The Paraguayan Harp, the national instrument of Paraguay, is a diatonic instrument made from wood. A hallow base makes this instrument extremely lightweight, and in Paraguay, they actually have a special belt so they can carry the harp and march in parades while playing music.
My Paraguayan Harp, her name is Beauty and the Beast, was a garage sale find. She is rustic; she has 36 strings and every tuning peg is hand carved. She has wonderful tone, and when I play her, her music rings through my heart. Alas, she can be a beast to tune, as she has a sensitive soul and often pops strings in the middle of the night, frightening the cats and waking me from musical dreams.
Fluctuations in temperature frustrate her, and she seems most comfortable in the dining room parked next to the piano. Like me, she loves hats; her favorite is a pink knit hat that she claims keeps her nice and warm.
The first song I learned from her was Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” in the key of C, which is a little low for my voice, but Beauty and the Beast can only be played in C or Am. Anyway, I think that “Hallelujah” is perfect for the harp, and I do my best to do the song justice.
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