Bowed zither

Bowed zither (Ger.: Streichzither), a heart-shaped zither played with a bow, invented by Johann Petzmayer of Munich in 1823, with a fretted central fingerboard, originally 3 metal strings tuned a1 d1 g0, and a fourth string added later, whereupon the instr. was usually tuned like a violin. Larger sizes were tuned like a viola or even a cello. For the bowed zither in viol form see: Breitoline. See also: bowed melodion, pentaphone, solophone (22, 176). Sort…