![MayoClinicCarillonneur](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/MayoClinicCarillonneur.jpg)
A carillon
( , ) is a
pitched percussion instrument
A pitched percussion instrument (also known as a melodic or tuned percussion instrument) is a percussion instrument used to produce musical notes of one or more pitches, as opposed to an unpitched percussion instrument which is used to produce ...
that is played with a
keyboard
Keyboard may refer to:
Text input
* Keyboard, part of a typewriter
* Computer keyboard
** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping
** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware
Music
* Musi ...
and consists of at least 23
cast-bronze bells. The
bell
A bell is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be made by an inter ...
s are hung in fixed suspension and
tuned in
chromatic order so that they can be sounded
harmoniously together. They are struck with clappers connected to a keyboard of wooden batons played with the hands and
pedals
A pedal (from the Latin '' pes'' ''pedis'', "foot") is a lever designed to be operated by foot and may refer to:
Computers and other equipment
* Footmouse, a foot-operated computer mouse
* In medical transcription, a pedal is used to control p ...
played with the feet. Often housed in
bell tower
A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell tower ...
s, carillons are usually owned by churches, universities, or
municipalities
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
. They can include an automatic system through which the time is announced and simple tunes are played throughout the day.
Carillons come in many designs, weights, sizes, and sounds. They are among the world's heaviest instruments, and the heaviest carillon weighs over . Most weigh between . To be considered a carillon, a minimum of 23 bells are needed; otherwise, it is called a
chime. Standard-sized instruments have about 50, and the world's largest has 77 bells. The appearance of a carillon depends on the number and weight of the bells and the tower in which it is housed. They may be found in towers which are free-standing or connected to a building. The bells of a carillon may be directly exposed to the elements or hidden inside the structure of their tower.
The origins of the carillon can be traced to the
Low Countries
The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...
—present-day Belgium, the Netherlands, and the
French Netherlands
Nord-Pas-de-Calais (); pcd, Nord-Pas-Calés); is a former administrative region of France. Since 1 January 2016, it has been part of the new region Hauts-de-France. It consisted of the departments of Nord and Pas-de-Calais. Nord-Pas-de-Cala ...
—in the 16th century. The modern carillon was invented in 1644 when
Jacob van Eyck
Jacob van Eyck ( , ; 26 March 1657) was a Dutch nobleman and blind musician. He was one of the best-known musicians of the Dutch Golden Age, working as a carillon player and technician, an organist, a recorder virtuoso, and a composer. He wa ...
and the
Hemony brothers cast the first tuned carillon. The instrument experienced a peak until the late-18th century, a decline during the
French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
, a revival in the late 19th century, a second decline during the
First
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...
and
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
s, and a second revival thereafter.
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
has designated
56 belfries in Belgium and France as a
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
and recognized the carillon culture of Belgium as an
intangible cultural heritage
An intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is a practice, representation, expression, knowledge, or skill considered by UNESCO to be part of a place's cultural heritage. Buildings, historic places, monuments, and artifacts are cultural property. Int ...
.
According to counts by various registries, there are
about 700 carillons worldwide. Most are in and around the Low Countries, though nearly 200 have been constructed in North America. Almost all extant carillons were constructed in the 20th century. Additionally, there are about 500 "non-traditional" carillons, which due to some component of its action being electrified or computerized, most registries do not consider to be carillons. A plurality are
located in the United States, and most of the others in Western Europe. A few "traveling" or "mobile" carillons are fixed to a frame that enables them to be transported.
Etymology and terminology
The word ''carillon'' is a
loanword
A loanword (also loan word or loan-word) is a word at least partly assimilated from one language (the donor language) into another language. This is in contrast to cognates, which are words in two or more languages that are similar because th ...
from the
French language
French ( or ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European family. It descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire, as did all Romance languages. French evolved from Gallo-Romance, the Latin spoken in Gaul, and more specifically in Nor ...
dating to the late 18th century. It is derived from the
Old French
Old French (, , ; Modern French: ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France from approximately the 8th to the 14th centuries. Rather than a unified language, Old French was a linkage of Romance dialects, mutually intelligib ...
(an alteration of ) . The word originates from the
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
; from . It is often stated that ''carillon'' may have referred originally to a set of four forestrike bells whose melodies announced the time signal of public hour bells, but this is not confirmed by archival sources. There is convincing evidence that the term referred initially to the medieval custom of chiming on sets of four church bells by pulling the clappers by means of ropes. In
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
, as well as using the French term, a carillon is sometimes called a (), which should not be confused with the identically named
glockenspiel
The glockenspiel ( or , : bells and : set) or bells is a percussion instrument consisting of pitched aluminum or steel bars arranged in a keyboard layout. This makes the glockenspiel a type of metallophone, similar to the vibraphone.
The glo ...
.
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
speakers use the word , which has an uncertain etymology.
A musician who plays the carillon is commonly called a carillonneur ( , ), also loaned from French. It and ''carillon'' were adopted by English speakers after the introduction of the instrument to British troops following the
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict that took place from 1701 to 1714. The death of childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700 led to a struggle for control of the Spanish Empire between his heirs, Phil ...
in the 18th century. Though the word ''carillonneur'' literally refers to carillon players that are men, the French to denote women is not used in English. Another common term is ''carillonist'', which some players of the carillon have wished to replace ''carillonneur'' because of the former's
gender inclusivity, simple spelling, and unambiguous pronunciation. In 2018, the World Carillon Federation adopted ''carillonist'' as the preferred term for its communications.
Characteristics
Construction
![Clavier du carillon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/Clavier_du_carillon.jpg)
The carillon is a
keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument played using a keyboard, a row of levers which are pressed by the fingers. The most common of these are the piano, organ, and various electronic keyboards, including synthesizers and digital piano ...
. Though it shares similarities with other instruments in this category, such as the
organ or
pedal piano
The pedal piano (or piano-pédalier or pédalier,) is a kind of piano that includes a pedalboard, enabling bass register notes to be played with the feet, as is standard on the organ.
There are two broad types of pedal pianos: either the pedal ...
, its playing console is unique. Playing is done with the hands on a
manual keyboard composed of rounded, wooden batons. The manual has short
chromatic
Diatonic and chromatic are terms in music theory that are most often used to characterize scales, and are also applied to musical instruments, intervals, chords, notes, musical styles, and kinds of harmony. They are very often used as a pair, ...
keys (i.e. "black keys") raised above the
diatonic
Diatonic and chromatic are terms in music theory that are most often used to characterize Scale (music), scales, and are also applied to musical instruments, Interval (music), intervals, Chord (music), chords, Musical note, notes, musical sty ...
keys ("white keys") and arranged like a piano; however, they are spaced far apart, and the chromatic keys are raised above the rest, about . To operate, the keys are depressed with a closed fist. The lowest 1.5 to 2.5
octave
In music, an octave ( la, octavus: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is the interval between one musical pitch and another with double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been refer ...
s of the manual are connected to a
pedal keyboard
A pedalboard (also called a pedal keyboard, pedal clavier, or, with electronic instruments, a bass pedalboard) is a keyboard played with the feet that is usually used to produce the low-pitched bass line of a piece of music. A pedalboard has long ...
played with the feet. The connection is direct, meaning that when a pedal is pressed, its corresponding key on the manual is pulled down with it. Since the mid-20th century, there have been two competing keyboard design standards for a carillon's console: the North American standard and the North European standard. They differ over several design elements, such as whether the outer pedals curve toward the center or the specific distance a key is depressed. In 2006, the World Carillon Federation developed the WCF Keyboard 2006, which is a compromise between the two standards. The organization recommends that its keyboard standard be used as a guideline when constructing new carillons or renovating existing keyboards.
![Vredesbeiaard aarschot](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Vredesbeiaard_aarschot.jpg)
Each key is connected to a transmission system via a wire, usually made of stainless steel. When a particular key is depressed, it pulls on the wire which, after interacting with other wires and pulleys, causes a clapper to swing towards the inner wall of the key's corresponding
bell
A bell is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be made by an inter ...
. At rest, these clappers are about away from the bell wall. Small bells are fitted with
springs to pull their clappers back immediately after the stroke, so that the bell is not sounded more than once with each keystroke. This is not necessary for large bells, which have sufficiently heavy clappers. Immediately above each key is a wire adjuster called a
turnbuckle
A turnbuckle, stretching screw or bottlescrew is a device for adjusting the tension or length of ropes, cables, tie rods, and other tensioning systems. It normally consists of two threaded eye bolts, one screwed into each end of a small metal f ...
. These allow the performer to adjust the length of the wire, which often changes with temperature fluctuations.
The carillon's cast bronze, cup-shaped bells are housed at the top of a tower in a structure typically made of steel or wooden beams. The arrangement of the bells depends on the space, height and construction of the tower, and the number and size of bells. When the heaviest bells are especially large, they are usually placed below the playing cabin to achieve a better tonal distribution. The bells themselves do not move during operation, only the clappers. With some instruments, the heaviest bells may be outfitted with a mechanism enabling them to swing.
![Interieur toren, begane grond, overzicht van het middenstuk van de achterzijde van het trommelspeelwerk - Brielle - 20533341 - RCE](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Interieur_toren%2C_begane_grond%2C_overzicht_van_het_middenstuk_van_de_achterzijde_van_het_trommelspeelwerk_-_Brielle_-_20533341_-_RCE.jpg)
Carillons may also feature an automatic mechanism by which simple tunes or the
Westminster Quarters
The Westminster Quarters, from its use at the Palace of Westminster, is a melody used by a set of four quarter bells to mark each quarter-hour. It is also known as the Westminster Chimes, Cambridge Quarters or Cambridge Chimes from its place of ...
are played on the lower bells. The mechanism on European carillons is often a playing drum, which is a large metal cylinder connected to a clock mechanism. Metal pegs are screwed onto the outside of the drum. When the clock mechanism sets the drum in motion, the pegs catch onto levers, connected to hammers that rest just a short distance from the outside of the bell. The hammers are briefly raised, and then fall onto the bell as the peg continues to rotate away from the lever. The pegs are arranged such that simple tunes can be programmed to play at specific quarter hours. In North America, automatic playing drum systems are not common; instead, carillons may have pneumatic systems which ring the instrument.
Sound
Carillons produce sound by striking stationary bells, categorizing them as
percussion idiophone
Struck idiophones is one of the categories of idiophones (that is, any musical instrument that creates sound primarily by the instrument as a whole vibrating—without the use of Strings (music), strings or Acoustic membrane, membranes) that are fo ...
s in the
Hornbostel–Sachs
Hornbostel–Sachs or Sachs–Hornbostel is a system of musical instrument classification devised by Erich Moritz von Hornbostel and Curt Sachs, and first published in the in 1914. An English translation was published in the '' Galpin Society Jo ...
classification of musical instruments (111.242.222 – sets of bells with internal strikers). Carillon bells are made of
bell bronze
Bell metal or bell bronze is an alloy used for making bells and related instruments, such as cymbals. It is a form of bronze with a higher tin content, usually in approximately a 4:1 ratio of copper to tin (typically, 78% copper, 22% tin by ma ...
, a specialized copper–tin
alloy
An alloy is a mixture of chemical elements of which at least one is a metal. Unlike chemical compounds with metallic bases, an alloy will retain all the properties of a metal in the resulting material, such as electrical conductivity, ductility, ...
used for its above-average rigidity and
resonance
Resonance describes the phenomenon of increased amplitude that occurs when the frequency of an applied periodic force (or a Fourier component of it) is equal or close to a natural frequency of the system on which it acts. When an oscillatin ...
. A bell's profile (shape) and weight determine its note and the quality of its tone. Therefore, apart from changes in its profile, such as chipping or corrosion, a bell will never lose its original sound. It produces a sound with
overtone
An overtone is any resonant frequency above the fundamental frequency of a sound. (An overtone may or may not be a harmonic) In other words, overtones are all pitches higher than the lowest pitch within an individual sound; the fundamental i ...
s, also known as partial tones, which are not necessarily
harmonically
In music, harmony is the process by which individual sounds are joined together or composed into whole units or compositions. Often, the term harmony refers to simultaneously occurring frequencies, pitches ( tones, notes), or chords. However, ...
related. To produce a pleasing, harmonically related series of tones, the bell's profile must be carefully adjusted.
Bellfounder
Bellfounding is the casting and tuning of large bronze bells in a foundry for use such as in churches, clock towers and public buildings, either to signify the time or an event, or as a musical carillon or chime. Large bells are made by casting ...
s typically focus on five principal tones when
tuning
Tuning can refer to:
Common uses
* Tuning, the process of tuning a tuned amplifier or other electronic component
* Musical tuning, musical systems of tuning, and the act of tuning an instrument or voice
** Guitar tunings
** Piano tuning, adjusti ...
, most notably the
minor third
In music theory, a minor third is a musical interval that encompasses three half steps, or semitones. Staff notation represents the minor third as encompassing three staff positions (see: interval number). The minor third is one of two com ...
overtone called the tierce, which gives rise to the unique sound of carillons and has been the subject of further research, such as the
major third bell. Since the casting process does not reliably produce perfectly tuned bells, they are cast slightly thicker and metal is shaved off with a
lathe
A lathe () is a machine tool that rotates a workpiece about an axis of rotation to perform various operations such as cutting, sanding, knurling, drilling, deformation, facing, and turning, with tools that are applied to the workpiece to c ...
. On older European carillons, bells were tuned with each other by using the
meantone temperament
Meantone temperament is a musical temperament, that is a tuning system, obtained by narrowing the fifths so that their ratio is slightly less than 3:2 (making them ''narrower'' than a perfect fifth), in order to push the thirds closer to pure. M ...
tuning system. Modern carillons, particularly those in North America, are tuned to
equal temperament
An equal temperament is a musical temperament or tuning system, which approximates just intervals by dividing an octave (or other interval) into equal steps. This means the ratio of the frequencies of any adjacent pair of notes is the same, wh ...
.
The carillon has a
dynamic range
Dynamic range (abbreviated DR, DNR, or DYR) is the ratio between the largest and smallest values that a certain quantity can assume. It is often used in the context of signals, like sound and light. It is measured either as a ratio or as a base-1 ...
similar to a piano, if not more versatile. Through variation of touch, performers can express many volumes. The larger the bell, the larger its dynamic range. Bigger bells will also sound naturally louder than smaller, higher-pitched bells.
Along with
pipe organs
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air (called ''wind'') through the organ pipes selected from a keyboard. Because each pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ''ranks' ...
, carillons are one of the world's heaviest musical instruments. Most carillons weigh (counting only the weight of the bells) between , with extremes ranging from very light instruments to the world's heaviest at over —the
Laura Spelman Rockefeller
Laura Celestia "Cettie" Spelman Rockefeller (September 9, 1839 – March 12, 1915) was an American abolitionist, philanthropist, school teacher, and prominent member of the Rockefeller family. Her husband was Standard Oil co-founder John D. Roc ...
Memorial Carillon of the
Riverside Church
Riverside Church is an interdenominational church in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, on the block bounded by Riverside Drive, Claremont Avenue, 120th Street and 122nd Street near Columbia University's Mornin ...
in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, US. Its
bourdon, or largest bell, is the largest tuned bell ever cast for a carillon. It sounds a full octave below most other bourdons. The entire ensemble of fixed and swinging bells, clappers, and steel framework weighs more than .
Range
A carillon's
range
Range may refer to:
Geography
* Range (geographic), a chain of hills or mountains; a somewhat linear, complex mountainous or hilly area (cordillera, sierra)
** Mountain range, a group of mountains bordered by lowlands
* Range, a term used to i ...
is directly proportional to the number of bells it has. The number of bells usually depends on funds available for the creation of the instrument: more money allows more bells to be cast, especially the larger, more costly ones. It is generally accepted that a carillon must have a minimum of 23 bells, or else it is called a
chime. There is no standard pitch range for the carillon, so several subcategories are used to categorize them:
* Carillons with 23 to 27 bells and 35 to 39 bells are classified as two-octave and three-octave carillons, respectively. Players of these instruments often use music written specifically for the limited ranges.
* A "concert" or "standard" carillon typically has 45 to 50 bells, or a range of about four octaves.
* Carillons with more than 50 bells are often referred to as "great" or "grand" carillons.
* Carillons of 15 to 22 bells which were built before 1940 may be classified as "historical carillons" by the World Carillon Federation.
![Forty-Nine-Bell Carillon with B-flat in Bass Piano Keyboard](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Forty-Nine-Bell_Carillon_with_B-flat_in_Bass_Piano_Keyboard.svg)
The title of "world's largest carillon by number of bells" is shared between two instruments: the carillon of the
Kirk in the Hills
Kirk in the Hills Presbyterian (1958) is a church located in Bloomfield Township, Michigan.
Overview
Kirk in the Hills is situated on a 40-acre setting on Island Lake. It is of Gothic design and is patterned after the famous Melrose Abbey in S ...
Presbyterian Church in
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Bloomfield Hills is a small city (5.04 sq. miles) in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a northern suburb of Metro Detroit and is approximately northwest of Downtown Detroit. Except a small southern border with the city of Bir ...
, US, and the carillon at Daejeon Institute of Science and Technology in
Daejeon
Daejeon () is South Korea's fifth-largest metropolis, with a population of 1.5 million as of 2019. Located in the central-west region of South Korea alongside forested hills and the Geum River, the city is known both for its technology and ...
, South Korea; both have 77 bells.
Since a carillon is seldom played in concert with other instruments, its bourdon may be any
pitch—whichever is advantageous for the location and funds available; to simplify the writing and playing of music, keyboards often have a
C-compass. As a result, many carillons are
transposing instrument
A transposing instrument is a musical instrument for which music notation is not written at concert pitch (concert pitch is the pitch on a non-transposing instrument such as the piano). For example, playing a written middle C on a transposing i ...
s, especially those that are small, have many bells, or were constructed on limited funds. The transposition can be anywhere from down a
perfect fourth
A fourth is a musical interval encompassing four staff positions in the music notation of Western culture, and a perfect fourth () is the fourth spanning five semitones (half steps, or half tones). For example, the ascending interval from C to ...
to up an octave. In North America, an increasing number of new carillons have been installed in concert pitch as a result of the desire to establish the carillon as a full-fledged concert instrument.
Many carillons, according to a C-compass, are missing the lowest
C and
E bells (equating to the second- and fourth-largest bells if they were included). The reason is often financial: by omitting these bells, the construction of a carillon can be reduced significantly, sometimes by 20 percent for large installations. Since the early 1900s, European installations will often reintroduce the E bell, and instead of adding the C bell, they will include a
B bell (which is a
major second
In Western music theory, a major second (sometimes also called whole tone or a whole step) is a second spanning two semitones (). A second is a musical interval encompassing two adjacent staff positions (see Interval number for more deta ...
below the C-compass bell).
History
Origins
The carillon originated from two earlier functions of bells: ringing bells to send messages and ringing bells to indicate the time of day.
In the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
, bellringers attached ropes to the clappers of
swinging bell
Swing or swinging may refer to:
Apparatus
* Swing (seat), a hanging seat that swings back and forth
* Pendulum, an object that swings
* Russian swing, a swing-like circus apparatus
* Sex swing, a type of harness for sexual intercourse
* Swing ...
s and rung them while stationary in a technique called chiming. Chiming bells gave the ringer more control compared to swinging bells, and so was used to send messages to those within earshot. For example, sounding bells was often used to warn of a fire or impending attack. At celebratory events, a bellringer could gather ropes together to chime multiple bells in rhythmic patterns. By the end of the 15th century, chimers are recorded to have used their technique to play music on bells. A 1478
chronicle
A chronicle ( la, chronica, from Greek ''chroniká'', from , ''chrónos'' – "time") is a historical account of events arranged in chronological order, as in a timeline. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and lo ...
recounts a man in
Dunkirk
Dunkirk (french: Dunkerque ; vls, label=French Flemish, Duunkerke; nl, Duinkerke(n) ; , ;) is a commune in the department of Nord in northern France.[God
In monotheism, monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator deity, creator, and principal object of Faith#Religious views, faith.Richard Swinburne, Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Ted Honderich, Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Ox ...]
" by playing melodies on bells. Another recounts in 1482 a
jester
A jester, court jester, fool or joker was a member of the household of a nobleman or a monarch employed to entertain guests during the medieval and Renaissance eras. Jesters were also itinerant performers who entertained common folk at fairs and ...
from
Aalst playing bells in
Antwerp
Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504, with ropes and batons, the latter term suggesting the existence of a keyboard.
![Earliest Carillonneur Picture](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Earliest_Carillonneur_Picture.png)
In the 14th century, the newly developed
escapement
An escapement is a mechanical linkage in mechanical watches and clocks that gives impulses to the timekeeping element and periodically releases the gear train to move forward, advancing the clock's hands. The impulse action transfers energy to ...
technology for
mechanical clock
A clock or a timepiece is a device used to measure and indicate time. The clock is one of the oldest human inventions, meeting the need to measure intervals of time shorter than the natural units such as the day, the lunar month and the ...
s spread throughout European
clock tower
Clock towers are a specific type of structure which house a turret clock and have one or more clock faces on the upper exterior walls. Many clock towers are freestanding structures but they can also adjoin or be located on top of another buildi ...
s and gradually replaced the
water clock
A water clock or clepsydra (; ; ) is a timepiece by which time is measured by the regulated flow of liquid into (inflow type) or out from (outflow type) a vessel, and where the amount is then measured.
Water clocks are one of the oldest time-m ...
. Since the earliest clocks lacked
faces
The face is the front of an animal's head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental deformities may affe ...
, they announced the time by striking a bell a number of times corresponding to the current hour. Eventually, these
striking clocks were modified to make a warning signal just before the hour count to draw the attention of listeners to the incoming announcement. This signal is called the forestrike ( nl, voorslag, links=no). Originally the forestrike consisted of striking one or two bells, and the systems slowly grew in complexity. By the middle of the 15th century, forestrikes, with three to seven bells, could
play simple melodies.
As late as 1510, these two functions were combined into one primitive carillon in the
Oudenaarde Town Hall
The Town Hall (Dutch language, Dutch: ) of Oudenaarde, Belgium, was built by architect Hendrik van Pede in 1526–1537 to replace the medieval ''Schepenhuis'' (Aldermen's House) that occupied the same site. Another older structure, the 14th-century ...
. One set of nine bells were connected to both a keyboard and to the clock's forestrike. The
Low Countries
The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...
—present day Belgium, the Netherlands, and the
French Netherlands
Nord-Pas-de-Calais (); pcd, Nord-Pas-Calés); is a former administrative region of France. Since 1 January 2016, it has been part of the new region Hauts-de-France. It consisted of the departments of Nord and Pas-de-Calais. Nord-Pas-de-Cala ...
—were most interested in the potential of using bells to make music. In this region,
bellfounding had reached an advanced stage relative to other regions in Europe.
Development
The new instrument developed in the favorable conditions in the Low Countries during the 17th century. Bellfounders found increased financial and technological support as the region traded by sea through
port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
s. Moreover, the political situation under
Margaret of Austria and
Holy Roman emperor Charles V brought relative wealth and power to cities. Carillons quickly became a fashionable symbol of civic prestige. Cities and towns competed against one another to possess the largest, highest-quality instruments. The demand was met by a successful industry of bellfounding families, notably the Waghevens and
Vanden Gheyns. Together, they produced over 50 carillons during the 16th and early 17th centuries. By 1600, the primitive carillon had become an established feature of the region.
![Beiaard Lebuïnuskerk](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Beiaard_Lebu%C3%AFnuskerk.JPG)
A critical development for the modern carillon occurred in the 17th century, which involved a partnership between
Pieter and François Hemony
Pieter Hemony (born Pierre Hemony; 161920 February 1680) and his brother François Hemony (24 May 1667) were the greatest bellfounders in the history of the Low Countries. They developed the carillon, in collaboration with Jacob van Eyck, ...
and
Jacob van Eyck
Jacob van Eyck ( , ; 26 March 1657) was a Dutch nobleman and blind musician. He was one of the best-known musicians of the Dutch Golden Age, working as a carillon player and technician, an organist, a recorder virtuoso, and a composer. He wa ...
. The Hemony brothers were prominent bellfounders known for their precise tuning technique. Van Eyck was a renowned
blind carillonneur of
Utrecht
Utrecht ( , , ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city and a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of the Netherlands, capital and most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, pro ...
, who was commissioned by several Dutch cities to maintain and make improvements to their clock chimes and carillons. He was particularly interested in the sounds of bells. In 1633, he developed the ability to isolate and describe a bell's five main overtones and discovered a bell's partial tones can be tuned harmoniously with each other by adjusting the bell's thickness. The Hemony brothers were commissioned in 1644 to cast 19 bells for
Zutphen
Zutphen () is a city and municipality located in the province of Gelderland, Netherlands. It lies some 30 km northeast of Arnhem, on the eastern bank of the river Ijssel at the point where it is joined by the Berkel. First mentioned in the 1 ...
's with Van Eyck as their consultant. By tuning the bells with the advice from Van Eyck, they created the first carillon by the modern definition. According to carillonneur John Gouwens, the quality of the bells was so impressive that Van Eyck recommended casting a full two octaves, or 23 bells. This range has been considered the standard minimum range for carillons ever since. During the next 36 years, the Hemony brothers produced 51 carillons. Carillon culture experienced a peak around this time and until the late-18th century.
Decline
The
French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
had far-reaching consequences on the Low Countries and the carillon. The French conquered and annexed the
Austrian Netherlands
The Austrian Netherlands nl, Oostenrijkse Nederlanden; french: Pays-Bas Autrichiens; german: Österreichische Niederlande; la, Belgium Austriacum. was the territory of the Burgundian Circle of the Holy Roman Empire between 1714 and 1797. The p ...
in 1795 and the
United Provinces in 1810. After publishing instructions for extracting copper from bell bronze, the
French First Republic
In the history of France, the First Republic (french: Première République), sometimes referred to in historiography as Revolutionary France, and officially the French Republic (french: République française), was founded on 21 September 1792 ...
sought to dismantle local carillons to reduce its copper shortage. Carillon owners resisted by, for example, petitioning the new governments to declare their instruments as "culturally significant" or by disconnecting the bells and burying them in secret. During this period, there were as many as 110 carillons. About 50 of them were destroyed as a result of war, fire, and dismantling. The majority were melted down to produce cannons for the
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars (french: Guerres de la Révolution française) were a series of sweeping military conflicts lasting from 1792 until 1802 and resulting from the French Revolution. They pitted French First Republic, France against Ki ...
.
Between 1750 and the end of the 19th century, interest in the carillon declined greatly. An increasing number of households had access to
grandfather clocks
A grandfather clock (also a longcase clock, tall-case clock, grandfather's clock, or floor clock) is a tall, freestanding, weight-driven pendulum clock with the pendulum held inside the tower or waist of the case. Clocks of this style are common ...
and
pocket watch
A pocket watch (or pocketwatch) is a watch that is made to be carried in a pocket, as opposed to a watch, wristwatch, which is strapped to the wrist.
They were the most common type of watch from their development in the 16th century until wr ...
es, which eroded the carillon's monopoly on announcing the time. As a musical instrument, the carillon lagged behind during the
Romantic era
Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate ...
, which featured music of a wandering, story-like nature. Many carillons were tuned using meantone temperament, which meant they were not suited for the
chromaticism of the newer musical styles. The production of new musical works for the instrument essentially came to a standstill. The standard skill level of carillonneurs had also dropped significantly, so much so that in 1895, the music publisher
Schott frères Schott frères was a Belgian sheet music publishing house that operated between 1823 and 2006.
History
The company was founded in 1823 in Antwerp as the Belgian branch of B. Schott's Söhne (today: Schott Music). It was established by two of Bernha ...
issued
Matthias Vanden Gheyn's 11 carillon preludes for piano with a foreword claiming "no carillonneur of our time knows how to play them on the carillon". Also, with a reduced demand for new carillons, the tuning techniques developed by the Hemony brothers, but not Van Eyck's underlying theory, were forgotten. Subsequent carillons were generally inferior to earlier installations.
Revival
In the early 1890s, an English
change ringer and
canon
Canon or Canons may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base
* Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture
** Western ca ...
Arthur Simpson published a set of articles on bell tuning, where he argued bell founders had been complacent with their poor tuning methods and proposed solutions to the existing problems.
John William Taylor, who had been trying to replicate the tuning techniques of the Hemony brothers and the Vanden Gheyns at
his foundry, began working with Simpson. In 1904, they founded the first tuned bells in over a century. The rediscovery initiated a revival of carillon building.
In
Mechelen
Mechelen (; french: Malines ; traditional English name: MechlinMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical contex ...
, Belgium,
Jef Denyn
Joseph Guillaume François "Jef" Denyn ( ; 19 March 1862 – 2 October 1941) was a carillon player from Mechelen, Belgium. He originally studied to be an engineer. His carilloning career started in 1881 when his father, the official ...
was a major figure in the carillon's revival as a musical instrument. In 1887, after his father had become completely blind, Denyn took over as the city carillonneur and was responsible for playing the carillon in the tower of
St. Rumbold's Cathedral. From the beginning of his career, Denyn advocated for better playability of the instrument. He further developed the tumbler rack system of transmission cables that his father had installed on the cathedral carillon. This allowed the player to have better control over
dynamic
Dynamics (from Greek δυναμικός ''dynamikos'' "powerful", from δύναμις ''dynamis'' "power") or dynamic may refer to:
Physics and engineering
* Dynamics (mechanics)
** Aerodynamics, the study of the motion of air
** Analytical dyna ...
variations, fast musical passages and
tremolo
In music, ''tremolo'' (), or ''tremolando'' (), is a trembling effect. There are two types of tremolo.
The first is a rapid reiteration:
* Of a single Musical note, note, particularly used on String instrument#Bowing, bowed string instrument ...
s. Tremolos offered a solution to a Romantic-era limitation of the carillon: its inability to expressively sustain the sound of individual notes.
![Mechelen St-Romboutskathedraal 04](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Mechelen_St-Romboutskathedraal_04.JPG)
With his improving skills as a carillonneur and the upgraded cathedral carillon, Denyn's performances began attracting crowds of listeners. He established regular Monday night concerts at the suggestion of the city council. On 1 August 1892, Denyn hosted the first carillon concert in history. From this point forward, the instrument garnered a reputation as a concert instrument, rather than as an instrument tasked with providing background music.
Impact of the World Wars
Because of his concerts, Denyn met
William Gorham Rice
William Gorham Rice Sr. (December 23, 1856 – September 10, 1945) was an American state and federal government official from Albany, New York, and civic activist engaged in the reform of the civil service system. He was a biographer of Gr ...
, an American state and federal government official from
Albany, New York
Albany ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about north of New York City ...
, US. Having traveled to
The Hague
The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...
and been exposed to the carillon, Rice was regularly touring the region to interview carillonneurs for his research. After Denyn's 18 August 1913 evening concert, he and Rice exchanged ideas about the societal and educational value of carillon performances for large audiences. Rice's book ''Carillons of Belgium and Holland'', the first in the English language written specifically about carillons, was published in December 1914 and reprinted three times. The book painted an idealized picture of the region that resonated with the American public, particularly in light of the
rape of Belgium
The Rape of Belgium was a series of systematic war crimes, especially mass murder and deportation and enslavement, by German troops against Belgian civilians during the invasion and occupation of Belgium in World War I.
The neutrality o ...
. Its success motivated Rice to publish two more books in 1915 and 1925. Rice became an authority on carillons in the United States; besides his books, he gave 35 lectures in several cities, published articles in magazines, spoke on radio programs, and presented exhibition material on the subject between 1912 and 1922. In 1922, Rice garnered financial support from
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964) was an American politician who served as the 31st president of the United States from 1929 to 1933 and a member of the Republican Party, holding office during the onset of the Gr ...
and
John D. Rockefeller Jr. to establish a carillon school in Mechelen with Denyn as its first director. It was later named the
Royal Carillon School "Jef Denyn"
The Royal Carillon School "Jef Denyn" ( nl, Koninklijke Beiaardschool "Jef Denyn"; informally also the Mechelen carillon school) is a music school in Mechelen, Belgium, that specializes in the carillon. It is the first and largest carillon ...
.
![Bundesarchiv Bild 183-H26751, Hamburg, Glockenlager im Freihafen](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-H26751%2C_Hamburg%2C_Glockenlager_im_Freihafen.jpg)
Stephen Thorne of the
Canadian military history
The military history of Canada comprises hundreds of years of armed actions in the territory encompassing modern Canada, and interventions by the Canadian military in conflicts and peacekeeping worldwide. For thousands of years, the area that woul ...
magazine ''Legion'' writes that the
Allied Powers of World War I and
of World War II saw the destruction of carillons during the respective wars as a "brutal annihilation of a unique democratic music instrument". The destruction was highly publicized among the allies of Belgium and the Netherlands. In the latter war, British investigators claimed
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
seized two thirds of all bells in Belgium and every bell in the Netherlands. Between 1938 and 1945, 175,000 bells were stolen and stored in (german: Glockenfriedhöfe, links=no). Some 150,000 were sent to foundries and melted down for their copper. Following the war, with the bells out of their towers, E. W. Van Heuven and other
physicist
A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe.
Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate caus ...
s could research the tonal qualities of bells in laboratory conditions and with modern electrical sound-analyzing equipment.
Percival Price
Percival (, also spelled Perceval, Parzival), alternatively called Peredur (), was one of King Arthur's legendary Knights of the Round Table. First mentioned by the French author Chrétien de Troyes in the tale ''Perceval, the Story of the ...
,
Dominion
The term ''Dominion'' is used to refer to one of several self-governing nations of the British Empire.
"Dominion status" was first accorded to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland, South Africa, and the Irish Free State at the 1926 ...
Carillonneur at the
Peace Tower
The Peace Tower (french: link=no, Tour de la Paix) is a focal bell and clock tower sitting on the central axis of the Centre Block of the Canadian parliament buildings in Ottawa, Ontario. The present incarnation replaced the Victoria Tower af ...
, was tasked with
repatriating as many surviving bells as possible. He also used the opportunity to publish similar research. Now, every bellfounder could learn how to cast the highest-quality bells, and the increase in new carillons was greater than ever.
Movement in North America
Between 1922 and 1940, bellfounders installed 43 carillons in the United States and Canada. The flood of carillons onto the continent is attributed to Rice's widely popular books and persistent education in the United States. His romanticized depiction of the cultural instrument prompted wealthy donors to purchase carillons for their own civil and religious communities. Price was appointed to play the carillon at the
Metropolitan United Church
Metropolitan United Church is a historic Neo-Gothic style church in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is one of the largest and most prominent churches of the United Church of Canada. It is located at 56 Queen Street East, between Bond and ...
in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, Canada (before working as Dominion Carillonneur);
Mary Mesquita Dahlmer
Mary Mesquita Dahlmer (born Mary Perry Mesquita; 12 October 1897 – 14 October 1993) was an American carillonneur
A carillon ( , ) is a pitched percussion instrument that is played with a keyboard and consists of at least 23 cast-bro ...
was appointed to play at
Our Lady of Good Voyage Church in
Gloucester, Massachusetts
Gloucester () is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It sits on Cape Ann and is a part of Massachusetts's North Shore. The population was 29,729 at the 2020 U.S. Census. An important center of the fishing industry and a ...
, US. Both were the first professional carillonneurs in their respective countries. In 1936,
The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America
The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America (GCNA) is a professional association of carillonneurs in North America, dedicated to the advancement of the art, literature, and science of the carillon. It was founded in Ottawa, Canada, in 1936 by A ...
was founded at
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill (french: Colline du Parlement, colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Its Gothic revival suite of buildings, and their architectu ...
in
Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
, Canada. Following the deaths of Denyn in 1941 and Rice in 1945, North American carillonneurs, through their new organization, sought to develop their own authority on education and performance. In the 1950s and 1960s, a distinct North American style of carillon music emerged at the
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States, and several satellite campuses, research and educational centers, medical centers, and classes across the state of Kansas. Tw ...
. Led by
Ronald Barnes, the university's carillonneur, he encouraged his peers to compose for the carillon and produced many of his own compositions.
International recognition
In the 1970s, the idea for a global carillon organization took shape, and the was later formed as the central organization of carillon players and enthusiasts. It is a federation of the preexisting national or regional carillon associations that had been founded throughout the 20th century.
In 1999,
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
designated
32 bell towers in Belgium as a
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
, in recognition of their architectural diversity and significance. The list was expanded in 2005 to include 23 in France, as well as the tower of
Gembloux
Gembloux (; wa, Djiblou; nl, Gembloers, ) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Namur, Belgium.
On 1 January 2006 the municipality had 21,964 inhabitants. The total area is 95.86 km², yielding a population dens ...
, Belgium. In 2014, UNESCO recognized the carillon culture of Belgium as an
intangible cultural heritage
An intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is a practice, representation, expression, knowledge, or skill considered by UNESCO to be part of a place's cultural heritage. Buildings, historic places, monuments, and artifacts are cultural property. Int ...
, stating that it "recognizes the creativity of carillonneurs and others who ensure that this cultural form remains relevant to today's local societies."
In 2008, the carillon was featured in the film ''
Welcome to the Sticks
''Welcome to the Sticks'' (french: Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis, ) is a 2008 French comedy film directed and co-written by Dany Boon and starring Kad Merad and Boon himself. The film was the highest-grossing French film of all time at the box offic ...
'', a
box office
A box office or ticket office is a place where ticket (admission), tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through a hole in a wall or window, or at a Wicket gate, wicke ...
success as the
highest-grossing French film ever released in France
In 2019, playing the carillon of
St. Coleman's Cathedral in
Cobh
Cobh ( ,), known from 1849 until 1920 as Queenstown, is a seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland. With a population of around 13,000 inhabitants, Cobh is on the south side of Great Island in Cork Harbour and home to Ireland's ...
, Ireland, was recognized by the
Irish government
The Government of Ireland ( ga, Rialtas na hÉireann) is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland.
The Constitution of Ireland vests executive authority in a government which is headed by the , the head of government. The governm ...
as key element of the country's living cultural heritage.
Usage and repertoire
Music
The carillon repertoire skews heavily toward newer works in stark contrast to that of its relative the
organ repertoire
The organ repertoire is considered to be the largest and oldest repertory of all musical instruments. Because of the organ's (or pipe organ's) prominence in worship in Western Europe from the Middle Ages on, a significant portion of organ repert ...
. Some 15 collections of carillon music written in the 17th and 18th centuries are known to exist. Like with the
pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air (called ''wind'') through the organ pipes selected from a keyboard. Because each pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ''ranks ...
, early carillon performances consisted mostly of improvisations. In the late
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
and early
Baroque eras, keyboard music was not written for one instrument or another, but rather was written to be played on keyboard instrument. For this reason, much of the carillon's repertoire in its early history was likely the same as that of the
harpsichord
A harpsichord ( it, clavicembalo; french: clavecin; german: Cembalo; es, clavecín; pt, cravo; nl, klavecimbel; pl, klawesyn) is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. This activates a row of levers that turn a trigger mechanism ...
, organ, and piano. One of the few surviving examples is the
De Gruytters carillon book, dated 1746. The music is arranged for, rather than composed for, performance on the carillon and could easily be played on other keyboard instruments. Baroque keyboard music is well suited for carillon transcription, particularly the works of
Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...
,
Corelli,
Couperin
The Couperin family was a musical dynasty of professional composers and performers. They were the most prolific family in French musical history, active during the Baroque era (17th—18th centuries). Louis Couperin and his nephew, François Coup ...
,
Handel
George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concertos. Handel received his training i ...
,
Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...
, and
Vivaldi
Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist and impresario of Baroque music. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lifetime was widespread a ...
.
![BIG 117025309040611](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/BIG_117025309040611.jpg)
The earliest known original compositions specifically for the carillon, and not simply any keyboard, are the 11
preludes of Matthias Vanden Gheyn. The structure of his works suggests he had been playing non-specific keyboard music on the carillon for many years and that he wanted to play music that is
idiomatic to the instrument. Technically challenging, his preludes have been the standard repertoire among carillonneurs since the early 1900s.
Jef Denyn made many public statements about what music should be performed on the carillon, and he persuaded several composers of the time to write for it. Among those composers were his students, like ,
Léon Henry
Leon, Léon (French) or León (Spanish) may refer to:
Places
Europe
* León, Spain, capital city of the Province of León
* Province of León, Spain
* Kingdom of León, an independent state in the Iberian Peninsula from 910 to 1230 and again fro ...
, and , and composers for other instruments, such as
Jef van Hoof
Jef van Hoof (8 May 1886 - 24 April 1959) was a Belgian composer and conductor with a Flemish ethnic background.
Born in Antwerp, Van Hoof was a pupil of Paul Gilson and was heavily influenced by the works of Peter Benoit. He studied at the R ...
. The carillon school began publishing carillon music in 1925. Through his school, Denyn was the early proponent of the "Mechelen style" of carillon music, which consists of virtuosic flourishes, tremolos, and other Baroque and Romantic elements.
Ronald Barnes was the leading figure behind the North American style of carillon music, which developed in the 1950s and 1960s. He encouraged his University of Kansas peers to compose for the carillon, and he produced many of his own compositions. Barnes' campaign was most successful with
Roy Hamlin Johnson, a piano professor who introduced a whole category of music exclusively native to the carillon featuring the
octatonic scale
An octatonic scale is any eight-note musical scale. However, the term most often refers to the symmetric scale composed of alternating whole and half steps, as shown at right. In classical theory (in contrast to jazz theory), this symmetrical ...
. Many of Johnson's works are acknowledged as
masterpiece
A masterpiece, ''magnum opus'' (), or ''chef-d’œuvre'' (; ; ) in modern use is a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or a work of outstanding creativity, ...
s. Barnes produced 56 original compositions and hundreds of arrangements to expand the available repertoire. Other major 20th-century contributors were Albert Gerken, Gary C. White, Johan Franco,
John Pozdro, and Jean W. Miller. The new American style developed into the antithesis of the Mechelen style: instead of exciting, tremolo-filled performances that demonstrate the showmanship of the carillonneur, it features slow passages, sparse harmonies and impressionist themes to draw the listener's attention to the natural sound of the bells.
Carillon music was first published in North America in 1934.
G. Schirmer, Inc. published the compositions of
Curtis Institute of Music
The Curtis Institute of Music is a private conservatory in Philadelphia. It offers a performance diploma, Bachelor of Music, Master of Music in opera, and a Professional Studies Certificate in opera. All students attend on full scholarship.
Hi ...
students
Samuel Barber
Samuel Osmond Barber II (March 9, 1910 – January 23, 1981) was an American composer, pianist, conductor, baritone, and music educator, and one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century. The music critic Donal Henahan said, "Proba ...
,
Gian Carlo Menotti
Gian Carlo Menotti (, ; July 7, 1911 – February 1, 2007) was an Italian composer, librettist, director, and playwright who is primarily known for his output of 25 operas. Although he often referred to himself as an American composer, he kept h ...
, and
Nino Rota
Giovanni Rota Rinaldi (; 3 December 1911 – 10 April 1979), better known as Nino Rota (), was an Italian composer, pianist, conductor and academic who is best known for his film scores, notably for the films of Federico Fellini and Luchino Visco ...
as part of the institute's short-lived publishing series. The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America opened the first dedicated
publishing house
Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works, such as books, newsp ...
for carillon music in North America in 1961. In 1968, the
Anton Brees Carillon Library
The Anton Brees Carillon Library, located within the ''Singing Tower'' at Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales, Florida, is home to various collections that document the history and development of the Singing Tower and its gardens, the historic Pinewo ...
was established at
Bok Tower Gardens
Bok Tower Gardens is a contemplative garden and bird sanctuary located atop Iron Mountain, north of Lake Wales, Florida, United States. Formerly known as the Bok Mountain Lake Sanctuary and Singing Tower, the gardens' attractions include the ...
in
Lake Wales, Florida
Lake Wales is a city in Polk County, Florida. The population was 14,225 at the 2010 census. , the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 16,759. It is part of the Lakeland– Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area. Lake Wales is ...
, US; it contains large collections of carillon music and related materials.
In the late 2010s,
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
professor
Tiffany Ng analyzed the diversity of the carillon repertoire. In a
bibliography
Bibliography (from and ), as a discipline, is traditionally the academic study of books as physical, cultural objects; in this sense, it is also known as bibliology (from ). English author and bibliographer John Carter describes ''bibliography ...
focusing on
African-American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...
music and composers, Ng claims that "while African-American music permeates the carillon repertoire," mostly in the form of
spirituals
Spirituals (also known as Negro spirituals, African American spirituals, Black spirituals, or spiritual music) is a genre of Christian music that is associated with Black Americans, which merged sub-Saharan African cultural heritage with the e ...
, "almost none of the carillon arrangements and compositions are authored by African Americans." In a second bibliography with Emmet Lewis focusing on women,
transgender
A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through tr ...
, and
non-binary
Non-binary and genderqueer are umbrella terms for gender identities that are not solely male or femaleidentities that are outside the gender binary. Non-binary identities fall under the transgender umbrella, since non-binary people typically ...
composers, they assert that while many works have been written by these groups, they are often not published through traditional means, and "
gender inequality
Gender inequality is the social phenomenon in which men and women are not treated equally. The treatment may arise from distinctions regarding biology, psychology, or cultural norms prevalent in the society. Some of these distinctions are empi ...
remains systemic and common practice in carillon concerts."
Performances
Performances on the carillon are commonly categorized as either
recital
A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, choir, or band. Concerts are held in a wide variety an ...
s or
concert
A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, choir, or band. Concerts are held in a wide variety a ...
s. Carillon recitals are traditional performances that take place on fixed schedules throughout the week. They may supplement regularly scheduled events, or take place at the convenience of the carillonneur. Traditional since the instrument's inception, this method is the foundation of carillon performance. Concerts refer to special carillon performances, typically featuring a
program
Program, programme, programmer, or programming may refer to:
Business and management
* Program management, the process of managing several related projects
* Time management
* Program, a part of planning
Arts and entertainment Audio
* Progra ...
and a place for the audience to sit and listen. Some carillonneurs may
livestream
Livestreaming is streaming media simultaneously recorded and broadcast in real-time over the internet. It is often referred to simply as streaming. Non-live media such as video-on-demand, vlogs, and YouTube videos are technically streamed, but no ...
the event so the audience can watch them at the keyboard. The first carillon concert was held on 1 August 1892 as part of Jef Denyn's Monday evening concert series.
The lack of consistent interest in traditional performances among the general public has caused carillonneurs to engage in musical collaborations and experiments, collectively referred to as "Carillon Plus". Carillonneur duos explore the possibility of
duet
A duet is a musical composition for two performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a harmony, as the performers take turns performing a solo ...
playing and producing new music for the configuration. Others seek to play the carillon in
orchestra
An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families.
There are typically four main sections of instruments:
* bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...
s,
bands, and other
ensembles. Carillon Plus performances are not new, but have been explored more intensely since the mid-20th century.
Organization and education
The World Carillon Federation is the central organization of carillon players and enthusiasts. It is a federation of preexisting regional, national, and supranational carillon organizations. it is composed of 15 member organizations:
* Brotherhood of Bell Ringers and Carillonists of Catalonia
* Carillon Association Luxembourg
* Carillon Society of Australia
* Carillon Society of Britain and Ireland
* Flemish Carillon Association
* German Carillon Association
* Guild of Carillonneurs and Campanologists of Switzerland
* The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America
* Guild of Carillonneurs of France
* Lithuanian Carillonist Guild
* Nordic Society for Campanology and Carillons
* Polish Carillon Association
* Royal Dutch Carillon Association
* Russian Carillon Foundation
* Walloon Campanological Association
Every three years, the federation hosts an international congress in a home country of one of the member organizations. The congresses host lectures, workshops, and committee meetings about the topics related to the carillon, for example: news, tutorials and demos, and research developments. Most member organizations give periodical updates to their members on the current state of carillon culture in their respective regions.
![Koninklijke Beiaardschool Jef Denyn Mechelen 20-3-2018](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Koninklijke_Beiaardschool_Jef_Denyn_Mechelen_20-3-2018.jpg)
Training to perform on a carillon can be obtained at several institutions, though the Royal Carillon School "Jef Denyn" has been the most popular. The LUCA School of Arts in
Leuven
Leuven (, ) or Louvain (, , ; german: link=no, Löwen ) is the capital and largest city of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located about east of Brussels. The municipality itself comprises the historic ...
, Belgium, offers a
master's degree
A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. in the carillon, and the
Utrecht School of the Arts
The HKU University of the Arts Utrecht ( nl, Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht, HKU) is a performing arts and visual arts educational institution in Utrecht, Netherlands.
Overview
The institution has 680 teachers and staff members. The HKU c ...
in
Amersfoort
Amersfoort () is a city and municipality in the province of Utrecht, Netherlands, about 20 km from the city of Utrecht and 40 km south east of Amsterdam. As of 1 December 2021, the municipality had a population of 158,531, making it the second- ...
, Netherlands, has a dedicated school. There are schools in the United Kingdom, France, and Denmark.
The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America organizes carillon examinations during its annual congresses. Those who pass are certified as carillonneur-members of the guild. It also partners with the North American Carillon School, founded in 2012 as an affiliate of the Royal Carillon School "Jef Denyn". Several American universities offer a carillon program within their curriculum. For example, the
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...
; the
University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara (UC Santa Barbara or UCSB) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Santa Barbara County, California, Santa Barbara, California with 23,196 undergraduate ...
; the
University of Denver
The University of Denver (DU) is a private university, private research university in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1864, it is the oldest independent private university in the Mountain States, Rocky Mountain Region of the United States. It is ...
; the
University of Florida
The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...
; and the University of Michigan offer complete courses of study.
Clemson University
Clemson University () is a public land-grant research university in Clemson, South Carolina. Founded in 1889, Clemson is the second-largest university in the student population in South Carolina. For the fall 2019 semester, the university enro ...
,
Indiana University
Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Campuses
Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI.
*Indiana Universit ...
,
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a public land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm, Iowa State became one of the n ...
, the University of Kansas, and
Marquette University
Marquette University () is a Private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Established by the Society of Jesus as Marquette College on August 28, 1881, it was founded by John Henni, John Martin ...
offer limited
credit
Credit (from Latin verb ''credit'', meaning "one believes") is the trust which allows one party to provide money or resources to another party wherein the second party does not reimburse the first party immediately (thereby generating a debt) ...
for carillon performance. Employed carillonneurs will often offer private lessons at their carillons. Universities that possess a carillon but do not offer course credit often have a
student organization
A student is a person enrolled in a school or other educational institution.
In the United Kingdom and most commonwealth countries, a "student" attends a secondary school or higher (e.g., college or university); those in primary or elementary ...
or education program, such as the Yale Guild of Carillonneurs, which manages performances on the
Yale Memorial Carillon
The Yale Memorial Carillon (sometimes incorrectly referred to as the ''Harkness Carillon'') is a carillon of 54 bells in Harkness Tower at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
This carillon is a transposing instrument pitched in B. It ...
.
Distribution
Several institutions register and count carillons worldwide. Some registries specialize in counting specific types of carillons. For example, the War Memorial and Peace Carillons registry counts instruments which serve as
war memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue, or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or (predominating in modern times) to commemorate those who died or were injured in a war.
Symbolism
Historical usage
It has ...
s or were built in the name of promoting world peace.
TowerBells counts carillons played via a baton keyboard as "traditional carillons" and those with computerized or electronic mechanisms as "non-traditional carillons", among other bell instruments. It also publishes maps, technical specifications, and
summary statistics
In descriptive statistics, summary statistics are used to summarize a set of observations, in order to communicate the largest amount of information as simply as possible. Statisticians commonly try to describe the observations in
* a measure of ...
.
As the World Carillon Federation does not consider non-traditional carillons to be carillons, it counts only those which are played via a baton keyboard and without computerized or electronic mechanisms.
According to TowerBells and the World Carillon Federation, there are
about 700 existing traditional carillons. At least three can be found on every continent except Antarctica; however, of the countries in which traditional carillons can be found, only six have more than 20.
The "great carillon" countries—the Netherlands, Belgium, and the United States—account for two-thirds of the world total. Over 90 percent are in either Western Europe (mainly the Low Countries) or North America. In North America, about 80 percent of carillons are owned by religious or educational institutions,
while in Europe, nearly all carillons are municipally owned.
Almost all extant traditional carillons were constructed in the last 100 years; only some 50 historical carillons from the 18th century or earlier still exist. According to TowerBells, there are another 483 non-traditional carillons, which are located mainly in the United States and Western Europe.
Traveling carillons
![Carillon small portable](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/Carillon_small_portable.jpg)
Traveling or mobile carillons are those which are not housed in a tower. Instead, the bells and playing console are installed on a frame that allows it to be transported. These carillons have to be much lighter than their non-mobile counterparts.
Nora Johnston
Nora Violet Johnston (1886 – 1952) was an English carillonneur and inventor, and one of only two female carillonneurs active in England during the first half of the twentieth century.
Life and career
After an active career in theater, she ...
conceived the idea of a traveling carillon between 1933 and 1938. She connected a traditional baton keyboard to a system of
chime bar
A chime bar or resonator bell is a percussion instrument consisting of a tuned metal bar similar to a glockenspiel bar, with each bar mounted on its own wooden resonator. Chime bars are played with mallets again similar to a glockenspiel.
The ...
s and fixed the structure to a portable frame. Johnston traveled twice to the United States to perform in
radio documentaries
A radio documentary is a spoken word radio format devoted to non-fiction narrative. It is broadcast on radio as well as distributed through media such as tape, CD, and podcast. A radio documentary, or feature, covers a topic in depth from one or ...
, orchestral concerts, and commercials. Subsequent constructions by others used actual carillon bells.
According to counts by the World Carillon Federation
and TowerBells,
there are about 20 existing traveling carillons with only three being non-traditional. Many were or are currently owned by bell foundries as a promotional tool. Almost all traveling carillons are headquartered in Western Europe and the United States. Two American traveling carillons are part of the musical group Cast in Bronze, which features the "Spirit of the Bells" playing the carillon in concert with other instruments or a recording. Cast in Bronze is credited with introducing the carillon to the United States' public in its mission to promote and preserve the instrument.
See also
*
Bianzhong
Bianzhong (Chinese:编钟) is an ancient Chinese musical instrument consisting of a set of bronze bells, played melodically. China is the earliest country to manufacture and use musical chimes. They are also called Chime Bells. These sets of ch ...
, an Eastern instrument having clapperless bells that are struck with hammers
*
Canpanò
The is a method of chiming bells employed in the North-east area of Italy.
There are many ways of playing according to the tradition of the locality, the bell tower's design and the number of bells that are used. The tradition was to play at ...
Italian bell ringing
*
Electronic carillon
*
Full circle ringing
Full circle ringing is a technique of ringing a tower bell such that it swings in a complete circle from mouth upwards to mouth upwards and then back again repetitively.
Technique
Full-circle tower bell ringing in England developed in the ea ...
**
Bolognese bell ringing
**
Change ringing
Change ringing is the art of ringing a set of tuned bells in a tightly controlled manner to produce precise variations in their successive striking sequences, known as "changes". This can be by method ringing in which the ringers commit to memor ...
**
Veronese bell ringing
*
Russian Orthodox bell ringing
Russian Orthodox bell ringing has a history starting from the baptism of Rus in 988 and plays an important role in the traditions of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Theology
The ringing of bells is one of the most essential elements of an Orthodox ...
Notes
References
Bibliography
Books
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* Rombouts, Luc. Article ‘Carillon’, The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Second Edition, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2000, part 5, pp. 128–134.
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Magazines and journals
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Internet
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External links
* English-speaking carillon organizations
*
World Carillon Federation*
Carillon Society of Britain and Ireland*
Carillon Society of Australia*
The Guild of Carillonneurs in North AmericaNorth American Carillon SchoolShort educational videoabout the carillon from the World Carillon Federation
Short video tutorialon composing for the carillon
Tutorial websiteon arranging for the carillon
(Carillon museum in the Netherlands)
{{Authority control
Articles containing video clips
Baroque instruments
Belgian musical instruments
Bells (percussion)
Campanology
Dutch musical instruments
French musical instruments
Keyboard instruments
Keyboard percussion instruments
Mechanical musical instruments
Percussion idiophones
Pitched percussion instruments
Transposing instruments