Zither

The zither is a traditional instrument of Bavaria and Austria. It dates from the 18th century and takes its name from the Greek word kithara.

It belongs to the family of string instruments.

It has many strings, and their number depends on the maker: some zithers have 35 strings, others as many as 60.

Depending on the player, it is played with a plectrum, with the fingers, or even with a bow.

Zithers are usually made of wood and metal; the wood is most often oak or walnut.

The zither became world-famous through the theme music of the 1949 British film "The Third Man", played on the zither by the Viennese musician Anton Karas.