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Street Performer Plays Soul-Stirring 'Hallelujah' With Just Crystal Glasses

A person in a red plaid shirt arranges wine glasses on a table outdoors.

Musicians can be so creative. This street perfomer has set up a series of crystal wine glasses to create a musical instrument called a glass harp.

Hallelujah on glasses

How does it work? When you rub the top rim of each glass, the friction creates a vibration. This vibration is the source of the sound or in this case, music.

Hallelujah played on glasses by street performerIn the video, the musician keeps dipping his fingers into the water to lubricate them so that he can continue making the vibrations which cause the musical notes.

Glasses with more water have a lower tone because the water slows down the vibration. And conversely, glasses with less water have a higher sound.

But what is particularly admirable is that this musician has perfected a very complicated song, “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen.

Apparently, glass harps have a very long history, though they may be a novelty to you. Beethoven and Mozart have composed pieces just for this instrument.

I think that you will agree that the glass harp has a sound that is hauntingly pleasing.

There’s still plenty of Street performer playing Hallelujah on a glass harp to enjoy on AmazonAd. Buying through us lets us earn some much-needed income, and it keeps the cats happy too.