Bell, Book and

bowed psaltery.  I dusted off and tuned this. It's not really mine. I made a bridge and stringed it; bought a bow, tuned it and have been playing it again after a long time. Didn't take long to get some bowing technique back after I'd found some rosin. What prompted me was hearing an ancient French tune for an Advent meditation:

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly-minded,
For with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
Our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,
As of old on earth He stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
In the body and the blood;
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way,
As the Light of light descendeth
From the realms of endless day,
That the powers of hell may vanish
As the darkness clears away.

At His feet the six wingèd seraph,
Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the presence,
As with ceaseless voice they cry:
Alleluia, Alleluia Alleluia, Lord Most High!

Thanks go to Timothy Seaman for bringing this haunting tune to mind.