What Is Your Favourite Piece Of Music Played On a Six-Chord Zither?

Question

I put this under Fun & Humor, because I mainly just wanted to show everyone this lovely Vivaldi largo, played on a zither from Germany, 100 years old.

Except, the video says there is a picture of the Bismarck on the zither; in which case the painting must have been added when the zither was at least 20 years old because the Bismarck was a WWII battleship, not commissioned until 1940.

Anyway here you go, a few moments of pure delight. And I think this fellow, who has a French name, might actually be in Australia because his website ends in .com.au.

Answer 1

Beautiful.

Thank you for sharing.

I found this comment under the video:

Kevin Grime For 7 md. siden

"If that is the Bismark it can't be 100 year old since Bismark only built in 1936!!! Must be a battle ship of ww1.

Etienne de Lavaulx

For 7 md. siden

Thanks for this historical fact. Well spotted.Cheers."

Not sure if that means the instrument is not over a 100 years, that it is not the Bismarck,

or like you suggest;  that it is a later addition.

It reminds me of the "harpeleik" my grandma used to play.

Answer 2

HegeMarie, now I am thinking maybe I will check and see if the harpeleik is another name for zither...Germany and Denmark sharing much of the varied history in Northern Europe!

* * *

This is what I learned about the harpeleik, HegeMarie... "Fretless zithers are not just an American phenomenon. Like many other variants, the harpeleik, invented in Sweden by Adolf Larsson, arose in the late 1800s as an easier-to-play alternative to the Alpine zither. It has very rich chords (9 and 10 strings on mine), organized in fifths, with wonderfully sonorous bass notes, and with very high notes with tuning pins anchored part way down the face of the instrument. Manufactured today by C. Robert Hopf in Germany, this instrument is known in Norwegian and Swedish folk music..."

https://katherinerhoda.com/instruments/fretless-zithers/harpeleik/

Answer 3

Thanks again, this was all unknown to me

Answer 4

This is my favorite zither music (played on a fretted zither).

Answer 5

Oh Tink it's absolutely glorious...from my own era too, and I did not know all that!

Answer 6

And "The Third Man" is one of the best film noir movies of all time.

Answer 7

Tink now I will look for that movie. I believe I have seen it, cannot imagine I have not...but long ago I am certain...and it's wonderful to learn the story of its theme done on the zither.

Answer 8

Yes, by all means. I must have seen it 10 times... I never fail to watch if it happens to be on Turner Classic Movies.

Answer 9

How fun!  I have recordings of The Third Man old time radio program.  (Same theme) 

Answer 10

Reckon I'm just a dummy as I don't remember ever even hearing of a zither. Let alone any good music!

Answer 11

Answer 12

Hitman this is the same fellow who played the Vivaldi, the same century-old instrument; his repertoire is extensive!

Answer 13

Yes it is.

Answer 14

Thanks for posting!  This instrument reminds me of the autoharp we used in our classroom when I was in about the third grade.  The teacher taught me to play it a little, and I was delighted. 

Answer 15

It's a nice reminiscence, Hi Jan!

Answer 16

Hi Virginia!