Anton Karas Zither

[sskenth]

sssshhhh, its a secret..... =)

[onekeypianoplayer]

at last some real music, not like the crap they put in, AMERICAS GOT TALENT, AND BRITIANS GOT TALENT, OR X FACTOR, all for explotying innocent wannabee teenagers , and making millions on their backs, shame on all these leeches who bleed upcoming talent dry.

[IndoBikeTraveler]

does this music makes you happy?:)

[GGiblet]

thank you so much for loading this up!

I am a great fan and had never seen him actually playing, only had recordings

amazing stuf :)

[Wad12br]

Fantastic.

[natedoggbillybob1]

I bet he got reallyyyy tired of playing that song.

[TheDigger211]

great



[xyz112358132134]

Brilliant! Love ; )

[tipperary23]

Semplicemente magico! Una bella musica che mi ricorda gli anni della mia infanzia suonata con virtuosismo.

[jddrock]

What an awesome find! Great upload, and what a classy soundtrack to an excellent older film. If any young film students want to see some filmmaking at it's best, watch The Third Man. Note cinematography, music placement, story pacing and acting, especially Welles and Cotton. Anyway, thanks to the uploader for this little gem.

[Pickinbuddy]

The second song is the "Cafe Mozart Waltz"...

[Quaaludedude714]

I can play this one :) QC

[mariahafner]

Yes, I was fortunate to watch him play his zither, he was unbelievable how he could play as if there was nothing to it. May people in Austria and Germany know how to play the zither quite well

[demonbomb102]

So let's just make sure I understand this. Everything is actually being played on this instrument? The bass notes, the leads, the harmonies... Everything?

[Ub3rSk1llz]

@demonbomb102 Yes.

[Thomas05091942]

@demonbomb102 yes, everything. 

[sambany100]

@demonbomb102 yes, it's all being played by one person on one zither. i took lessons years ago. you press the frets with your left hand, and with your right hand you pluck the melody with your thumb and accompany yourself on the other strings with the 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers of your right hand. it's quite a trick to coordinate, and takes lots of practice, but that's the way the instrument is played, by anyone who plays it.

[ukmashy]

Now't like the old times. Now listen to jungha jung on guitar. What a player. And only 10/11 @ the time.

[doctorfree]

I believe I've been to this place - the Moist Ladies in Hats Cafe!

[SergioBonf]

A fuckin' difficult instrument !!!

Karas is great and the zidar is a fenomenal instrument very often underestimated because there is few players.

About the audience I may say that if you go to a concert

and look to the people is quite the same.

[lordkoos]

@ LEOPARDTWO

Is this an audience or an oil painting?

[pmul246]

I keep getting drawn back to this tune. I like it very much. It reminds me a time long ago. The music fits the movie very well.

[klausbmj]

what a waste of good music and genius in front of these monkeys

[lazurm]

@klausbmj If you may recall, Carol Reed was one of the "monkeys" observing his playing and that's why you know of him.

[mcfrdmn]

Excellent music

[thalestris7]

Grossartige Aufnahme. Meine Grossmutter spielte auch Zither. Leider habe ich sie nie gehört :(

[derSilbermond]

einfach genial und unvergesslich!

[rds1958]

Ive heard quite a few Greek instrumentalists but Karas has a special something..wow he was good!

[KonataStar00]

Nuon :3

[IGOROZKARSKY]

"ÞRIÐJI MAÐURINN"

ALLTAF YNDISLEGT LAG !

ZITER-MAÐURINN SJÁLFUR

ANTON KARAS.

[TheStevensacharoff]

Das ist es !

[ArandexBr]

lol, SPONGEBOB THEME TUNE asudhsaudah!

I think it is! ;D

[usernameisnameless]

Is this the Spongebob theme tune? hahaha

[professorawesemo]

cool

[DannyDesperate]

I watched this over and over & wished I had been there. And yes, zeekwofe, with all the smoke as well!! Life is not the same without black and white film, smokey bars and good music, you might live longer in colour - but what's the point if there's nothing to live for? I need to go back to Cairo for a Sheesha...

[zeekwolfe]

This looks like an extremely difficult instrument to play, let alone play well. It is a pleasure to watch this man at work. It is not a pleasure to watch the smokers in the Empress Club in London. It is a mystery to me why people tolerated smoking near gourmet and very expensive food.

[PassiveKaerenai]

James Joyce: Zither Prodigy

[thehomeboyz213]

jeff healy plays a strat like that.

[ultrabot90]

@thehomeboyz213 His is more on the principles of a clavichord, however. Just sharin'.

Me's here for research on old instruments ^^

[cliveapaxton]

Atmospheric music for one of the most atmospheric films ever!!

[LokiClock]

The song at the start is very similar to the intro to the Oxsmá song "Kittý."

[milanbassa]

Saban...

[guitarslimNOW]

For a guitar player, the REALLY WEIRD thing here is that his right hand is kinda backwards. The thumb (w/thumbpick), is playing the guitar neck part of the deal; playing the melody or "LEAD guitar" as it were, while the fingers are plucking out the bass notes (kinda like a harp guitar).............and also damping strings as needed. As a fingerstyle guitarist, this whole thing just blows my mind. His playing is fantastic--and I must say--have never heard this done by anyone else.

[TuboEspectador]

@guitarslimNOW Yep, I have listened to many zither artists, but never has anyone come close to Karas.

[RRaquello]

I play piano (not well) and think it's hard to play two things at the same time using both hands, but here he has to play three things. It seems impossible to us without real talent. This film looks like it was shot silent with the music dubbed in later, but that doesn't take anything away. You still get to see how it's done.

[moaardeeb]

I boughy a zither just like this in very poor condtition made in 1800 something with the intention of restoring it and learning to play sadly someone stole it from my car :( God bless you Anton my hero!

[hotterrain]

look at the concentration on his face!

[voidforpurpose]

A Hawaiian slide guitar melded with an autoharp!

Classic!

Karas was a genius with this strange little device.

[dahsuerk]

Third Man Theme

[Strawberry7Lynn]

Look at all those strings, it must have took some tuning up!

And what a fabulous musician.

[CRACKERJACKTIME]

Fantastic theme, and Anton Karas made it all that more so...One of my very favourite films....thank you for posting this clip........

[carlo893]

Amazing. VinceFong, thanks a lot for posting this.

[WyngedSwyne]

The fact that he was in the Wehrmacht in no way means he was a also a member of the Nationalist Socialist (Nazi) Party. That would be the same as saying members of the American military of WWII were all Democrats, Roosevelt's party. It is prima facie a ridiculous statement.

[halsamdu]

I believe you, but I judge him only for his music. And am sure that Orson Welles had not preferred his compositions if he had been a true Nazi

[alexodicino]

@Minnexyz  Simply having served in the German army between the years 1939 to 1945 does not, by itself, make someone an ideological Nazi. Every young man living in either Germany or Austria at the time would have been drafted into service.

[zeekwolfe]

Er war in der Wehrmacht aber einen Nazi, Ich weiss nicht.

[IdleBystander1]

@Minnexyz Yeah, but everyone was doing it then :p

[AustrianFilmGeek]

it seems you have Wehrmacht soldiers and Nazis confused. Look it up if you don't believe me.

[MSGROOTS]

No the Wehrmact was the Democratic Republic after world war that was shortly over thrown by the Nazi ragime that doesnt mean that this amazing musician was a nazi. youre just makin assumptions

[fokjock]

WTF are you on about???

Die Wehrmacht , was the "Defence Forces of the National Socialist regime of Germany 1922-1945 made up of Heer Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe under its nominal head Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel.

In reality it was Hitler.

[alschtir]

@Minnexyz

...nicht jeder soldat der im 2. weltkrieg war war ein nationalsozialist.....so wie nicht jeder amerikaner ein mörder der indianer war/ist und wie auch nicht jeder iraner (perser) ein terrorist sein kann...

[ichmalealsobinich]

@Minnexyz Which german speaking man was not in the Wehrmacht during WW2? Only those of the SS and GESTAPO! And you moron call Karas a Nazi, cause he served as soldier as any man in that time for his country? You just insulting my uncle too you dirty smelling asshole!

[daughterrevolution]

The Third Man is out on Blu-ray now and MAN IS IT GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!!

What an improvement over the DVD.

[cholocharile]

I just saw the movie and I must say it is genius, both the movie itself and the score.

[servicer07]

This has always been my favourite movie. of all.The filming,lighting, acting and the film music ,written and played by Anton Karas come together to make a truely unforgetable and totally evocative film.

The music to the Third Man was the very first record I ever bought.I never tire of hearing it or seeing the film, even in my late 60`s.

[LEOPARDTWO]

A haunting theme from the old world. Five stars.

[hwerlinger]

El mejor citarista de todos los tiempos.

[kazablanka24]

a legjobb mindan idok filmzeneje

[reapus]

The Third Man, best British film ever. The Harry Lime Theme, brilliant, always sends shivers down my back, it's so evocative. It could'nt be played on any other instrument. I am a rock musician of many years standing & I have to say, that zither looks a difficult instrument to me, but Anton Karas was obviously a master at it. He makes it look so easy. Thanks for the memories Mr. Karas, you're a star.

[kazablanka24]

A LEGROMANTIKUSSABB FILMZENE

[zsuzsi57]

Koszi, hogy megmutattad kazablanka. A szamot ismerem. Nagyon szep, es tenyleg romantikus! Ebben az idoszakban meg volt romantika...

[webaroos]

This now almost defunct instrument was also popularised by Shirley Abicair, an Australian in the 50's and she was often on TV and on English TV.

[webaroos]

A wonderful year 1949, hope for the future after WW11 and Karas created a unique music that will last forever, it is embedded in my brain as I was born in Austria & was 3 when it was released.

[BardCoennius]

Did Mozart ever write anything for this instrument, or had it not yet been invented in his time?

[kazablanka24]

great for ever

[farfaraaway]

cafe mozart waltz

[chemiealex]

What's the name of the song that starts at 1:00?

Thanks!

[BradOlsonBemidji]

You should order the CD "The First Man of the Zither Plays The Third Man Theme and Other Original Recordings" on the Jasmine label in the UK so that you can hear these songs plus more from Anton with most of the music being very similar to these 2 songs in this video.

[kazablanka24]

the best of best

[johnmic64]

Help ! How can we find the last scene of this film? It was here in Youtube but it is not available any more. We lost the masterpiece :-(

Any ideas?

[goldenWillmen]

whot the fuck XD

[Dissolvance]

Great!!

[Haart911]

Awesome Clip - > Thx for sharing very much

[zachariot]

omg that look so difficult to play! it sounds like a combo of a guitar and a piano

[camajan1]

Anton Karas (* 7. Juli 1906 in Wien (Vienna); † 10. Januar 1985 . .

I am Austrian ,we share a lot of respect and honor to people who working hard to be and being

[EliteDoomer]

Reminds me of Zelda 2 for NES. :)

[rafaelvicentecarlos]

Yo ví la película en el teatro Olimpia, de Soledad ,Colombia, de los hermanos Ucrós, por allá por el año 51 o 52, en compañia de mi primo Carlos Barcenas Visbal.

[HaasiAustria]

I love it!

[LEOPARDTWO]

If those folks at the Empress Club get any more rowdy and rambunctious, the police will have to be called.

[Punorss]

@LEOPARDTWOJust after the film crew packed up they got the Absinthe out and got legless.

[Shangas]

@LEOPARDTWO The bobbies are already on their way...

[TuboEspectador]

@LEOPARDTWO You made me laugh outloud, which is strictly forbidden in the Empress Club, ;0)

[gregryf]

@LEOPARDTWO yep, they can barely contain themselves

[stargell777]

@LEOPARDTWO Hilarious!

[verziehen]

@LEOPARDTWO The police were called and several were arrested, not for being rowdy and rambunctious but for dressing with exceedingly bad taste and surpassing the legal limit for gormlessness.

[GGiblet]

@verziehen

OMG!!! :))

SOOOOO Funny!

I compleatly disagree

but you have great wit

[verziehen]

@GGiblet How did that generation have children? The women looked about as appealing as garden toads. The men looked like severely constipated school headmasters. I cannot imagine wild goings on back home. Encounters must have required active imaginations & very dark rooms. The first hour would have been filled with many handshakes, introductions & apologies. In some instances hats may have been removed. There would have been sobs of dismay because of the unexpected. And perhaps by the women too.

[GGiblet]

@verziehen

Once again, you have me in stitches! in a good way, not like an alleyway surgeon.

I saw an old film made in the 40's and it had the police rounding up all the local "call girls"

the women all had the wildest hats, and they let them keep them on in holding---a bit odd?

But at least in this they weren't all wearing gloves.

Anton looks like he could be an engineer---huge compliment! Or a watchmaker---almost as good!

"Sobs of dismay...perhaps by the women too"---PRICELESS! :))

[us71]

Looks like a tough instrument to play. He looks like he's struggling... or concentrating very hard.

[LEOPARDTWO]

Remember this? It is unforgettable.

Five stars.

[zednill]

I was in grammer school when this came out. I saw it and it stuck in my mind. My friends and i were fascinated by the sound and the flick. I have a very scratchy copy and I still silten to it on my Dual turntable.

[halsamdu]

I loved this music when I was a child and now that I'm old I like it stronger. When a teen ager, It became for me a sort of obsession, always in mind every day...

[stupat3]

I have the 78 of the Third Man theme and Cafe Mozart ,and it doesn't matter how many times you play it,it still sounds so different from any other record. Great nostagic trip.Great musician. stuart queensland.

[marcelozarate55]

I also have the 78 of the third man it was bought by my father in Europe in 1950. It sounds great and makes me remind my childhood

Marcelo Argentina

[Bailia1997]

Hi, I also have the same 78 rpm, but mine has a white label (nothing written on it). Is it the same with yours?

[stupat3]

Hello Baila1997,

I will need to dig it out of a box somewhere,but I thought it was a blue Decca label.Stuart

[comradevodka]

Ahh to be in a Vennese Wine Bar , getting sloshed and listening to a live Anton Karas.... (Lucky bastards)

[restoradio]

Karas' double-strike rhythm on this instrument has never been duplicated. In my opinion the best zitherist of all time. Incredible! Also, no two zithers sound alike!

[vaughn7272]

I have an old 78record that my mother had, love the music, then saw the film, it all goes together, wonderful

[yourpalsam]

it seems to be part fretboard, part harp

[AnglicanXn]

That certainly looks like a tricky instrument to play - but it makes wonderful music!

[blumengart]

saw the movie as a child in germany, 1949, loved it then, love it now. and the music is wonderful.

[gladietita]

i love this music! is really wonderful

[rowe481]

Fantastic!!! I had an old 78 of the Third Man and the Cafe Mozart Waltz when I was a child - I was heartbroken when it broke - thanks

[lourson55]

C'est merveilleux! Ma mère et mon père m'ont baptisé Orson en honneur d'Orson Welles,le grand acteur( je rappelle que ce prenom signifie petit ours,du français ourson)

Grand film!Grand acteur!

[busmaster1]

...ganz große klasse-der film = auch sehr schön...kult...

[tanyaretan]

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS

[acejiver]

The heartstrings of that instrument are impossible beauitiful.

[praxylite]

Just back from Vienna.I highly recommend to you 'The Third Man' tour and 'The Third Man' museum.Ask in any hotel/tourist office.

[Havisham22]

Amazing song. Amazing movie.

[ManicExpression1980]

Idea for a 3rd Man remake - Set in Post War Iraq, with Tom Hanks as Holly, Denzel Washington as Harry, and Clive Owen as Calloway. A middle eastern woman as Anna, and instead of zither music, a sitar. Any thoughts? I know most would say "NEVER!" but if they were going to remake this classic, I would love to see it done this way.

[padutindutdut]

And I thought it was a gut string guitar......who'da thunk it! I lost that bet.

[Elfridabeetle]

Just beautiful. Thank you so much.

[needtashow]

all time heartfelt classic

[daughterrevolution]

Best movie EVER! The Criterion DVD Restoration was MAGNIFICENT, best on any old film I've ever seen. Well worth the price for your library.

[avedwards]

Very rarely does the music affect how good a film is, but this is one of the rare occaisions where the music makes a good film even better.

[Linhombre69]

The man and his splendid instrument! Thanks for letting us know the venue, but is the date of this recording also known?

[johnnyAlJazeera]

what a great sound, love this and the 'Third Man'

[MnesomnesTears]

I've never wanted to play any instrument this badly before, but the zither's complexity scares me

[ddbunker]

thanks for the Anton video, it was really referesing and nice, I love to play the 3rd man theme, someday when I get time I will put up my Touch Guitar version on my site

[HolyAndre]

OMG! WTF is that I put "Karas" to searching coz I want to see Karas from Anime not this shit O_o

[chinopisces]

You must be a kid.

Don't call it shit simply because you do not comprehend it.

This is a classic tune that means a lot to a lot of people.

[HolyAndre]

to a lot of people who are +100 years old xP and I call this shit coz for Me it's shit if u like then OK

[jfkgirl85]

im 13 and I like it and all anime/manga sucks

[chinopisces]

I'm afraid you don't understand. See that red number next to your comment above? That means people think your comment is stupid. You see, in your own mind you think you are right...but in reality you have no idea what you're talking about. Learn to write properly, and if you haven't got anything good to say, then STFU.

jfkgirl85, its nice that you appreciate the classics, but don't knock an entire genre just because you dislike it. Anime is an excellent medium of expression.

[HolyAndre]

no this red number means ppls dun like Me coz I dun like this video... and Im right coz if I dun like it then this is shit for Me but if some1 like this Karas music its OK some1 have other point of view on this kind of music :P (and sorry but I'm not english so that's why I write wrong and sometimes I use words what I know, and sorry if I offens some1)

[alpiarts]

@ lost HolyAndre,

brush your brain and start again. Learn to express yourself by words. Get culture, get education and learn to use your mind and soul. If that exists in you. No one will miss your embarrassing way of writing/thinking.

I'm a Viennese..., take care, be aware.

Get a life, learn to express things gently.

[Swegen]

You can't spell. You're excused!

[carrotjuse]

Go away, kid.  Go play with your toys.

[HarrisHaare]

Yuhuu ich besitze auch so ein wundervolles Instrument, welches einfach verdammt verdammt schwer ist um es so zu spielen wie Karas, er ist ein genie....danke für diesen wundervollen Video Beitrag.

[jetztgenug]

A really great video of an extraordinary player!

[alsetn]

I have this CD, but never dreamed I would see Anton Karas performing in on video. I have a zither but it is different, one plays chords with it, this looks much more difficult.

[Atreus21]

Such a strange looking instrument.

[kalle621]

Schlicht und ergreifend: klasse!

[alpiarts]

I was born and raised in Vienna, still live here, and I can say, that this music, this film stands for the real Viennese mentality and mood. But, as time goes by, it seems to fade away amongst Mc Donalds and warehouses. Anyway, for me this movie is the best one filmed in Vienna. I love this melancholy, maybe gravity. I love Vienna. It's part of me...

[klausknulp]

same with me!

[ohworldgirl]

Wow - you make me want to go there. A very nice display of love for you homeland.

[DuralastTurbo]

Sounds like a cross between a pig & a ukelele HAHA - crap

[chinopisces]

You are an idiot.

[pachero4711]

Anton Karas - the silence good boys

## thanks Youtube

[ArkRed1]

I can't believe is right hand. The fingers and thumb working so independantly of each other. Obviously the zither is not an instrument that everyone can sit behind and play. Truly jaw dropping. What a great artist he was.

[chinopisces]

I couldn't have said it better myself—unless I fixed that minor typo. (jk)

Kudos.

[zither22]

I bouhgt an old zither from ebay restrung and after about 6_7 months can now get a tune nothing like anton karas tho try Lotte Landl

[Y0Uhannes]

He´s the man!

[wonderkarategirl]

great movie, great book! GREAT MUSIC!

[jhv48]

very interesting, over the music, the environment

[PirateC8roline]

You are SO RIGHT Viennophile, Mum came from the 12th district in Vienna and I absolutely adore every thing about Vienna. Shonbrunn is my favourite place to be.

[EnglishGent55]

Harry in the doorway.Best film entrance ever.

[Ankhsnammon]

unforgettable sound..unforgettable music...unforgettable times!

ankhsnammon

[tedmccarron]

Karas's zither music is at least 50% of what made The Third Man such a great movie. I love it! On my electronic keyboard with 1,000 instument settings I couldn't find "zither." Anyone know of the most similar sounding instrument? Steel guitar comes a little close. We miss you, Anton!

[fijidawg]

I practice it on a mandolin. You can still find the original sheet music to the movie, too.

[musicalxxdancer]

Wow.

[hollieskid]

this is one of the best film and music ihave seen

[periklis4444]

eleos....

[Viennophile]

This music breathes the spirit of Vienna, the most beautiful city on earth.

[JerryX68]

Oh daarling, isn't he simply divine! Bourgeois, vous n'avez rien compris! Thanks for posting that Vince. Amazing to see the amazing Anton karas actually playing 'live.' A long way from playing for hand-outs, small change and soup back home.

[halsamdu]

When I was 13 and went to my school in Naples this music, that I liked very much, day after day became a sort of ossession for me. I had it truely ALWAYS in my mind.This music is almost a comment of my whole life. And I now love it too.

[ShEiKyErButTi]

A virtuoso no doubt, had it not been for him Carol Reed's famous opus would surely not be the same, may he rip. PS Dig the period London club scene! :P

[sonnyjim91]

A unique and timeless sound - I love it.

[bigcoolviking]

mmmmm works for me yes  very nice goose bumps and everything!

[RickyShades]

Total awesome talent and skill. Bravo!

*****!

[thanks acerb45666555]

[ck2104]

love this tune from 3rd man

[cherrialbum]

Cool!!

[jitterbug121]

awesome istrumentalist

no doubt a billion have said, but it reminds me of spongebob ^_^