in the 1920s. The Stroh violin is closely related to other horned violins using a mica sheet-resonating diaphragm, known as phonofiddles. In the present day, many types of horn-violin exist, especially in the Balkans. Romanian horn-violin The Romanian horn-violin is similar to the Stroh violin. It was built through the 20th century. It has the same length as the Stroh violin, but its horn is narrower and yields a more directional sound. The structure of the instrument is based on the tungsten element of a gramophone. Amateurs or small workshops could easily build it and, perhaps for that reason, many variants exist in Eastern Europe. The vibrations of the strings and bridge are transmitted by a thin rod to the membrane of the gramophone-element. The membrane transforms these vibrations into sound waves, which are amplified by the horn or beaker. The horn-violin is harder to play than a normal violin because the reaction of the bow on the strings is less flexible, and the instrument's weight is less evenly distributed. This causes an imbalance on the shoulder. The instrument is still used in Romanian folk-music for playing horas and doinas, and mixes well with the characteristic sound of the pan-flute. It is generally used sparsely due to its tone. Instruments like the Stroh violin and other types of horn-violin remain a curiosity; they are quite rare in the orchestra. The horn-violin is especially used in folk music of the Bihor region of Romania. Famous practitioners of this music style include fiddler Gheorghe Rada, singers Florica Bradu, Florica Ungur, Florica Duma, Leontin Ciucur, Cornel Borza, Vasile Iova, Maria Haiduc, Viorica Flintașu, and renowned folk ensembles Crișana or Rapsozii Zarandului. See also Fiddle Hardanger fiddle Kontra Låtfiol Phonofiddle Rabeca References External links Delta Violin—Article considering the context of Stroh and other related Horn Violins YouTube Video—Louise played on the Stroh Fiddle (Violin) by Corwin Zekley Video Siperkov plays the horn-violin Historic Vitaphone Recording—Jazzmania Quintet, with Georgie Stoll on Stroh violin, playing "I Ain't Got Nobody" The violinophone is one of the interesting Instruments of Amazonas Recording of Piazolla's Tango "Oblivion" using both a violinophone in combination with ordinary stringed instruments. Antique Stroh violin Nr. 722 by Armin Sternberg, Budapest, approx. 1910 Mauricio Kagel – 1898 (1973, Vinyl) A recording of 1898 by Mauricio Kagel which uses a Stroh violin, viola, cello and double-bass specially built and adapted in collaboration with the composer