 Violinzither with five sets of accompianing strings | |
| Other names | Violinharp |
|---|---|
| Hornbostel–Sachs classification | 314.122-71 |
| Inventor | Clemens Neuber |
| Developed | Early 20th century |
| Related instruments | |
| Ukelin | |
Theviolinzither orviolinharp is astring instrument of thezither family, invented in1925 by Clemens Neuber inKlingenthal.[1] The instrument is a cross between thefretlesschord zither and aconcert zither.[2]
The instrument normally has eighteenmelodicstrings arranged in two vertical rows, with the scale alternating between rows. The instrument has adiatonic tuning inC major, with arange of two and a halfoctaves, fromc' tof'' (C4 toF5). Some models of the instrument were also created with semichromatic orchromatictunings.[3] with five or six sets of strings serving as anaccompaniment, which areplucked with the left hand. Aviolin bow (about 55cm long) held by the right hand is used to play the melodic strings.[4]
A variant of the violin zither, the concert violin harp, was created by Max Lausmann. Many violin zithers were sold under the name "Kalliope" by the company C. A. Wunderlich.[5] Violinzithers have been manufacturedluthier C. Robert Hopf since the 1920s.[6]
