The Beauty of the Harp at Christmas

Imagine sitting in a beautiful New England home—a colonial built in the mid-1700s—and listening to Christmas music played on a harp. That is what I did this past weekend, and it was mesmerizing. The colonial house was previously owned by Senator Cromwell Leonard of Massachusetts (below is a photo of Mr. Leonard himself as he stands in front of his fireplace). No… wait… that is not the good Senator; that is actually my brother, the current owner of this 300-year-old home!   

My brother plays the part well and graciously invites friends and neighbors into his meticulously renovated home to enjoy a meal and listen to the melodies of the harp. (There’s no indication that Senator Cromwell played the harp!)

The harp is a beautiful instrument—made even more lovely when it is built by hand and etched in gold leaf. My brother not only renovates old colonial homes, but also builds and plays Celtic harps. He is a self-taught harpist, which is a far cry from the days when he played tuba in our high school band! He even learned how to apply gold-leaf from our mother, who decorated many antiques around our home.

At Christmas time my brother loads his harp into the car, and treks out into the community to bring his talents to area hospitals, churches, shrines, and even a garden center. I joined him one bitter cold morning in a hospital lobby (harps don’t like going out in the cold—they go out of tune!) and sat watching people come and go while he played wonderful Christmas melodies. Below, my brother plays the “Garden Harp” as he has named this one.  

People were coming to the hospital for medical care and were not expecting to be entertained by a harp, so many of those I observed hurried along to their next appointment—including hospital staff. I wondered if they thought they were hearing some far-off “elevator music” and simply weren’t paying attention? After all, harps are not very loud, and it would be easy to overlook them. 

However, there were some people who paused to watch or discreetly looked over their shoulder to catch a glimpse of the musician. I remember one middle-aged man bringing an older relative into the lobby—he kept turning to look across the room at the harp, one, twice, three times, and then had to hurry down the hall with his family member.

Then there was the “book lady,” as I called her, sitting not far away, watching the harp more than she was reading her book. There was also a “book man” who kept walking back and forth in front of the harp, book clenched tightly under his arm. An older couple stood watching—the woman with her head cocked slightly, listening. A nurse in scrubs sat near me; maybe she was on break? And then a young man came up the stairs and tripped on the way up, but caught himself —perhaps he was paying too much attention to the harp?

A hospital employee arrived wearing a sweatshirt with the hospital slogan “More than Medicine” printed on the back. I don’t know much about this hospital, but the harp’s charming melodies are certainly more than medicine. They may even be stimulating an emotional component of our brains. Every time I hear my brother play this beautiful instrument, I start to tear up. Kleenex in hand, I’ve tried to figure out why this happens to me. For one thing, my brother comes from a long line of artists and musicians in our family, and that brings back wonderful memories of my parents and grandparents. That alone is enough to make me tear up! 

And I am not the only one. A lady across the room blows her nose…was she tearing up? No—maybe it’s just the cold weather. That said, it is well known that music evokes an emotional response in us. Many listeners have approached my brother after he finishes a piece and said things like, “you changed my feelings today,” or “I felt something here,” or “it took me back to my childhood and the good feelings about Christmas.” Once, while playing at a Catholic shrine, my brother mentioned these observations to the priest. Father Brown suggested, “Tell them, ‘You just received a gift.’”  

Music is a gift—a gift from humanity to humanity. It impacts our brains and has long been known to augment healing. For example, listening to Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major can reduce the frequency of seizures in some people with epilepsy (here). It is known as “the Mozart Effect” (there is a book by the same name.) Music resonates—literally—in our brains.   

Overtones and harmonics

How does the harp do this? In the words of my brother- “The harp produces a sound quite different than most other instruments, and I think that is what makes it touch our soul.   When you pluck a string on a harp (such as an “A” string), it sets the soundboard vibrating which produces both the fundamental tone (the “A”) and its associated harmonic overtones.  And, that vibrating soundboard also sets all the other strings vibrating as well. This in turn, gets all their associated overtones sounding. Only the harp really does this most effectively. I have 36 strings on the harp and everyone is directly connected to the soundboard – so more opportunity for harmonics and a richer sound.”

But, thanks to my brother, we don’t need to understand the science behind music and its effects on our brains, to enjoy it. Humans have been creating music—and musical instruments—for tens of thousands of years. Archaeologists have discovered bone and ivory flutes made from tusks in present-day Germany, dating back roughly 40,000-50,000 years.

Only humans can intentionally design and create instruments.

Only humans compose music with structure, repetition and variation.

Only humans use music in rituals, storytelling and healing. 

Back in the hospital lobby, I noticed a woman taking a picture of my brother as he played the harp. I struck up a conversation with her and learned that she was waiting for her son to come out of surgery. She was taken with the beauty of the harp and its music, and I felt glad that this brief musical interlude could offer her some comfort.

I leave you with a link to hear the harp and a wonderful photograph of the Cromwell Leonard house—a place where harps are born.

Always talk to your health professional before starting anything new.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any condition and is intended only for entertainment. I welcome your comments.