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Wilds Wind Harp

Aeolian Harp at the International Center for Wild Animals (the Wilds), a 9000 acre wildlife refuge in Central Ohio. Zanesville, Ohio off Route 78 between Columbus and Pittsburgh. Call (614)-638-5030 for information.

The work offers shelter and seating for visitors as they listen to the sounds of the wind. The cedar pavilion reflects the shape of the octagonal earth mound at the Hopewell Indian site in Newark, Ohio. Eight copper and teakwood harps are tensioned with stainless steel strings. Built in collaboration with Skip Stander and Charles Bremer.

The harp transforms wind energy into musical sounds known as aeolian tones, named after Aeolus, the god of wind in Greek mythology. The wind harp is one of the oldest musical instruments discovered by man. According to legend, King David hung his harp in an open window and heard it played by the wind. In more recent times, aeolian tones can be heard singing from telephone and power lines.

When an aeolian harp string is activated by the wind, the fundamental is never sounded, only the overtone series. Wind velocity is directly related to the pitch heard by the listener; the greater the wind speed, the higher the activated overtone. The resulting tones have a shimmering, ringing quality.

In accordance with the laws of fluid dynamics, when air flows past a cylinder (in this case, a string), it sheds vortices to either side. These are shed alternatingly in a stable and regularly repeating pattern. When the frequency of this oscillation matches the frequency to which the string is tuned, an aeolian tone will result. The string always vibrates in a direction perpendicular to the wind.

Wilds Sound Walk
The Sound Walk is designed to engage the public in exploring environmental phenomena and the sonic resources of the area. Preliminary plans include: Textured Walkways, Listening Posts, Wind Harps, Sound Stations, Aquaphones, and Quiet Areas. These designated sites attune the listeners ears to the orchestration of the soundscape. Plans for landscaping and sculptural elements employ forces of wind, water and solar energy to create interactive areas and installations.

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