On Harps, the Wind and Joanna Newsom (Edie)

The harp has been a part of our history for thousands of centuries. It was born in Mesopotamia, and since then has become part of many lands, ranging from Africa, Asia, and Europe to North and South America. Harps and other stringed instruments (the lute, lyre, ukelele, guitar, piano...it goes on) have shaped musical traditions all over the world. We continue to cherish this sound.

The Great Puget Sound Wind Harp is a giant, two-story wind harp was constructed by Ron Konzak. Once, he noticed that the wind caused his Celtic harp to resonate with sound. He decided to create a stand-alone harp that would be touched by the wind, and this was born.

In this video, a harp resonates with gusts of wind. 

I really like Joanna Newsom, a harpist and composer. Her songs embody the beauty of the harp and folk influences. Here, she preforms '81 on Later with Jools Holland.




Analyze the music you listen to. Why do you like it? Do you like music that centers on one type of instrument? Tell us about your findings!