My Purchase Of An Autoharp Sparks Childhood Memories [VIDEO]

I went to Wrenshall School, it was a K-12 school that required that you took music as an elementary student. That meant whether you could carry a tune or not, you were in choir. Whether you could read musical notes or not, you were expected to play the recorder, the triangle (is that the technical term?) and the bongos. To the credit of Mrs. Busch our Choir/Music Director and Mr. Smithson, the Band Instructor, they did introduce us to a full range of musical instruments.

I did try playing the clarinet in band, but not being able to read musical notes left me licking the reed of my instrument for the hour lesson and frustrating Mr. Smithson (he was also the Driver's Ed instructor, but that's a story for another time).  I had a little better luck in Choir.  I have memories of singing Tell Tale Heart which was a song derived from one of Edgar Allen Poe’s books and always having to prepare for the Christmas Chorale Concert (and yes, back then it was a Christmas Concert, not a Holiday Concert).

Occasionally, we got to bring an instrument home for the weekend.  Of course there was a sign up sheet, but because our class sizes were small (I graduated with a class of 17), I didn't have to wait too long.  I proudly carried that autoharp case home on the school bus with plans to play all weekend!  Guess what?  If you can't read musical notes, you don't have much fun with the autoharp, which I found out wasn't really a harp at all.  According to Wikipedia, it's a chorded zither.  Wait....a what?   I want you to know why I bought the autoharp.  First, I only payed $5 for my piece of nostalgia and I don't plan on playing it.  Instead, it will hang on the wall of our fan cave (I'll tell my husband that someday soon).  I bought it because it takes me back and makes me smile.

I was surprised to find out that Dolly Parton plays the autoharp, but not like I was taught, we played it on a tabletop  with our left hand depressing the keys and the right hand crossed over the top strumming.  Dolly shows us just how talented she is holding it upright while she plays and doesn't need to look at the keys!

Did I evoke a memory?  Does anyone else remember being able to bring instruments home for the weekend?  What was your favorite?