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. Metal-framed instruments with no sound board produce a music very different from that produced by wind harps with wooden sound boxes and sound boards. The quality of sound depends on many factors, including the lengths, gauges, and types of strings, the character of the wind, and the material of the resonating body. Some are now made in the form of monumental metal sound sculptures located on the roofs of buildings and windy hilltops. It became popular as a household instrument during the Romantic era, and Aeolian harps are still hand-crafted today. The Aeolian harp – already known in the ancient world – was first described by Athanasius Kircher (1602–1680) in his books Musurgia Universalis (1650) and Phonurgia Nova (1673). They are recognizable by the sound which is a result of this property, which has been described as eerie and ethereal. Besides being the only string instrument played solely by the wind, the Aeolian harp is also the only string instrument that plays solely harmonic frequencies. 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. It is often placed in a slightly opened window where the wind can blow across the strings to produce sounds. 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. An Aeolian harp (also wind harp) is a musical instrument that is played by the wind.
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