Robin Huw Bowen an stage at the Festival Interceltique de Lorient in 2002

Robin Huw Bowen is a player of the Welsh Triple Harp, known in Welsh as Telyn Deires (English: Three-row Harp), and is recognised internationally as the leading exponent of the instrument. The Festival Interceltique de Lorient (fr) or Gouelioù Etrekeltiek An Oriant (br) was founded in Lorient, Brittany in 1971. ... It is the Triple Harp which lays claim to the prime place in the history of the harp in Wales. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

Born into the Welsh community in Liverpool, England into a family originally from Anglesey, Robin learned to play the simple Celtic Harp while at school, inspired by the Breton harper, Alan Stivell. In 1979 he received a degree in Welsh Language and Literature from Aberystwyth University. Liverpool waterfront by night, as seen from the Wirral. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages English Capital London Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population –mid-2004... Anglesey (Welsh: Ynys Môn, pronounced (IPA), roughly unniss mawn), is an island and county at the northwestern extremity of north Wales. ... A clàrsach, now in the Museum of Scotland. ... Alan Stivell at Lorient Alan Stivell (born Alan Cochevelou January 6, 1944) is a Breton musician from the town of Gourin. ... University of Wales, Aberystwyth   The University of Wales, Aberystwyth, a Member Institution of the federal University of Wales, was one of the first university institutions to be established in Wales. ...

He was first exposed to the more complicated Welsh Triple Harp by two members of the Welsh traditional music group Ar Log, brothers Dafydd and Gwyndaf Roberts. They had learned to play the instrument from Nansi Richards, one of the last truly traditional Welsh folk harpists from the previous generation, and the very last to still play the Welsh Triple harp in the correct traditional manner. Ar Log is a Welsh folk music band. ... Nansi Richards Jones (1888 - 1979) of Penybontfawr, Oswestry, was known as the “Queen of the Harp”. An expert on both the triple and pedal harps, she always maintained that the greatest influences on her life were her father, the gypsies who stayed on their farm, and Tom Lloyd, Telynor Ceiriog...

Although he regularly performs as a soloist, Robin joined the Welsh traditional group Mabsant in 1986 and later joined Cusan Tân. Since 1998 he has been a member of the Welsh 'super-group' Crasdant. In 2004 he and four other Triple Harpists formed Rhes Ganol, the very first Welsh Triple Harp 'Choir' to exist since that of Llanover Court during its heyday at the beginning of the twentieth century.

Robin Huw Bowen worked for many years at the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth. While there he discovered several old collections of Welsh tunes and arrangements for harp, some of which have since been published either by the Library or by his own music publishing company, Gwasg Teires. His research has also drawn on living sources, in particular the harpist Eldra Jarman (great grand-daughter of John Roberts 'Telynor Cymru') the last exponent of the true Welsh Gypsy Harping tradition. The National Library of Wales (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru in Welsh) is a legal deposit library in Aberystwyth, Wales. ... Aberystwyth, viewed from the nature reserve on Penglais Hill Aberystwyth /aberˈəstwɪθ/ (Welsh Mouth of the Ystwyth) is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Mid Wales. ...

Albums

• Trwy'r Weiar - Through the Wire (1987) with Mabsant
• Telyn Berseiniol Fy Ngwlad - Sweet Harp of My Land (1991)
• Cusan Tân - Kiss of Fire (1992) with Cusan Tân
• Hela'r Draenog - Hunting the Hedgehog (1994)
• Cerddoriaeth Telyn Cymru - Harp Music Of Wales (1995)
• Esgair - The Ridge (1996) with Cusan Tân
• Hen Aelwyd - Old Hearth (1999)
• Crasdant (1999) with Crasdant
• Nos Sadwrn Bach - Not Yet Saturday (2001) with Crasdant
• Yn y Gwaed - In the Blood (2004) with Rhes Ganol
• Dwndwr - The Great Noise (2005) with Crasdant

External Links

• Crasdant