I’ve watched plenty of street performers over the years, many who are quite good, but very few are as original as this man playing “Hallelujah” on rows and rows of wine glasses. Unsurprisingly, his performance draws a crowd of people intrigued by the beautiful sounds coming from the table. Having no musical talent myself, I can’t help but be very impressed.
Believe it or not, these rows of wine glasses filled with different levels of water are actually a musical instrument, called the ‘glass harp.’ It has also been called the ‘angelic organ’ because of the unique sound and tone that the glasses produce. It takes a talented musician to play.
According to the Washington Post, this is how the glass harp works:
“You can’t see it happening, but when wet fingers rub over the rim of a glass, the friction causes vibration, which creates sound waves. The stem increases the ability of the bowl part of each glass to vibrate.
Each glass’s sound depends upon its size and shape. Glasses with large bowls will produce deeper tones than those with small ones. Plain stemware with thin rims works quite well.
Some glasses naturally have perfect pitch when empty. Others need to be tuned with water. The more water added, the lower the pitch because liquid slows down the vibrations.”
The glass harp has a surprisingly long history and has been around for centuries. There are pieces of music written specifically for the instrument, and even Beethoven and Mozart have composed music for the uniquely beautiful sounds of glasses and water. That’s pretty amazing when you consider that they have composed some of the most famous musical works of all time.
This street artist has mastered the art of the glass harp and must have an incredible ear for music. Each time, before he begins to play, he must tune the instrument and make sure that each glass has the exact amount of water needed. Only then can he begin to play.
Today, he’s playing one of the most recognizable songs out there, “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen. I’ve heard it sang by dozens of artists, both famous and unknown, but I have never heard it quite like this. It’s a unique and beautiful way to play the song, and even though Leonard Cohen famously asked people to stop covering the song, I can’t help but think he would approve of this particular performance.
Watch and listen to the video below!
