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The Third Man Theme music

Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 5:51 pm
by Musicmaker
Can any body help please.
I have already obtained a copy of this tune but it is not written exclusively for Zither.
Do you know where i can get a copy of the notation for this theme and preferably by Anton Karas and with the all important fingering.
If it comes without fingering, would anyone care to write in in for me?
For a fee?
Pete

Re: The Third Man Theme music

Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 11:36 am
by Dave
Hi Pete, have you checked with Ilse? She has two Anton Karas selections (Harry Lime and Cafe Mozart) in her “20 Great Zither Duets” book.

http://www.zither.com.au/products.html

**THE** book to get on Anton Karas is by Cornelia Mayer and Manfred Hochmeister. Many, many works by him are included, with fingering too. The book is titled “Eine Zithermelodie Erobert die Welt: Der Wiener Heurigemusiker Anton Karas und seine Zither.”

http://www.zitherinthecity.com/pages/en ... -music.php

Re: The Third Man Theme music

Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 12:11 am
by Musicmaker
Excellent!
Nice one Dave,
I have written to ask Ilse if her Duett version can be played as a solo with one Zither and also that the harmonies on the Griffbret strings will still be there on one Zither......if you know what I mean.

The book you refer to also seems to be excellent material.
I have written to ask if the book comes in English as well.
If not , I will have to brush up my German.
Just takes a bit longer thats all.
There are some very long German words that are used in describing technical matters.
I note that Anton Karas played in Vienese tuning which might be a bit difficult as my Zither is in Munich tuning.
Do you have this book?
Is The Third Man theme in Munich tuning?
Thanks Dave.
I shall more than likely buy the two versions anyway.
Pete

Re: The Third Man Theme music

Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 9:18 pm
by Dave
True to Karas, the Mayer-Hochmeister book uses Viennese tuning, and is also in German. Looking at the sheet music in the book, there are contrabasses where we would expect to find bass notes on our Munich-tuned zithers. For example, you'll find that open strings #15 (F), #18 (D) and #20(E), are written an octave lower. No big deal though, just another one of those adjustments one has to make.

So, Pete, a bit of a coincidence. About the time of your post, I came across a transcription of this piece by Alberta Krader (she was King Keyes's zither teacher and the core of the Los Angeles Zither Ensemble). Then.....I misplaced it......but tonight....Victory! :-D I've attached a copy of it for your review. Also, if anyone is interested, I wrote a short article on Alberta a few years ago. It's on the website.

http://www.zither.us/zitherist.alberta.krader

Re: The Third Man Theme music

Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 5:54 pm
by Musicmaker
Wow Dave...you just dug up a gold mine.
Many many thanks for the article about Alberta Krader and more so her arrangement of the Third Man Theme.
That is awesome!
With fingering too by the looks of it.
I now have a choice.
After reading your recommendations re Ilse Harris version I immediately bought her book which is on the way now.
She has arranged it in C major and prefers to leave it that way as she has spent a long time to learn it that way.
She was even kind enough to send me a pdf of it yesterday just to give me an incite.
The transcription you sent though is priceless.
Hand written sheet music.........beautiful.
Would you ever feel up to playing it for us?
Thanks Dave also for your you tubes on tge right hand positioning which often crops up on the forum.
A. DARR 23 was also beautifully played.
Your Wunche Zither rings like a bell. Superb.
Pete

Re: The Third Man Theme music

Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 6:07 pm
by NutmegCT
Dave - somehow I missed that pdf file first time I read your post.

For some good ol' nostalgia, here's Anton Karas's own manuscript of the opening of the piece. Looks very similar to the Krader version.

Tom M.