Welcome to Zither US

Here you will find information pertaining to the zither, an Alpine instrument commonly heard in Germany and Austria. This site is intended to provide players with resources for their instrument as well as a venue by which to share music, experiences and insight into this wonderful folk instrument.

Many immigrants to America played the beautiful zither. If your ancestor played the zither, we'd like to include their story on this web site. For more information on how to contribute, contact us.

Sasha Radicic has a new web site. An expert luthier, Sasha has years of experience performing zither repairs and restorations. Do you have a zither that requires attention? If so, visit his web site at www.radicic-guitar-zither.com.

Photo of the Week

This photo of two zither players was kindly provided by Boyd Humpherys. Boyd's grandfather, Paul von Nordeck, pictured on the right, was born in Gotha, Thuringia, Germany. He immigrated to the US and eventually settled in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he worked as a druggist in the community for a number of years. The man sitting to his right is George J. Brox



George J. Brox (l) and Paul von Nordeck (r), Salt Lake City, Utah, ca. 1920

The Philadelphia Zither Club, Its History

In the 1870s, zither players in the United States began to assemble with the goal of promoting and fostering the art of zither playing. In this article, Maurice Jacobi details the early challenges of establishing a zither club in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Originally published in the Jan. 1, 1885 issue of Franz Waldecker's The Zitherplayer, this article has been kindly provided by Janet Stessl.

Zither in Film

Although most commonly associated with 'The Third Man,' the zither has made appearances in other films. In this photograph, actress Annabella receives zither lessons from Charles P. Burton for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's 'Bridal Suite.'



Charles P. Burton instructs Annabella on the zither, 1939


Adam Kaiser: A Biography

In this article we explore the live of Adam Kaiser, a zitherist from the Sudetenland. Severely wounded during the Allied invasion of Europe, he was taken as a prisoner of war and sent to Scotland. After the war he was relocated to North Owersby, England, where he married a local girl and provided zither lessons to ten-year old Alan Hankins.


Alpenklaenge Sheet Music

In 1942, zither players in Wisconsin came together to form the Milwaukee Zither Club "Alpenklaenge." For over half a century, the "Alpenkalenge" entertained appreciative audiences with popular favorites by Freundorfer, Wormsbacher, Reiter and many others. The following sheet music selections, kindly provided by Rudolf Mueller, are posted here to be shared and enjoyed by the zither community.



The Milwaukee Zither Club "Alpenklaenge", circa 1948

Thirty-Fifth Sterling Zither Seminar

Zither players from Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey convened once again for the 35th Sterling Zither Seminar. Jane Curtis, whose report follows, served as host for the event and led the zither enthusiasts through a well-structured seminar program, which spanned two days. The seminar was held at the Greenspring retirement community in Springfield, VA.


Sound and Acoustics of the Zither

The art and science of instrument making involves many factors, each of which, when taken as a whole, will ultimately define an instrument's sound and playability. In this article, Franz Berwein explores the physics of sound as it applies to the zither. Originally published in German, this translation has been kindly provided by Jane Curtis.



The Zither in Washington, DC

Located in historic Hockemeyer Hall, the German-American Heritage Museum of the USA has recently opened their doors to the public. As a “Danke schön” to the many benefactors that made this museum possible, a gala event was recently held at the Cosmos Club in Washington, DC. Dr. William Kolb, author of the following article, provided the evening's entertainment with a collection of music played on his Wünsche zither.




The Early Zither Makers of Mittenwald

In the mid-1800s, a number of luthiers emerged that set new, higher standards for the zither. With this continued refinement, the zither began to play a more important role as new players, teachers and clubs began to emerge. In this article, Dr. Joan Marie Bloderer provides a biographical sketch of three early zither makers from Mittenwald, whose efforts led to significant improvements and worldwide recognition of this instrument.



San Antonio Zither Club

This photo of the San Antonio Zither Club (1892) comes to us courtesy of the DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University. It is likely that the concert zither and its predecessors, such as the scheitholt, have been in the US since Germans landed on these shores. It wasn't until the 1870s, however, that zither clubs started to form, the first being the Detroit Zither Club (1877). Over the next several decades, zither clubs could be found in a significant number of major American cities.



DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, Ag2008.0005. ©

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