#5123, Unusual String Instruments

Hear the amplified zither from Laraaji, yanggeum from Korean composer Park Jiha, hammered dulcimer from Max ZT, and the Swedish nyckleharpa from Griselda Sanderson.

Hear music for electronically enhanced zither, amplified and multi-tracked with layers of reverb and delay from the multi-instrumentalist Laraaji, in collaboration with Brian Eno.  There’s also music by Korean composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Park Jiha who plays the yanggeum (hammered dulcimer) on her 2022 album, The Gleam.

Then, hear music from the now-defunct Polish duo, Orchestra of the 8^th Day, who blend acoustic guitar, and the Fischer fidola, a kind of “vintage” zither that dates back to the 1900’s, which can be bowed, strummed, struck and plucked. Listen to music for the keyed fiddle -Swedish nyckelharpa from the UK-based nyckelharpa player Griselda Sanderson from her record, Radial, on which she collaborates with the London-based Gnawa musician, the guembri player Simo Lagnawi. 

There’s music for bowed psaltery by New York composer Nathan Davis. Hear his composed improvisations on the American folk instrument augmented by violin bows, electromagnetic bows of different kinds, and guitar slides used to activate the harmonics of its 32 open strings. Listen also to music with hammered dulcimer from a trio called House of Waters which includes the Chicago-born, Brooklyn-based Max ZT, the NPR -lauded “Jimi Hendrix of dulcimer”. That, and more. - Caryn Havlik

Program #5123, Unusual String Instruments (First aired 3/23/26)

ARTIST: Laraaji
WORK: Dance No. 2 [1:30]
RECORDING: Day of Radiance
SOURCE: Editions EG / Reissued by Glitterbeat
INFO: https://glitterbeat.com/product/ambient-3-day-of-radiance-by-laraaji

ARTIST: Orchestra of the 8th Day
WORK: Shadow [6:54]
RECORDING: Music For the End
SOURCE: Flying Fish
INFO: Try Discogs.com

ARTIST: Nathan Davis
WORK: Verse [6:17]
RECORDING: Neutral Buoyant
SOURCE: Infrequent Seams
INFO: https://nathandavis.bandcamp.com/album/neutral-buoyant

ARTIST: Laraaji
WORK: Dance No. 2 [8:55]
RECORDING: Day of Radiance
SOURCE: Editions EG / Reissued by Glitterbeat
INFO: https://glitterbeat.com/product/ambient-3-day-of-radiance-by-laraaji

ARTIST: Park Jiha
WORK: A Day In... [5:28]
RECORDING: The Gleam
SOURCE: Glitterbeat Records
INFO: parkjiha.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Griselda Sanderson, ft. Simo Lagnawi
WORK: Carnera, The Biggest Horse [4:34]
RECORDING: Radial
SOURCE: Waulk Records
INFO: https://griseldasanderson1.bandcamp.com/

ARTIST: House of Waters
WORK: 705 [8:02]
RECORDING: On Becoming
SOURCE: GroundUP
INFO: https://orcd.co/onbecoming

ARTIST: Laraaji
WORK: Through Luminous Eyes 1 [2:16]
RECORDING: Through Luminous Eyes
SOURCE: Editions EG / Reissued by Glitterbeat
INFO: https://glitterbeat.com/product/ambient-3-day-of-radiance-by-laraaji