What Is 'Aeolian Harp'?

The term 'Aeolian' was coined from the Greek word 'Aeolus' meaning the 'God of Wind'. Athanasius Kircher (1601 – 1680) is considered as the developer of first known Aeolian harp. Aeolian harp is a stringed musical instrument played with the help of wind. It is a long, narrow, shallow box with sound holes combined with 10-12 strings arranged in length wise between two bridges. The strings of the Aeolian harp are of the same length but with different thickness and are all tuned to the same pitch. The wind makes the strings vibrate in successively in a higher harmonics. The instrument may be set horizontally under a window sash or hung. Aeolian harp is a sweet melodious instrument with a random sound coming as a result of force of the wind passing over the strings. However the sound coming from Aeolian harp may result a subtle sweet melody on one extreme, but loud scream like pitch on the other extreme depending on the controlling of wind passing through it.