Other than the ubiquitous wind-chimes sounding on your
balcony, there are a variety of instruments that are played only by the wind,
ranging from those small enough to sit on your windowsill to massive pieces of
modern art and poorly-designed skyscrapers.
While known in ancient Greece, India, and China, the Aeolian
harp ("Aeolian" from the ancient Greek god and "keeper of
the winds," Aeolus) was "rediscovered" in Europe during the
1650s, by Athanasius Kircher, a German Jesuit priest, and went on to become
a popular feature in Romantic-era households. The idea is simple: a number of
strings (usually an even number) are strung over a sound chamber, and the
instrument is then left somewhere with a strong breeze. The wind does the rest.
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