Halszither

The Krienser neck zither is a special musical instrument which is equipped with a guitar- shaped body. It forms, with mandolin, guitar, double bass and table zither, a part of Krienser house music. It is, despite its name no zither, but belongs rather how all Cistern to the box -necked lutes.

History

The use of neck zither is known in Switzerland since the 17th century. The central Switzerland has been affected especially in the 19th century by the then popular zither - groups in Germany. Various figures show that at that time occurred in central Switzerland similarly formed formations. Around 1880, the Krienser neck zither was built with distinctive small, guitar -like body, which has hardly changed to this day. In recent years more models have been added, some with a new form types. In central Switzerland, the neck zither was with accompaniment as a tradition.

End of the 19th century, the Krienser Samuel toboggan triggered a new development in the indigenous musical instruments. Make observations in various collections suggest that in the period from 1800 to about 1890 usually teardrop-shaped neck zither models were played.

The first known Krienser neck zither comes from Samuel toboggan from the year 1883. It is signed by him. Rodels instruments were coveted pieces especially in the peasant and middle-class families in Kriens, but also in the rest of central Switzerland. The intense music with the neck zither cultivated the Krienser especially in the last 120 years. In this time and until today, new chapels were founded over again. The ensembles were occupied with a variety of instruments: neck zither, mandolin, mandola, accordion, clarinet, violin, viola, guitar, bass, lute, bass.

Source

• The Krienser neck zither, Marcel Renggli, Volume 2 ISBN 978-3-033-01256-1 Nr.3004
• The history of neck zither in Switzerland, Mülirad -Verlag, Altdorf, 2007, ISBN 978-3-033-01255-4