World Music Monday Instrument of the Week: Jew’s Harp

POSTED:: July 2, 2014

FILED UNDER:: Special Programming

Jew's_harp

Each week, tune into World Music Mondays on WMSE (Mondays from 9am – 11:30am CST) to not only listen to world music, but to learn about a different instrument each week, curated by program host, Ruadhan Ward, an Ethnomusicology student and WMSE DJ. Read up on this week’s instrument, here…

The Jew’s harp, also known as the jaw harp, is one of the oldest musical instruments in history. It originates from Asia, in the East and in the Turkic lands, but versions of the Jew’s Harp are found in nearly every country across the globe. The harp is held in the mouth, and the middle tongue is plucked, while the mouth fluctuates to form different sounds.

The Jew’s harp is an instrument of trade, traveling from Asia to Europe, and from Europe to the United States. During the advent of our country, settlers traded Jew’s harps for Native American land. Due to this saturation, the Jew’s harp was seen as a lesser instrument. It was adapted into Americana and Bluegrass music as American culture aged. Now, the Jew’s harp is a standard instrument, and the sound of this little piece of metal is instantly recognizable. Here’s a link to a Jew’s Harp demonstration:

Here’s what we played on the last edition of Instrument of the Week:

 

1.) “Sary-Arga” by Abdulkhamit Rayimbergenov from The Rough Guide to Central Asia

2.) A traditional tune off of the International Jew’s Harp Festival Molln 1998 album, second track.

3.) “The Moving Song” by 17 Hippies from Heimlich

4.) “Lion in a Coma” by Animal Collective from Merriweather Post Pavillion

 

Tune in next week Monday at 10:30 for the next Instrument of the Week segment!

POSTED BY:: Erin Wolf

TAGGED::Instrument of the Week, WMSE, World Music Mondays