What was originally intended to be an introductory chapter for a book on the "Golden Age" of the zither soon turned into a sizable project in its own right. Now published, Dr. Joan Marie Bloderer's book Zitherspiel in Wien. 1800-1850 represents a significant expansion of her dissertation of the same name. In this article, Dr. Bloderer shares some of the research experiences from her latest work.

During the 1880s, immigrants by the thousands arrived in Omaha to support a booming economy. Arriving from Germany, the Schaber family brought their labor, skills and elements of their culture. In this article we explore the life of Henry Schaber, former zitherist and resident of Omaha, Nebraska.

As 2008 draws to an end, I would like to take a moment to thank all of those who contributed material or wrote expressing an interest in the zither during the course of the year. This has certainly been encouraging. This year is certainly not without new developments and happenings in the zither community. From new recordings, new publications, seminars and more, 2008 proved to be an active one.

Ihr Kinderlein kommet - Am Weihnachtsbaum die Lichter brennen - Schlaf wohl, du Himmelsknabe Du - Kommet ihr Hirten - Des Jahres letzte Stunde - Es hat sich halt eröffnet - In dulci jubilo - Zu Bethlehem geboren - Sylvesterlied - Hirtenlied an der Krippe - Es kamen drei heilige Weisen - Krippenlied - O du fröhliche - Morgen kommt der Weihnachtsmann - Ihr Kinderlein, kommet - O Tannenbaum - Auf, auf ihr Hirten!

The music of 'The Third Man' film, played by zither virtuoso Anton Karas, continues to inspire musicians to this day. For Irene Susitz, it was the melody of the 'Harry Lime Theme' that piqued her interest. With this melody in mind, she sought instruction and was fortunate to receive words of encouragement from her music teacher, Eveline Schuler.

Zither players from Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey convened once again for the 32nd Sterling Zither Seminar. Jane Curtis 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.

To celebrate 20 years of music together, Ilse Harris and Johanna de Groot recorded a CD to present as a gift to friends and family. After many requests for the album's sheet music, the idea came to create a play-along CD so that other zither players could enjoy playing along with a backing band. In this article, Ilse Harris shares her recording experience, from idea to reality.

Unsatisfied with the lack of uniformity and range of the zither of his time, Nikolaus Weigel introduced a series of innovations which served to expand its capabilities. In this article, Petra Hamberger explores the life of this modest musical pioneer whose discoveries we can appreciate even today. Originally published in the March-April 2008 issue of Saitenspiel, this article has been translated from the original German by Jane Curtis.

Since discovering her mother's zither as a young girl in Austria, the zither has been Lotte Landl's constant companion throughout life. With numerous recordings, public performances and honors, including Austria's 'Golden Cross of Merit', she has introduced the sounds of the zither to a worldwide audience. In this article, Lotte Landl shares her biography and the milestones of her musical journey.

As a volunteer, musician and artisan, William Waldschmidt was a role model for his time, as well as ours. Beckoned to South Dakota during the Black Hills Gold Rush, he would become a well respected member and contributor to the community he served. In this article, Jill Mounts Marcelli shares the story of her great-grandfather William Waldschmidt, former zitherist and resident of Deadwood, South Dakota.