Listening recommendations?

Interested in learning how to play the zither and wondering where to start? Use this section to post your questions.

Moderator: Dave

maxwareham
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2018 11:32 pm
Location: Western MA
Contact:

Listening recommendations?

Post by maxwareham »

Hi all,

I was hoping you'd be able to give me some recommendations for listening. I'm just starting out on the zither, and am hooked on the playing of Anton Karas and Ruth Welcome. Is there anything in this vein that you could recommend, I'm also interested in hearing some more traditional playing.

ALSO interested in comparing the sound to Munich/Vienna tuning- is it a noticeable difference in sound and style?

Many thanks,
Max
NutmegCT
Posts: 254
Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2014 10:31 pm
Location: Connecticut!
Contact:

Re: Listening recommendations?

Post by NutmegCT »

Max - welcome to the forum!

How'd you get interested in learning zither? I'm a beginner myself, flailing around on my own without a teacher.

Are you using any method books? (Darr, Hintermeyer, Kabatek, etc.) It seems many of the methods are written by people who didn't learn by using methods!

Here are some of my favorite "zither sounds" -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acsnaLCTPSk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ODO9eH0iWU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEuEtrdRX9o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1xefGMYo4E (zither in a non-folk style)

Best wishes to you - and please keep us informed of your progress in learning.

Tom M.
Eastern Connecticut
DonO
Posts: 60
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2011 7:46 pm
Location: Wilton, CT
Contact:

Re: Listening recommendations?

Post by DonO »

Max-

I have always enjoyed zither music played by a trio in Germany, Kerschbam Zithermusi, and listen to them on YouTube for inspiration. The major force in that group is a fellow named Andreas Waldschuetz. He's a virtuoso on Zither as well as other instruments. Several members of this forum have actually met Andi in Germany at his home. I have only communicated with him via email, as I have purchased CDs and Sheetmusic from him. Have a listen and see what you think.

I am in southwestern Connecticut, and infer that you are from Massachusetts (Wareham perhaps??)
Andy
Posts: 131
Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2017 10:36 am
Location: Austin TX
Contact:

Re: Listening recommendations?

Post by Andy »

Welcome aboard Max,

Munich vs Vienna tuning is just a different set of fretted strings. Munich tuning is A, A, D, G, C, Vienna tuning is A, D, G, G, C. Don’t believe you would get a different sound from the instrument, just different finger patterns on the fretboard.

Some good examples on YouTube, Steffen Hempel has a variety of music on his channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuqWw4 ... Wz_e1f9z8g

Same with Zither Ruth
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdm7tw ... aGo1jkOukQ

- Andy
velocio
Posts: 54
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2012 1:19 am
Location: CA 93449

Re: Listening recommendations?

Post by velocio »

I also like much of Klaus Waldburg (a total of 64 videos - search YouTube for "Klaus Waldburg zither") and Wilfried Scharf. Once you have looked through the search results, YouTube will keep suggesting more related titles.
maxwareham
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2018 11:32 pm
Location: Western MA
Contact:

Re: Listening recommendations?

Post by maxwareham »

This is great! Thanks all for these recommendations. I've only had a chance to check out Tom's so far (which I'm enjoying. That Bach is 👌), but I'm looking forward to digging into all of this!

Don and Tom, what towns in CT do you live in? I'm located in the pioneer valley in western MA, but I grew up in Middletown CT and have roots in Milford/New Haven.

I assume there are separate method books for the two tumings? If so, could anybody recommend one for Vienna tuning?

Thanks again- I'm glad to have found this forum and am looking forward to checking out all these great players.
NutmegCT wrote: Wed Jun 13, 2018 1:15 pm Max - welcome to the forum!

How'd you get interested in learning zither? I'm a beginner myself, flailing around on my own without a teacher.

Are you using any method books? (Darr, Hintermeyer, Kabatek, etc.) It seems many of the methods are written by people who didn't learn by using methods!

Here are some of my favorite "zither sounds" -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acsnaLCTPSk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ODO9eH0iWU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEuEtrdRX9o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1xefGMYo4E (zither in a non-folk style)

Best wishes to you - and please keep us informed of your progress in learning.

Tom M.
Eastern Connecticut
User avatar
Dave
Posts: 352
Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2011 10:55 pm
Location: Chestertown, Maryland
Contact:

Re: Listening recommendations?

Post by Dave »

I second all of the above recommendations. I would also recommend searching Youtube for “Slovenski citrarski kvartet.” They are super!

As you have an interest in comparing Viennese vs Munich, I can offer that the most famous player of Viennese zither, Anton Karas, adjusted the tuning for his zither for The 3rd Man film, and even had one specially designed later that achieved a deeper bass sound. So, the volume of the instrument, playing surface, materials and internal supporting structure all come into play. The following article goes into all the details:

https://www.zither.us/zithers.anton.karas
We do not take humor seriously enough. —Konrad Lorenz
kenbloom
Posts: 212
Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2014 11:50 am
Location: Pilot Mountain, NC
Contact:

Re: Listening recommendations?

Post by kenbloom »

Early on in my zither mania I came across an album by Rudi Knabl that had him mainly playing solo zither. It was a major inspiration. There are many great players out there. You might also look at Tomi Temerson, a great player who comes over here to teach every year. That is a fantastic opportunity that I have not as yet been able to avail myself of. Happy listening!

Ken Bloom
http://www.boweddulcimer.org
NutmegCT
Posts: 254
Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2014 10:31 pm
Location: Connecticut!
Contact:

Re: Listening recommendations?

Post by NutmegCT »

I'm pretty sure Cornelia Mayer plays "Vienna" style zither. Take a close look at the fingerboard strings:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgOZC495NMk

Looks like A D D G C.

Tom M.
Rudy Mueller
Posts: 603
Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2011 8:33 am
Location: Grafton WI 53024 RMUELLERMKE@GMAIL.COM

Re: Listening recommendations?

Post by Rudy Mueller »

What a master! But the do the opening notes sound like a+a string harmony? Hmmm. Her tempo is classic.

We listened to one pro's version of Wien bleibt Wien" at last weekend's Zither Sunday; sounded more like "8 to the bar" than 4/4.

Rudi
Post Reply