating on a Cloud (Feuillet d’Album op 45 #1) 2:45 The Siberian Tiger (Etude op 8 #12) 5:26 Désir (op 57 #1) 7:28 The Mosquito! (Etude op 42 #3) All compositions were originally piano pieces that I love by Alexander Scriabin. I recorded all the piano tracks sans melody so the Haken Continuum could cover the melodies which it can do so beautifully. I made up the subtitles except for Désir which is Scriabin's real title. The last track is often referred to as The Mosquito but not in the manuscript... As a pianist and theremin player the Haken Continuum is the next step for me… Not replacing either but a revolutionary new, super sensitive great instrument! I loved doing this project and hope you love it too. As always when I play the Haken Continuum I have to thank Lippold Haken, Edmund Eagan and Christophe Duquesne: Without their incredible brains I wouldn't be doing this today! I can't thank you enough... but I'll try! A special thanks to Joshua Madoff for his mixes! Beautiful!

Special Halloween concert at Joe's Pub - Bernard Hermann's "Scene d'Amour" from Vertigo: