The harp

Today in church we were treated to a gorgeous and uplifting harp performance by Diana Elliott.  Aren't you struck by the heavenly quality of harp music?  There's some wonderful quality about the sound that transports you and fits so well with devotional thought.  I thought I'd find out a little about harps to see what makes the music so wonderful (beyond the thousands of hours of practice and talent of the harpist).  Most musical instruments are made of only a few different kinds of materials.  They generally have some moving parts, but not an excessive amount.  Harps have multiple kinds of wood and metal (as well as natural and synthetic strings). The mechanical system that allows pitch changes has almost 1,500 pieces of brass and steel that are precisely made and fitted, not only to function but to do so silently, to avoid interfering with the music itself.  Three kinds of wood have important roles: white maple is used for the outer frame because of its strength.  Spruce is used for the soundboard.  Its even and pliable grain leads to uniform sound production and rich quality.  Beech is used to hold the strings to the soundboard because it is especially tough.  A given harp may have strings made of steel, gut and nylon depending on the position and length.  When the raw wood is delivered to the harp maker, he stores it for six months to allow the wood to adjust to the local climate and minimize future splitting and cracking.  Each harp is considered a work of art and is customized with paint, varnish and carvings.  Some harps have a layer of gold applied (4 millionths of an inch thick).  So much skill is required to make a harp that multiple apprenticeships must be completed before one can oversee the whole process as a master harp maker. 

 

So much goes into the instrument but the result is a transcendent sound that can glorify the Lord and transport us in thought into His presence!  Of course I'm reminded of another Master Harp maker (or should I say Master Heart maker) who has fashioned a Creation of infinite variety and vast quantity that wondrously blends and proclaims His own majesty and glory.  You and I are pieces of that instrument and we each are fitted to contribute uniquely to His music!

 

Psalm 98:5 "make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing"

 

blessings,

Rob Smith

http://2daysthought.blogspot.com/