kantele

American  

[kahn-tuh-luh] / ˈkɑn tə lə /

noun

• kanteles
  plural

1. a traditional Finnish and Karelian zither played by plucking the strings: Finland's national instrument.

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• kanteles
  plural

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kantele

Plucked phrases on the kantele and the strings seem at once delicately spiritual and skittishly angular.

From New York Times ● Nov. 18, 2018

“The bass strings are something like rain; the small strings talk like a whisper,” a vocal quartet sings delicately above trilling strings and piccolo, while the kantele creates a resonant cascade of sound.

From New York Times ● Nov. 12, 2018

Far was heard the charming music, In six villages they heard it, There was not a single creature But it hurried forth to listen, 290 And to hear the charming music From the kantele resounding.

From Kalevala, The Land of the Heroes, Volume Two by Elias Lönnrot

In a corner hung a kantele, the instrument to which the Finns sing their famous songs as described.

From Through Finland in Carts by Mrs. (Ethel) Alec-Tweedie

Still the winds were wildly blowing, And the waves assailed the vessel, Swept away the harp of pikebone, And the kantele of fish-fins, Joy for Vellamo's attendants, And to Ahtola a pleasure.

From Kalevala, The Land of the Heroes, Volume Two by Elias Lönnrot