German Zither and the Civil War

[MBBursig]

This appears to be interesting. Any thoughts?

The Concert Zither and the American Civil War:
http://www.zither.us/?q=node/13

[markj]

Pass these along, Alter Kerl.

Incidentally, in reference to "Hinaus in die Ferne," it has long been a popular German soldier's tune and frequently appears in German military songbooks (of which I own several) at least up through World War II.


Hamilton's perfect method for the zither,
with or without the aid of a master. Containing a clear and simple course of instruction, together with an admirable selection of etudes, melodies, dances, &c. arranged especially for this work by C. K. Hamilton, Jr.

C K Hamilton
1860
English Book Book 79 p. illus. 18 x 25 cm.
Boston, O. Ditson


Universal-Zither-Schule.
Universal instruction-book for the zither. École universelle de cithère.

Friedrich Feyertag
1863
German Book Book 2 v. in 1. illus., music. 34 cm.
München, O. Halbreiter


Alm Busch'n :
vier Alpen-Weisen für die Zither /

L Montlevrin; Ed Sieger
1855-1860
No Linguistic Content Musical Score Musical Score : Printed music 6 v. of music ; 25 cm.
Wien (Graben No. 1144) : A.O. Witzendorf,


Neueste gründliche und leichtfassliche theoretisch-praktische Zither-Schule,
als Leitfaden zum Selbst-Unterrichte auf der 20 bis 30 saitigen Zither...

W Moralt
1800s 3. ed.
German Book Book 37, (1) pp. 4to.
München, J. Aibl


Harmonic fur Zitherspieler :
oder, Anleitung für den Zitherspieler zum Präludiren und Moduliren enhaltend das Wissenswertheste aus der Harmonielehre mit erläuternden Beispielen und einem practischen anhange von Präludien und Modulationen in 15 auf der Zither üblichen Tonarten leicht verständlich verfasst /

Paul Rudigier
1807?
German Book Book 2 v. in 1 : music ; 23 cm.
Trier : P. Ed. Hoenes,


Neueste vollständige Zitherschule, oder, Gründlich theoretisch-praktische Anweisung zum Zitherspiel :
vom ersten Unterricht bis zur höhern Ausbildung langsam fortschreitend : drei Abteilungen in einem Bande /

A Darr
1870 7. Aufl.
No Linguistic Content Musical Score Musical Score : Printed music 42, 45, 27 p. of music : ill. ; 34 cm.
Trier : Hoenes,


Neueste gründlich theoretisch-practische in natürlicher Stufenfolge allgemein fasslich bearbeitete Zither-Schule mit 90 rÿthmisch-melodischen Ubungs- und Unterhaltungsstücken /

Friedrich Feyertag
1860-1869?
No Linguistic Content Musical Score Musical Score : Printed music : Studies & exercises, etudes 39 p. of music : ill. ; 26 x 33 cm.
München : Falter und Sohn,

Anleitung für die Zither :
op. 1

C M Fischer
1860 4te vermehrte u. verbesserte Auflage
Book Book 42 S.
Nürnberg Wilh. Schmid


Leichtfassliche praktische Schule für Streich-Zither mit vielen Uebungs- und Vortragsstücken verfasst /

Henri Kling
1800-1899?
German Musical Score Musical Score : Printed music 40 quer.
Hannover : Louis Oertel,


Neue Zither Schule oder theoretisch, practischer Unterricht im Zitherspiel :
nebst 30 mit richtigen Fingersatze bezeichneten Ubungs-Stücken : 77tes. Werk /

Michael Mühlauer
1856
German Book Book 38 p. : ill., muz. ; 16 x 27 cm.
[München] : Selbstverlag,


Practische Anleitung für die chromatische Zither :
mit Beispielen in allen Tonarten mit bezeichneten Fingersatz ; nebst einen Anhang mit Productionsstücken /

W Gabesam
1830-1850?
German Musical Score Musical Score : Printed music : Studies & exercises, etudes 53 p. of music ; 34 cm.
Wien : [s.n.,


Zither-Schule Leichtfaßliche, theoretisch-praktische Anleitung die Schlagzither in kurzer Zeit spielen zu lernen ?? :
Mit 1 lithogr. Tafel

1859 3te Aufl.
Book Book 80 pg.
München Christ. Kaiser


Neueste vollständige Zitherschule, oder, Gründlich theoretisch-praktische Anweisung zum Zitherspiel :
vom ersten Unterricht bis zur höhern Ausbildung langsam fortschreitend : in 3 Abteilungen /

A Darr
1800-1889?
No Linguistic Content Musical Score Musical Score : Printed music 3 v. of music (42, 45, 29 p.) : ill. ; 34 cm.
Trier : Hoenes,


There are more titles, but these will get you started. You might also enjoy these nice videos although they wouldn't be immediately applicable to the style of zither shown in the article photo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1FlDdNLkD4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VbxIzaSHfw

I myself own a zither that I purchased from a German dealer some time ago. It has WEHRMACHT EIGENTUM ("Property of the Wehrmacht") stamped on the back, so it definitely dates to between 1935-1945. Alas, I'm sorry to say I couldn't play the thing if my life depended on it.

Bis bald,

Mark Jaeger

[MBBursig]

WOW! That is alot of Zither Music!

Now to learn better German and to buy a zither!

It is interesting to see that the zither was more than likely popular among the German immigrants, but unless you were in a very stationary camp I doubt you'd see a soldier in the 45th NY trudging around full marching order: Knapsack, blanket, greatcoat, extra shoes, and Federal Issue Zither.:)

I'd bet you'd see the thing played in a Bierkeller, Biergarten, or Turnhalle in NYC though.

Oh, and by the way don't feel bad about not being able to play, I've seen many hanging on a German house wall, and nobody can play it...

Gut Heil,

[Danny]

This appears to be interesting. Any thoughts?...

Just a couple of postcripts, keep or toss:

(a) If you go by the notes at the top in the image, is the photo flopped left to right? I'm thinking no because of the way zithers and guitars are typically played by right handers. Note especially the metal finger picks, usually worn on the right hand. And was there any tradition about wearing what appears to be a wedding band on the left hand? More probably the notes were scribed on the negative face of the image, and L.O.C. site flopped the view to show correctly.

(b) For guitars players here, note the 'correct' posture and hand position of the guitar player here, perhaps indicating he learned formally from an instructor or at least by reading a printed tutor (instruction book).

Dan Wykes