A kannel is NOT a zither. The best closest Englsih language word is psaltery, but even that does not describe the instrument known also as a kantele or kokle. (pending on your Finnish or Latvian roots)

So, hardly a gratuitous obfuscation, but rather the only word that fits.

Saagpakk's Estonian-English dictionary, (the recognized authority), defines 'kannel' as: "(Estonian) zither (with six or seven strings); psaltry".

So, the best choice of words would be 'Estonian zither'. The word 'psaltry' has the disadvantage of unfamiliarity. 'Kannel', 'kantele', and 'kokle', as foreign words, don't mean anything to English-speakers.

Mina oskan estoniani spiikida. Estonianid saavad minust aru sest nad oskavad inglishi spiikida. Nii et las lennata üks kõik mis keelte segus.

Sounds like the same crowd is back again to fight out another hopelessly and utterly useless argument so that, at best, we may never hear another kannel again in Toronto (since we can't even begin to agree on the definition of the instrument) or, it may just get scratched out of our history books altogether if Canadian Estonians could vote on the issue. I would like to hear from some people as to whether they actually derived any pleasure at all from listening to this disc.

... if that's what you read out of the foregoing exchange of opinion, then -- truly -- you're foolish and mentally unbalanced.
Why do you keep coming here to advertise the fact?

Because it is a kannel. Seeing as you are pushing the envelope zithers come in many shapes and sizes, Websters 20 th century dictionary says that the ideal (or most pertfect from) has 31 strings. As the modern from of a cithern it has evolved into various instruments depending on the culure. Saagpakk says an Estonian zither has six or seven strings, a psaltery has more. So by your argument Tiideberg's instrument in English is a psaltery.

Ethnographers usually use the name of an instrument in the original language. And I for one see nothing wrong in using the word kannel for accuracy. Why the anglocentric obstinance?

How many strings does a psaltery have?

On the rare occasion that it's necessary to use a foreign word when writing, it should be defined for the reader. Otherwise, we're left with affected writing which leaves an impression but fails in its purpose -- communication.
In this case, we have an instrument that, in the photo, looks a zither with 31 strings. Vanemuine (the Estonian God of music) obstinately calls it a "kannel" even though he can't tell us what that is.

At first I thought you were being picky. Now I see your point and I think that the Goddess of Music is just putting on airs. If she had any stuff, she would strut it. I was a bit suspicious right off the bat when I saw that she took the name of a Goddess for anonymity. That takes some ego. And when somebody doesn't agree with her she sighs as if its such a chore to deal with the little people.