RE: [Harp-L] Why is a harmonica called a harp?

[Bobbie Giordano <bobg@xxxxxxxxx>]

Some of this will surely be going back over ground covered already by Winslow
and others, however...

For the interest of those who are following this discussion, [and find it no
more or less ridiculous than other list threads,] there are two charts which
attempt to classify musical instruments, including the harmonica, located at
this URL:

http://www.ksanti.net/free-reed/description/taxonomy.html

Aside from these charts, it's not too hard to imagine that the term "harp"
for "harmonica" might have developed from two older wind-activated
instruments, the Aeolian Harp, [named in reference to Aeolus, or Aiolos,
mythical god of the winds,] and the Jew's Harp.  While the Jew's Harp has a
free reed [fixed at one end] like those in harmonicas, it is not driven by
airflow as much as it is plucked to create sound.  [I'm also not sure I'd
classify the Jew's Harp as "unframed free-reed", or even aerophone over
idiophone, but whatever...]  Another difference, of course, is that the
Aeolian Harp was/is placed where natural breezes might bring it to life, with
no more attempt to "play" it than to tune its wires or strings.  [In fact,
why the Aeolian Harp is not labelled a chordophone, or stringed instrument,
in the first place eludes me.]  Still, these instruments, and their names,
both predate the "mouth harp".

It's interesting to note that the names Mundaeoline [Buschmann's instrument],
Aeolian [also German] and Aeolina [Wheatstone's and Zwahlen's instruments]
were given to the earliest harmonica-like free-reed instruments.  And with
the term "harp" already in use, and connected with the word Aeolian, as well
as the free-reed Jew's Harp, it would not surprise me if these were the
strongest influences leading to the term "Mouth Harp", and by extension,
later "French Harp", and just plain "Harp", as well.  I also recall Siegfried
Naruhn pointing out a few years ago that the term "Mundharpe" is a very old
European harmonica name continuing in use today.

Incidentally, these earliest instruments were actually first intended to
serve as chromatic "tuning devices" for other instruments [violin, viola,
etc.,] not necessarily for music-making; and they were not reed-bearing
plates attached to wood bodies, but the plates WERE the bodies; or they were
framed all around by ivory and held by the fingers or the teeth to free the
hands for tuning.  In fact, Wheatstone's Aeolina's reeds were comprised of
strips made from argentum mounted on argentum plates.  This metal, known as
as German Silver, was a new alloy of nickel, copper and zinc [ie, nickel
silver], which wouldn't go into commercial production in Wheatstone's England
until several years after he employed it to create these new free-reed
instruments, some of the direct forerunners of the harmonicas we all enjoy
today!

As for deriving "porka" from "pocket orchestra", I can only say that you'd
sure need to have some mighty large pockets to lug around a "bassporka", much
less a "chordporka"!!  ;)  But, hey... you never know... I coined the term
"overbend" on Harp-L one day, and some folks actually now use it these days.

Now... does anyone know how to play "Beer Barrel Porka"?
And, maybe next election, our legislators will entice voters by giving tax
breaks to harmonica players... a real "porka barrel" scheme, I'd say!!

Ok, I'll stop.
Hope your New Year's a barrel of fun!

Cheers y'all!
Bobbie
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