The ever changing concepts of modern living have given rise to new ideas in many areas of creative endeavour, including the artistic field of music making. The Zither, although a very ancient and revered instrument, has had to wait for a major talent, with a flair for popular music and a modern mind, to bring it out of its traditional use as an atmospheric background in European cafes, or a twangy accompaniment for old world “folk” ballads. This talent has arrived! He is Viennese born (1937) Karl Swoboda.
Karl, who now appears regularly on European Radio and TV, began zithering when only nine years old. He received his most valuable legitimate training from 1953 to 1956 at the Conservatory of Vienna. The door to fame was opened for him as a result of his winning an amateur contest which led directly to an American TV appearance on the Ted Mack Hour. When he returned home, his still continuing appearances began. His other album for Philips, “Pop Goes the Zither” is a hit on both continents, thereby making him an artist of international stature.
Karl uses the delicate instrument more like a guitar, in that he has freed the zither from its usual traditional use in a chordal mode with his conception of a free flowing single note melodic line. The zither has many tone qualities which can remind one of the piano, harpsichord, harp or guitar. In the hands of Karl Swoboda it takes on a very warm and personal sound with a timbre on certain numbers not unlike that of the great gipsy guitarist Django Reinhardt.
The main accompanying unit for this trip of Karl’s into the world of popular music is a small violin section, a big band type saxophone section, and the four man rhythm section. Included selections are the ultra modern Beatles composition, “Yesterday”, the hard swinging, “The In Crowd”, and “A Taste Of Honey”, on which Karl plays the theme in a very pretty ‘music box’ style against the big band background. There are some fine tenor saxophone solos on those tunes.
Three themes from three excellent films are given the modern touch by versatile Karl Swoboda. On Theme From “A Summer Place” he elicits that guitar-like flavour over a carpet of woodwinds and softly playing strings. On “Goldfinger” his sound is hard and deep. And, on “Zorba The Greek”, he uses the age old tradition of the single instrument playing the theme slowly and building by acceleration, joined by the fiddles, to an exciting climax.
“Sole, Sole, Sole” is light hearted in the “Third Man Theme” style. “A Walk in The Black Forest” quite naturally maintains the European flavour, with some very good woodwind work. “Stranger On The Shore” spotlights Karl’s sense of humour and relaxed manner, and the Mancini/Mercer “The Sweetheart Tree” is given a beautiful waltz treatment. “Unchained Melody”, and “Ebb Tide”, the two great songs that made singer Roy Hamilton famous, are here given their most sensitive reading since his climactic ones years ago.
All of the selections in this new album are delightful for listening or dancing. There is a variety of mood, tempo, and melody, and through it all the very great talent of Karl Swoboda, the most versatile and swinging “Zither-ist” of today, will continually delight.
Arranged by Bobby Opratko
