harp

In 2019, the Musical Instrument Foundation purchased this large triple harp. Gwyneth Wentink had submitted a request for this purchase and was closely involved in its construction by Claus Henry Hüttel. She had already been approached in 2014 by none other than the world-renowned conductor John Eliot Gardiner to play the triple harp with his English Baroque Soloists. The triple harp is a predecessor of the pedal harp, developed by piano maker Erard. Instead of pedals to control pitch, the triple harp has additional strings arranged in three rows side by side. This requires a different playing technique and a different way of reading music.

“It’s clear to me that I want to continue on the path I’ve chosen exploring Baroque music and playing the triple harp in other contexts. In addition to performing Baroque music, I see a major challenge in developing a contemporary repertoire for the triple harp. It is a fantastically rich instrument, and with its three rows of strings, unique ‘soundscapes’ are possible on the harp, and I am incredibly curious to see what contemporary composers can do with it! “So far, I’ve had to make do with rented instruments, and they’re not ideal,” Gwyneth states in her application.

You can read more about the triple harp project on the website of the Musical Instrument Foundation.