Music is an integral part of our daily lives and makes the world a more pleasurable place to reside. But does music have healing properties? Can the "angelic" quality inherent in the harp also have an "analgesic" effect on chronic illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, lupus, or fibromyalgia? Growing contingents of music therapists who have studied and practiced harp therapy in hospitals and nursing homes believe that the answer is a qualified "yes."

The harp has been used in healing since an...