Definition

Noun: * A musical instrument consisting of a box with strings stretched across it that produce musical tones when the wind blows over them. It is played by the wind, not by a person, and creates ethereal, harmonic sounds.

Usage

• The aeolian harp is typically placed in a window, on a porch, or in another location where it can catch the breeze.
• It is known for producing random, hauntingly beautiful chords and melodies that change with the wind's speed and direction.

Examples

• The poet sat on the cliff, listening to the melancholic music of the aeolian harp.
• We installed a small aeolian harp in the garden to enjoy its natural sounds.
• The sound of the aeolian harp added an eerie atmosphere to the empty house.

Advanced Usage

• As a metaphor: The term is often used in literature and poetry as a metaphor for inspiration (the wind) acting upon a passive, receptive mind (the harp).
  • The artist felt like an aeolian harp, waiting for the winds of creativity to stir.
• In music: Some composers have tried to emulate or incorporate the sound of the aeolian harp into their compositions.

Variants and Related Words

• Aeolian (adjective): Pertaining to or produced by the wind. Often used in geology ("aeolian sand dunes") and music ("aeolian mode").
• Wind harp: A direct synonym for aeolian harp.

Synonyms

• Wind harp
• Aeolian lyre

Related Phrases and Idioms

• To be an aeolian harp: To be highly sensitive or receptive to external influences, especially artistic or emotional ones.
  • As a writer, she described herself as an aeolian harp, attuned to the subtlest shifts in human emotion.

Noun

1. a harp having strings tuned in unison; they sound when wind passes over them