Aeolian Harp

An Aeolian harp (æolian harp or wind harp) is a musical instrument that is played by the wind. It is named after Aeolus, the ancient Greek god of the wind. The traditional Aeolian harp is essentially a wooden box including a sounding board, with strings stretched lengthwise across two bridges. It is placed in a slightly opened window where the wind can blow across the strings to produce sounds. The strings can be made of different materials (or thicknesses) and all be tuned to the same pitch, or identical strings can be tuned to different pitches. Besides being the only strung instrument played solely by the wind, the Aeolian harp is the only stringed instrument that plays solely harmonic frequencies.

The Aeolian harp - already known in the ancient world – was first described by Athanasius Kircher (1602–1680) in his book Phonurgia nova (1673). It became popular as a household instrument during the Romantic Era, and Aeolian harps are still hand-crafted today. (For example, see the external link below to Greg Joly's website featuring a variety of recordings and images of contemporary Aeolian harp designs). Some are now made in the form of monumental metal sound sculptures located on the roof of a building or a windy hilltop.

The quality of sound is dependant on many factors, including the length, gauge(s), and type of strings, the character of the wind, and the material of the resonating body. Metal framed instruments with no soundboard produce a music very different to that produced by wind harps with wooden sound boxes and sound boards. There is no percussive aspect to the sound like that produced by a wind chime; rather crescendos and decrescendos of harmonic frequencies are played in rhythm to the winds. Their vibrant timbres produce an etheric, almost mystical music that many people find alludes to higher realms.