Skip to content

A Lyrical Take on the
Triple Harp

World-class harpist Gwyneth Wentink recently approached the Musical Instrument Fund with a special request. She would like to acquire a triple harp: a Baroque harp with three rows of strings. The Musical Instrument Fund wholeheartedly supports her wish and is pleased to commission a new triple harp from the German harp maker Claus Henry Hüttel. Your support will make this project possible!

News
29 May 2018 by Frits Schutte

Interdisciplinary musician

Gwyneth is more than just a versatile musician. After studying classical music, she specialized in Indian, contemporary, and Baroque music. In addition to her active life “on stage,” she is active “off stage” as a cultural entrepreneur, serving as a curator, teacher, and initiator of various interdisciplinary stage productions. Now that she is mastering Baroque music on the triple harp, she also sees a major challenge in developing a contemporary repertoire for the triple harp.

Rental Instrument

"It's a fantastically rich instrument, and its three rows of strings allow for unique 'soundscapes.' I’m therefore incredibly curious to see what contemporary composers can do with this instrument. So far, I’ve had to make do with rented instruments, but that’s not ideal.”

Recommendation

When Gwyneth was approached in 2014 by none other than the world-renowned conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner to play the triple harp in his English Baroque Soloists, it seemed like a huge challenge to her. The British conductor speaks highly of Gwyneth, and they work closely together on many concert productions. A large-format triple harp by the German luthier Claus Henry Hüttel, on loan from the Musical Instrument Fund, would be a huge boon for Gwyneth!

Update: Construction Complete

The triple harp was completed in April 2019, thanks to everyone who contributed to this project. Read more about the construction of the triple harp here.

Watch on YouTube