Carillon News

Brian Swager is a contributing editor of The Diapason.

Travelogue, Part II

This second installment of my travel journal begins in Peer, Belgium, where I left off in last month's column.

On Monday morning I awaken to a shaking bed: an earthquake! My host seems to be doing everything he can to make this San Franciscan feel right at home. After the midday meal he drives me back to Mechelen where I spend the rest of the day practicing at the carillon school and doing laundry. In the evening I attend the carillon recital at the St. Rombouts tower performed by Marina Nevskaya, a Russian pianist/ composer/organist who has just received her final diploma from the school. After the recital I greet several old friends.

When I return to the school in the morning, Jo Haazen, the director of the school and my former teacher, is there.  Jo leaves the office door open and listens while I practice some German dances of Mozart. He interrupts me several times with suggestions on how I can better adapt these transcriptions to a heavy carillon. He reminds me that the man who made these transcriptions plays carillons with bass bells that are much less resonant and lighter than those in the Mechelen carillon.

Later I catch a train to The Netherlands. It rains during my recital in Barneveld, but a few devoted listeners with umbrellas greet me at the tower door when I emerge. The next morning, my host Henry Groen takes me to Wageningen where he must play the carillon during the weekly farmers' market. Since there is no guest recital series in Wageningen, Henry has never heard the carillon from the street, so he asks me to play so that he can go outside and listen. In the evening I play in Ede where a closed circuit video installation enables the listeners to watch me play. One of the advantages of being alone in a tower is that I can take off as many clothes as I want. An hour of vigorous playing on a warm summer evening usually leaves me drenched in sweat. But tonight I stay dressed. They send me off with a bottle of wine in addition to my honorarium.

On Thursday I play in Venlo where for all I can tell there is no captive audience except for Ton, the man who opened the front door of the church for me and pointed me in the right direction. Since practice time on a real carillon has been extremely limited, I seize the opportunity to substitute several of the pieces from my alternate program. Ton didn't have a printed program, so he never knew the difference. We had coffee at an outdoor café on the town square, and then I caught a train to Amsterdam. I visit one of my favorite watering holes, sleep in the next morning, head for Schiphol, and fly to Copenhagen.

Ulla picks me up, we have dinner, I practice a bit on her carillon, and we head for her garden cottage on the outskirts of Copenhagen which will be my home for the next few days. In the morning Ulla takes me to Brøndby Strand, a suburb of Copenhagen, for my noon recital. The Brøndby carillonneur's husband rides up on his bicycle, kicking his feet in the air to display his American flag socks. The Danes love flags. Today I play my new program. It includes John Courter's In Memoriam September 11 which is appreciated everywhere I play it. Lunch is served after the recital, and then we head for the office where Annelise and Ulla make photocopies of my arrangements. Ulla and I head back to the city and I play at Our Savior's Church at 5:00. The tower is stunning and I go up early to soak up the view from the spiral staircase that winds around the outside of the gilded spire.

Sunday is a free day. Ulla is off to Ireland, so I have the day to myself at the cottage. The cottage has no running water, but it does have an electric piano. So, after practicing yoga in the garden, I start composing and arranging music for an upcoming recital. I had very little repertoire for a two-octave instrument, so when I had to send in a program for Cuijk, I said that I would play pieces such as "Three German Dances" and "Chant du Soir" by Brian Swager--pieces that didn't exist until today.

On Monday I fly back to Amsterdam and meet friends for dinner. On Tuesday the weather is hot, so I head for Zandvoort for a few hours to walk on the beach and frolic in the North Sea.  Going back to my room in Amsterdam for a shower turned out to be a waste of time, as there is no air conditioning on the train to Enkhuizen. It is a beautiful little port town, the harbor is bustling, and many people are sitting out on the decks of their boats. The carillon is audible from here when the wind is right. But the weather begins changing quickly. A mighty wind off the Ijsselmeer kicks up as I climb the tower. It is an "open lantern" type of tower which means that the top part of the tower containing the bells is exposed to the elements, and I had to scale a few ladders to reach the playing cabin. The rain hit just as I got inside the cabin. The storm blew over as quickly as it had come. The instrument is regal, a lovely historic Hemony carillon. After a drink with devoted, raingear-clad listeners, I caught a train back to Amsterdam.

On Wednesday I headed back to Mechelen and had my first practice session on the great carillon in the St. Rombouts tower. On Thursday I play in Genk where my gift after the recital is a clay bell filled with genever--a locally produced sort of gin. I can't help but sample it on the slow train ride home.

Friday's recital is on the two-octave carillon in Cuijk, The Netherlands, and is the debut of those little ditties that I wrote in Copenhagen. On Saturday I watch the gay pride parade on the canals of Amsterdam. These floats literally float! On Sunday I head back to Belgium, stopping in Mechelen to practice in the school before going on to Nivelles for a 4:00 recital. A television crew is there to film the recital and interview me afterwards. I had a surprise reunion with Guido, a colleague of my best friend in Mechelen, and his partner Francis. They came to the champagne reception, and I ended up having dinner with them. Guido took me to the train station in time to miss the last train home by the blow of a whistle accompanied by the evil grimace of the conductor. I've learned to maintain an intrepid, adventurous spirit. Guido graciously lodged me in Brussels, and I was back in Mechelen in the morning in time for a shower and my 11:30 rehearsal at St. Rombouts. Then I made my way quickly to Louvain where I played a program of 20th-century carillon music during an International Congress of Musicologists. The carillon in the University Library--having English bells--is an anomaly in Belgium. Wtih 32 bells from the original instrument cast in 1928 by the Gillett and Johnston foundry of Croydon, it is now a five-octave instrument, enlarged in 1983 with 31 new Eijsbouts bells. It is a heavy instrument, the second largest in Belgium, and the G&J bells give it a warm character. The action seems rather stiff at first, but by the end of the first piece I feel like I've figured out what I need to do to get the expressive effects that I want.

Back in Mechelen, I have a nap before my evening recital there. Playing in Mechelen is usually the high point of my summer recital tour. Mechelen is known as the mecca of the carillon art. The serious listeners sit quietly in the courtyard of the cultural center. The Monday evening summer recital series is a tradition that started here in 1896. The carillon is very heavy; the Eijsbouts bells are perfectly tuned in equal temperament; the classic enclosed bell chamber has vaulted ceilings and louvered openings projecting a homogenous sound; the awesome tower is high (about 450 steps to the playing cabin) and majestic; the sound is rich and resonant. Every carillon effect, except the tinkling sound of really small music box-like bells, is possible here: from thunderous fortissimo to cantabile to a whispering pianissimo. My program includes the Passacaglia of Jos Lerinckx, a masterpiece for carillon that sounds best with this wide range of effects. Lerinckx was a Mechelen resident and died just last year. I played his Variations on "There Were Two King's Children" on my examination recital at the carillon school in 1986. On subsequent visits to Mechelen, Jos often gave me scores of his organ and carillon music, and then he would talk my ear off in a most delightful way. I was sad that Jos was not at the base of the tower after my recital to greet me as usual, but the other "Mechelaars" were most appreciative of my performance--especially the Passacaglia--and assured me that Jos was indeed there. Another audience was assembled in a neighboring courtyard for an elegant birthday celebration. When the recital began, the partying stopped, and they sat quietly to listen. Amazing! I was invited to join them afterwards.

It has been a busy month, and I'm ready for a little vacation, so in the morning I catch a train to Paris where I spend the day before boarding a night train to Barcelona. Here I have a week to explore the city, view the famous art nouveau architecture of the likes of Antoni Gaudí and Montaner, get food poisoning from a rotten paella, and recover on the beach in nearby Sitges.

The playing resumes in Hannover, Germany. The sisters of the Henriettenstiftung, on the 100th anniversary of their order, installed a carillon in the courtyard of a hospital and home for the elderly. Cast by the F. Schilling bellfoundry of Heidelberg in 1940, the 49 bells hang in a very low tower, just above the playing console which is on ground level. The bells have a particularly sweet, round, resonant tone. About 100 people show up for the recital, and the sisters remind me that many others are enjoying the program from their rooms. I spend an extra day in Hannover as guests of the sisters, eating hearty meals, getting plenty of rest, practicing many hours on their organ, and making some carillon arrangements. The press was in attendance and promised to post a report on <www.citypix.de&gt; from the recital on 14.08.02.

Saturday afternoon's recital is in Almere-Haven near Amsterdam. The Dutch being masterful at holding back the sea have created a new city where there once was water and marsh. So, everything in Almere is very new, relatively speaking, in stark contrast to the historic architecture in most cities here. The carillon in the Harbor area of the city that I'm playing this year dates from 1979, whereas the city center carillon dates from 1985. The city is happy to support the carillons as part of its effort to build culture and community in Almere. The action is very light and sensitive, making one think of a harpsichord. I am taken by the contrast between the delicate nature of this instrument and the large movements that my fists must make to get from key to key and press them all the way down. On some instruments you can fling the keys down with the flick of a wrist, but to play this one sensitively, I must dpress the keys most of the way, feel the weight of the clapper, and then play. I conclude that even more control and virtuosity would be possible if the keyfall were significantly reduced, eliminating a lot of wasted motion. Nonetheless, it is a delight to play. Some people from the audience and the local carillon committee join municipal carillonneur Frits and me for a beer. Frits and I stay for dinner, and I enjoy the opportunity to talk shop with a colleague whom I haven't seen for several years.

To be continued.

Bok Tower Festival

The 16th International Carillon Festival, February 3–11, 2001, will feature guest carillonneurs Stéfano Colletti (France), Liesbeth Janssens (Belgium), John Courter (Berea College, Kentucky), George Matthew Jr. (Middlebury College & Norwich University, Vermont), and Bok Tower Gardens' Milford Myhre and William De Turk. Events will include daily recitals at 3 pm, a moonlight recital at 8 pm on Tuesday, February 6, carillon exhibits, and non-carillon concerts. For further information, contact Bill De Turk, 1151 Tower Blvd., Lake Wales, FL 33853-3412; ph 863/676-1154; fax 863/676-6770; e-mail: <[email protected]>;

web page: <boktowergardens.org>.

Paris carillon project

A new carillon for the city of Paris, France, is in the planning stages. The site is the Parc de La Villette. An architectural study has confirmed the possibility of installing a carillon in a contemporary structure that already exists in the park: la Folie Belvédère. The proposal is for a carillon of 51/2 octaves, 66 bells, from G2 to C8, with a total of 35 tons of bronze. The bells would hang on five levels in a conical cage of open construction without a roof. The performer in the playing cabin will be visible to the public.

Situated in the center of the park, the Folie Belvédère seems an ideal place for the resounding of bells, amidst the Cité des Sciences and the Cité de la Musique. There is ample green space for listening at an appropriate distance.  In contrast to the mystery plays that were enacted on church squares in front of cathedrals and churches in the Middle Ages, the Folie and its carillon envision popular theatrical productions such as circus, street theater, and all sorts of musical and artistic expression.

Major Dutch treat

The National Carillon Museum in Asten, The Netherlands, is expanding its facilities. The tower will be an attractive feature. It goes without saying that a carillon will be hung in the tower. Furthermore, this special tower deserves a special carillon. The choice was made for a carillon with bells that have a major-third overtone instead of the traditional minor third. These sound significantly different than classic bells and carillons. This modern type of carillon seemed to be a logical choice for the hpyermodern tower. Hence, with bells from ca. 1500 B.C. to the most contemporary specimens, the museum's collection will span 3500 years of bell history. The design for these major-third bells was developed a few years ago by Drs. André Lehr and Bert Schoofs (Technical University Eindhoven). This design was used for a carillon made by Eijsbouts for the Academy Tower of the University of Groningen. The Asten carillon will be relatively small, with 25 bells covering two octaves. The largest bell will weigh 236 kg., the smallest 10 kg., total weight 468 kg.

The museum is seeking sponsors to cover the cost of the bells which will be purchased at a significant discount from the Royal Eijsbouts Bellfoundry in Asten. Contact Dr. André Lehr at [email protected] or Ostaderstraat 23, 5721 WC Asten, The Netherlands.

An American in Peer

When a carillon committee was formed in 1989 in the city of Peer, Belgium, there were three tolling bells in the tower of the St. Trudo Church. At that time there were no carillons in the whole province of North Limburg that were playable manually. The 14th-century brick tower of Peer had a huge bellchamber capable of accommodating a heavy carillon. Financial resources were limited such that a choice was made for a medium weight carillon of 51 bells with a bourdon sounding D.

In 1992 the new Petit & Fritsen instrument was dedicated. After the festivities the carillon committee began its quest to expand the instrument as soon as possible to a heavy carillon. The project was completed in 1999 exceeding all expectations. The 17th-century bell frame was restored, the bell chamber got a new oak floor, and the electrical components were updated.

The carillon was completely dismantled and reinstalled, and a deluxe new playing cabin was built. Thirteen new bells were cast. Most significantly, an American standard playing console was chosen over the current European standard. The instrument now boasts 64 bells covering five octaves with a bourdon sounding B-flat. The keyboard compass is B-flat, C, then chromatic through D. Erik Vandevoort is the carillonneur of Peer.

Miscellanea from abroad

The Olsen Nauen Bellfoundry in Tønsberg, Norway, made a new four-octave carillon for the Oslo Town Hall in December 1999. The 49 bells replace a 38-bell carillon of inferior quality which dated from 1952. The new instrument can be played manually from a traditional baton-type console, electrically by means of an electric keyboard, and automatically by a computer. It is the largest carillon in all of the Nordic countries.

                  There are 80 carillons in Denmark, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland. Of these, 21 are concert carillons operated manually from a baton-type playing console. The remaining 59 are automatic carillons, and 29 of them can be operated from an electric piano-style keyboard. Most of the carillons were fabricated in The Netherlands (27% Petit & Fritsen, 45% Eijsbouts) with a few from France (7% Paccard) and England (4% Taylor).

Sculptor Eric Andersen created the Campana degli Umori for the Fairy Tale Gardens in Odense, Denmark. A ten-ton bell is suspended on a steel frame at street level. Also hanging on this frame are nine clubs or hammers for striking the bell in nine different areas. Campana degli Umori means "the bell of humors"—humors in the sense of moods. The nine striking areas on the bell are color coded and symbolize different moods such as black for pain and sorrow, red for love, etc. Consequently the bell can be used as a means of expression communicating to others the mood of the person who strikes the bell. Eric Andersen, who is both a visual artist and a composer, is fascinated with the bell as the carrier of a new language, and as a musical and poetical instrument the bell can be the tongue of the soul.

The 25th anniversary of the City Hall carillon in Magdeburg, Germany, was celebrated in 1999. In contrast with other concert performances, the carillon usually has the disadvantage that its players have no immediate contact with their listeners. The carillonneur sits in a  tower cabin, high above the ground, often remaining anonymous. Recognizing this situation, the city of Magdeburg rented a four-octave mobile carillon from the Royal Eijsbouts Bellfoundry in The Netherlands. Several concerts at various locations in the city were presented. Plentiful audiences comprising both locals and tourists witnessed the carillonneur hard at work (at play).

Zvonar ("The Bell Player") is a new periodical published by the Moscow Bell Center. The Center was established about four years ago primarily to train qualified bell players. Russian church bells are typically played by hand. The art of Russian bell ringing lost popularity because of  church reform measures in the Soviet Union. Bell players who were dying out in the 70s had few new recruits. Since it began, the Moscow Bell Center has educated over 150 bell players between the ages of 11 and 64. Most were from Moscow and its environs. The Zvonar newsletter will help spread information about liturgical tolling, bell repairs, and other technical questions while the Center will serve in consultation to church congregations and monasteries.

A new 45-bell carillon was built for the monastery tower in Kiel, Germany. The bells were cast by the Karlsruhe Bellfoundry, and the playing console, the mechanical action, and the electronic automatic player mechanism were fabricated by Otto Buer Bells & Clocks of Neustadt/Holstein. The carillon was inaugurated in September 1999. It incorporates a 1367-pound tolling bell (pitch "G") that dates from 1928 as the bourdon.

Profile: Utrecht, The Netherlands

Situated amongst the picturesque canals in the heart of Utrecht, the freestanding Dom Tower was connected with the Dom Church until a storm destroyed the church on the first of August, 1674. The tower was built in the years 1321-1382 in gothic style and was restored in the beginning of the 20th century. It has served as an example for many other Dutch towers. Of the three sections, the first two are square and of brick construction, the third is octagonal and built with natural stone. The ornate tower reaches the vertiginous height of 112 meters (367 feet)--the highest of all Dutch church towers.

In 1663 the city council of Utrecht ordered a 35-bell carillon from François and Pieter Hemony. This carillon, one of their last instruments, had as its bourdon a B(0) weighing 6056 pounds. The famous Hemony brothers were from Lorraine and worked as itinerant bellfounders until establishing themselves in the Dutch city of Zutphen in 1641. It was there in the year 1644 that, with the help of Utrecht Dom carillonneur Jacob van Eyck, they succeeded in tuning a series of carillon bells. They tuned in meantone.

Before the major tower restoration in 1902 there were a few modifications to the carillon. In 1695 seven bells made by Melchior de Haze were added. In 1888 Severinus van Aerschodt replaced one of the Hemony bells. During the period of the tower restoration which went from 1900 through 1930, considerable modifications were made to the carillon between 1902 and 1907. A modern steel frame was made to support the bells. The founder Van Bergen of Heiligerlee supplied C-sharp and E-flat bells for the bass octave in 1906; these were removed in 1951. In 1928 and 1929 the Van Aerschodt bell and one of the De Haze bells were replaced by Taylor bells. A rather extensive renovation was done in 1951. The Eijsbouts foundry replaced the De Haze bells, one of the Taylor bells, as well as a broken Hemony bell. The carillon was also extended to four octaves (47 bells) at this point.

In 1965 it became evident that rust was affecting the 1906 frame A thorough restoration, not only of the technical installation but also the bells, was deemed necessary. Between 1972 and 1974 the steel frame was replaced by a wooden frame. The Hemony bells were retuned in order to level out the effect of three centuries of corrosion. All of the non-Hemony bells were replaced by new (1972) Eijsbouts bells. Furthermore, three new bass bells were provided, the largest of which weighs upwards of 15,000 pounds.

There are now 34 Hemony bells and 16 Eijsbouts bells. The keyboard range is G, B-flat, c1, d1, then chromatic through c5. The carillon transposes down one half-step, hence the bourdon sounds F-sharp. This transposition is the result of the historical phenomenon of "c-orgeltoon" which was a B, when a¢ was 415 Hz rather than the standard present day pitch of a'=440 Hz. The Hemonys cast a total of seven carillons based on a B, three of which no longer exist.

The original automatic playing mechanism built by master clock maker Jurriaan Spraeckel of Zutphen is still in use in the Utrecht Dom Tower and plays the lowest three octaves of the carillon. The F-sharp bourdon sounds the hours, and the B(0) sounds the half-hours.

The following dactylic verse by A. den Besten appears on the bourdon:

DAGELIJKS ROEP IK U TOE,

DAG EN NACHT SPEL IK U HOE LAAT HET IS, HOE VER GIJ ZIJT: LEEF EN HEB  LIEF, HET IS TIJD!

[Daily I call out to you

Day and night I play you what

Time it is, how far you are:

Live and let live, it is time!]

Arie Abbenes is Municipal Carillonneur not only of Utrecht but also in Eindhoven, Oirschot, and Asten. He teaches at the Dutch Carillon School in  Amersfoort. Abbenes studied carillon with Peter Bakker in Hilversum and with Piet van den Broek in Mechelen, and he received the final diploma of the Royal Belgian Carillon School in 1968 with great distinction.

The carillon of the Dom Tower is played every Saturday from 11 am to noon. There is a summer series of evening recitals, Mondays at 8 pm during July and August. Additionally, Utrecht hosts a yearly Holland Early Music Festival at the end of August and beginning of September in which the carillon plays a part.

The Utrecht Dom Tower is also known for its impressive set of 14 tolling bells. While the carillon bells hang at a height of about 230 feet, this peal is at 165 feet. The six heaviest and one of the lighter bells were cast in 1505/1506 by Geert van Wou of Kampen. Van Wou originally cast a diatonic series of 13 bells for the Dom Tower, but in 1664 the smallest seven were sold and melted to finance the new carillon. In 1982 these were replaced by new bells cast by the Eijsbouts Bellfoundry of Asten. The 14th bell is of unknown origin. In this day and age, most tolling bells are swung electrically, but the bells in the Utrecht Dom are rung by hand. This means that some 70,000 pounds of bronze must be brought into motion manually. It takes four people to ring Salvator, the largest bell, which weighs 18,000 pounds. This task has been performed by members of the Utrecht Bell Tollers' Guild since 1979.

Also worthy of mention in Utrecht is the National Museum "Van Speelklok tot Pierement" where all manner of automatic music instruments--from violins and musical clocks to street organs, orchestrions, and dance-hall organs--are displayed and demonstrated.

February Florida Festival

The 14th International Carillon Festival at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, Florida, will occur February 20-28, featuring carillonneurs Geert D'hollander, Todd Fair, Ulla Laage, Carlo van Ulft, Milford Myhre and William De Turk. Events include daily 3 pm carillon recitals, a moonlight recital  on February 27, lectures and exhibits in the new Education & Visitor Center, and several non-carillon concerts. For more information, contact Bill De Turk, Bok Tower Gardens, 1151 Tower Blvd., Lake Wales, FL 33853-3412; phone: 941/676-1154; fax: 941/676-6770; E-mail: <[email protected]>.

Berkeley Congress Report

The 56th Congress of the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America was held at the University of California at Berkeley, 17-20 June 1998 with 126 persons in attendance. University Carillonneur Geert D'hollander was the host. Held in conjunction with the Fifth Berkeley International Carillon Festival, the 1998 meeting focused on the life and work of Emilien Allard and honored the memory of Ronald Barnes. Madeleine Allard was present as an honored guest. Also honored were Evelyn Chambers and other members of the Class of 1928, patrons of the Berkeley Carillon and its International Carillon Festival.

Recitalists for the Congress were Lisa Lonie of Philadelphia; George Gregory of San Antonio, Texas; Claude Aubin of Montréal, Québec, Canada; Gideon Bodden of The Netherlands; Andrea McCrady of Spokane, Washington; and the carillonneurs of Berkeley: Geert D'hollander, John Agraz, Jeff Davis, David Hunsberger, and Liesbeth Janssens. The Berkeley Brass Quintet conducted by David Milnes joined Geert D'hollander and Liesbeth Janssens in a special program of music arranged for bells and brass by Ms.  Janssens. D'hollander gave the premiere performances of the winning pieces in the 1998 Johan Franco Composition Competition. The first prize was awarded to Mr. D'hollander himself for his Modal Nocturne. Ennis Fruhauf's Passacaglia was awarded second prize.

John Agraz gave a workshop on basic carillon maintenance. Masterclasses were taught by John Gouwens on interpretation and by Geert D'hollander on effective ways to learn new music. Two presentations on the music of Emilien Allard were given: Milford Myhre played historic recordings from Bok Tower, and Liesbeth Janssen shared her findings based on theoretical analyses of some of Allard's pieces.

Following successful examination recitals, ten members were accorded Carillonneur status by vote of the Guild: Steven Ball of Ann Arbor, Michigan; Linda Dzuris of Ann Arbor, Michigan; Chuck Barland of Lawrence, Kansas; Andy Greene of Berkeley, California; Andrew Capule of Berkeley, California; Liesbeth Janssens of Berkeley, California; Helena Chen of Berkeley, California; Sabin Levi of Provo, Utah; Geert D'hollander of Berkeley, California;  and Lynne Tidwell  of Lawrence, Kansas.

Dr. Joseph F. Marsh, Jr., former president of Concord College, and Alicia Porter Washam and Rufus "Buddy" Porter of Highland Park United Methodist Church, Dallas, were recommended and approved for Honorary Membership. Janet Dundore was awarded the Extraordinary Service Award for her many contributions to the Guild and to the profession, most particularly her original, audience-friendly approach to recitals. Emilien Allard, Evelyn Chambers, the Class of 1928, Janet Dundore, and Karel and Linda Keldermans received Berkeley Medals. A memorial fund in the name of Ronald Barnes was established to provide scholarships for North Americans to study the North American Carillon Art in North America.

The next congress of the GCNA will be held at Iowa State University, Ames, 16-19 June 1999. Tin-shi Tan will be our host. In the year 2000, the CGNA congress will be held in the city of Frederick, Maryland as well as at the Mercersburg Academy in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania. John Widmann and Jim Smith will be our hosts. Also in 2000 will be a congress of the World Carillon Federation in Springfield, Illinois, hosted by Karel Keldermans.

News from Iowa State

Iowa State University Carillonneur Tin-shi Tam sends the following news.

Spring carillon festival 1998

Iowa State University (ISU) hosted the Spring Carillon Festival 1998 and the Carillon Composition Competition during the weekend of April 24-26. Guest carillonneur was Albert Gerken, Carillonneur at the University of Kansas, Lawrence. He performed a recital featuring carillon music by Gary C. White, Professor Emeritus of Composition at ISU. He also conducted a seminar on "The importance of musical considerations in building or renovating a carillon." The Festival also included a Family concert featuring ISU student carillonneurs, the Ames Children's Preparatory Choir, ISU Dance and ISU/Ames Flute Ensemble. Tin-shi Tam, ISU University Carillonneur, presented a faculty recital during the Festival that included Emilien Allard's Sonata (1968).

In conjunction with the Festival, a Carillon Composition Competition was held to encourage the writing of original carillon compositions by young composers. Contestants from all parts of the country and overseas submitted entries. No award was given this year.

In 1999, Iowa State University will celebrate  the centennial anniversary of the Stanton Memorial Carillon. ISU will host the 57th Congress of The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America from June 16-19. Additional celebrations have also been planned.

Summer keyboard camp

The Sixth Annual Keyboard Exploration was hosted by Iowa State University Music Department from June 22 through 27. The summer music camp was for keyboard students who were entering grades 7-12. Participants experienced first-hand the thrill of playing various kinds of keyboard instruments including organ, harpsichord, piano and carillon. Nine students studied carillon under ISU University Carillonneur, Tin-shi Tam. Two carillon concerts were performed by students towards the end of the week.

News from Springfield

Karel Keldermans, carillonneur for the Springfield, Illinois, park district, sends the following news.

Midwest regional conference

The second Midwest Regional Conference of the GCNA was held in Springfield, Illinois, on Saturday, May 30, 1998. Participants from Kansas, Kentucky, Iowa, Illinois, and Denmark were hosted by Karel Keldermans.

John Courter of Berea College began the presentations with a description of his personal compositional style and indicated the importance of Gregorian chant in his music. He played a recording of two of his carillon fantasies, and a lively discussion ensued. Albert Gerken of the University of Kansas at Lawrence then took the podium to make the first of his two presentations for the conference. Bert gave an excellent analysis relative to the usefulness of C-sharp and D-sharp in the bass of the carillon. To this end, he gave an insightful explanation as to why Pieter Hemony several centuries ago had in fact been incorrect in asserting that C-sharp and D-sharp were "useless." With cogent examples from the  De Gruytters Carillon Book and various Van den Gheyn Preludes--music appropriate to the period under discussion--Bert then demonstrated musically why a carillon indeed needs to be fully chromatic.

Informal discussions continued as a catered lunch was served in the parlor, courtesy of the Springfield Park District. Following the lunch break, Ann-Kirstine Christiansen, a Danish carillonneur and administrator at the Scandinavian Carillon School in Løgumkloster, Denmark, gave her presentation on the formation of the School and explained how courses are set up, the number of students attending, and the number graduated. After Ann-Kirstine's presentation, the group transferred to the Rees Carillon where Bert Gerken took the second afternoon session--that of music notation. Bert has developed a unique system of handling and pedaling on his scores, and the group was very interested in his techniques as he demonstrated them at the keyboard of the Rees Carillon. The conference adjourned in the late afternoon with some of the attendees remaining in Springfield for the International Carillon Festival.

Annual Springfield festival

The 37th International Carillon Festival in Springfield, Illinois, was held at the Rees Memorial Carillon in Washington Park from May 31 through June 7, 1998. The eight days of the Festival were filled with carillon-related activities, culminating each evening in two or three recitals by guest carillonneurs.  This year's recitalists were Albert Gerken, Kansas; Ann-Kirstine Christiansen, Denmark; Ray McLellan, Michigan; Bob van Wely, The Netherlands; Gert Oldenbeuving, The Netherlands; Koen Cosaert, Belgium; Sue Jones, Illinois; and host Karel Keldermans.

The first evening of recitals featured Albert Gerken and Karel Keldermans performing original compositions and arrangements by Ronald Barnes (1927-1997). This evening of special tribute to North America's premier composer for the instrument was especially meaningful to festival audiences who had come to know Ron Barnes as a frequent participant and visitor to the Festival. During the rest of the week, Barnes' works were prominently featured in recitals by other guest carillonneurs. Huge crowds gathered Saturday evening for the traditional gala fireworks to the accompaniment of carillon music.

Prospectus: French Carillon School

The French Carillon School was established in 1971 in Tourcoing and has been associated with the Conservatoire National de Région de Douai since September, 1997. During the academic year, instruction is given at all levels: beginners, amateurs, professional, advanced, and virtuosity. Lessons are given regularly on Wednesday and Saturday mornings and are available on other days by appointment. Intensive sessions are available for those traveling from afar. Applied lessons are given alternately on practice consoles, the mobile carillon, and the belfry carillon. There is a mid-year exam, and a final exam with an international jury is held in mid-June to determine the award to be presented according to the guidelines of the National Music Conservatories: * Mentions: at the initial, preparatory, and elementary levels * Medals and Practice Diploma: at the middle level * Carillonneur Diploma: upon completion of program of study * Gold, Vermeil, Silver, and Bronze Medals: advanced level * Prizes and Certificates of Merit: superior level. (The Master Carillonneur Diploma is awarded as the Premier Prix at this level.) Since its inception, the French Carillon School has awarded twenty carillonneur diplomas (nine to foreigners) and ten Master Carillonneur Diplomas (three to foreigners). A class of virtuosity, a class for the preparation for international competitions, and a special course for the preparation for the State Diploma and Certificate of Aptitude for carillon instruction were recently established. There is an annual registration fee but no tuition. For information and registration, contact: Ecole Française de Carillon; 39, rue de l'Université; 59500 Douai; France. Phone/Fax: 33.3.27.93.58.33. Lessons are available in Tourcoing-contact Bruno Membrey; rue Paul Doumer; 59200 Tourcoing. Beginners can study in Dijon-contact M. Alain Chobert; 2 rue de Tillot; 21000 Dijon.

Call for papers

From August 9 through 13, 1998, the biennial congress of the World Carillon Federation will take place in Mechelen and Louvain, Belgium. As part of this event, the Catholic University of Louvain will sponsor a congress on campanology. Since campanology is an interdisciplinary field of scholarship, papers from various areas of research are welcome, including but not limited to musicology, history, sociology, psychology, theology, law, physics, and environmental science. Topics will be organized in the following categories:

1) The use of bells as public signaling devices in Europe from the 12th to the end of the 18th century (secular and religious forms or aspects, musical applications)

2) Determinants of the sound quality of bells (material, bell profile, bell chamber, environmental influences, etc.) and of the perception of bells (ideology, customization, conditioning, etc)

3) The state of carillon art between 1800 and 1900

Papers on other topics will be considered. Abstracts are due on June 30, 1997. Direct questions, suggestions, and abstracts to: Luc Rombouts, Congress Coordinator, University Hall, Oude Markt 13, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; e-mail: [email protected]

Profile: Amsterdam's Westertoren

The West Church (Westerkerk) was officially opened on Whitsunday 1631. It is one of the oldest churches especially built for Protestant services, and the largest such church in The Netherlands. Hendrick de Keyser, the city architect, built the church in Dutch Renaissance style, which is characterized by a combination of brick and stone. The famous painter Rembrandt van Rijn was buried inside the church in a rental grave in 1669. In 1966 Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus were married in the church. From 1985–1990 the church was completely restored.

Not until 1686, when organ accompaniment to singing had become customary, was the Westerkerk organ built by the father and son team of Duyschot. In 1727 it was considerably extended by the father, and it was further enlarged in the 19th century. Between 1988 and 1991 Flentrop of Zaandam restored the organ as nearly as possible to its original condition of 1686/1727.

In the medieval tradition, the 280-foot tower stands projecting from the center of the west facade. The base of the tower, up to the first gallery, is of brick, while the section above this is constructed mainly of wood with a facing of sandstone. The uppermost sections are also of wood, with an outer covering of lead. It was completed in 1638. The tower, which occupies a unique place in the affections of the people of Amsterdam, bears the symbol of the imperial crown of Maximilian of Austria, which was his gift to the city in gratitude for the support given to the Austro-Burgundian princes. The tower has inspired many songs and poems and remains a symbol of the city for Amsterdammers abroad. In her famous diary, Anne Frank makes fond references to the bells of the Westertoren ("I loved it from the start, and especially in the night it's like a faithful friend.").

The hour bell is the heaviest in Amsterdam and weighs more than 16,500 pounds; the hammer alone weighs some 450 pounds. In 1658 the famous Amsterdam bellfounder François Hemony delivered a 32-bell carillon based on a 4500-pound bourdon sounding D-flat. To complete three octaves, Claude Fremy was commissioned to found an additional three bells, but due to his death in 1699, his widow passed the contract on to Fremy's foreman, Claes Noorden. An extensive renovation of the carillon was undertaken in 1959. The 14 brass bells made by Hemony were retained while the treble range was replaced and extended by the Eijsbouts bellfoundry of Asten, The Netherlands. Presently, the carillon has 50 bells and is tuned in meantone temperament.

Boudewijn Zwart of Schoonhoven is the carillonneur of the Westertoren. He plays weekly, Tuesdays from noon to 1:00. The carillon can be heard to its best advantage from the courtyard of the Pulitzer Hotel or from the north side of the church. Four of the Amsterdam carillons are featured in a special series of summer recitals at 7:00 in the evening. Recitals at the West Tower are on Wednesdays, at the Old Church on Tuesdays,  and Saturday recitals are at the South Tower or the Mint Tower. Performers include guest carillonneurs from The Netherlands and abroad, as well as the Amsterdam municipal carillonneurs: Boudewijn Zwart, Todd Fair, Gideon Bodden, and Bernhard Winsemius.

Profile: Barneveld, The Netherlands

West of the Veluwe forest in the province of Gelderland is the city of Barneveld. The 160-foot tower of the St. Adolf Church (Oude or Sint Odulphuskerk) in Barneveld dates from the 13th century. Ravaged by fire and struck by lightning on numerous occasions, it is always restored to its old splendor. Until 1927 it was topped with a pear-shaped cone spire. As part of the restoration in that year, this was replaced with an open lantern topped by an onion-shaped crown.

On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Baron van Nagell as Mayor of Barneveld in 1927, a two-octave carillon was placed in the upper tolling chamber of the tower. The bells were made by the English firm Gillett & Johnston and were installed by the Dutch firm Eijsbouts. Placement was not optimal; the bells were audible only from near the tower. A few bells were added in 1948 and 1949. During a tower renovation in 1961 the carillon was moved into the lantern and expanded to four octaves. Finally, four bass bells made by Eijsbouts were added in 1977 and 1992. The current ensemble of 51 bells includes 17 made by Gillett & Johnston, one by Petit & Fritsen, two by Van Bergen, and 31 by Eijsbouts. The keyboard compass is B-flat, C, D, then chromatic through D. The bourdon sounds D-flat, hence the instrument transposes up a minor third. It is tuned in equal temperament.

Henry Groen is the municipal carillonneur. He plays on Thursdays at 10 am and Fridays from May through September at 7:00 pm. During the Old Veluwe Market--Thursdays in July and August--the carillon is played at 9:30 am. A special summer series on Tuesday evenings from 8:00 to 9:00 during June, July, and August features Groen as well as guest carillonneurs from The Netherlands and abroad.

Richard Watson casts bells for Mercersburg

A small, rural town in south central Pennsylvania is home to a fine carillon. In that virtually all carillons in North America--including the one in Mercersburg--were produced abroad, it is significant that the carillon bells recently added to this instrument were cast and tuned by an American. Mercersburg Academy Director of Music, Organist, and Carillonneur James W. Smith sends the following news.

The first recital on Mercersburg's 43-bell carillon took place on October 12, 1926, with the famed Belgian carillonneur, Anton Brees, at the keyboard. The bells hung in the chapel spire virtually unchanged for seventy years. Richard Strauss renovated the playing mechanism in 1981. During the Academy's alumni weekend, October 11-13, 1996, a new era for the Swoope Carillon began. Six new bells, cast by the Meeks-Watson Company of Georgetown, Ohio, and a new American standard console were dedicated.

The funds for these additions came from the endowment established by the school's long-time carillonneur Bryan Barker. Mr. Barker gave his entire estate to the Academy for the maintenance of the carillon.

Several items of sentimental value were incorporated into the casting of each of the new bells. On the day Jim Smith was in Ohio for a casting, bell number forty-eight was being formed. When the bell was in the molten state, a badge which celebrated Black Awareness Day, from the early years of our headmaster's tenure, was put into the kiln. His senate pin was put into the kiln for bell number forty-six, representing his years at Mercersburg as a student.

When he taught here he smoked a pipe. The brass tamper he used during those years was placed into the molten metal of bell number forty-seven. In addition to these items, Bryan Barker's Columbia Scholastic Press lapel pin was melted into bell number forty-three, the largest of the new bells. Mr. Barker was advisor to The Mercersburg News for many years and was proud of his relationship with the Columbia Scholastic Press during that time. Eric Harris, a Chemistry teacher for many years at the Academy in whose memory the six new bells have been dedicated, is represented by a very special token sent to us by his widow, Rosamund Harris. During the Second World War, Mr. Harris was a group commander and wore the sterling silver wings of the Royal Air Force. Those wings were placed into bell number forty-five in his memory. Melted into the smallest bell, number forty-nine, was a Rotary Club pin belonging to the current music director.

The results of this project have been judged a great success. Several members of the GCNA were present during alumni weekend to help dedicate the new bells. These performers praised the quality of the work done by Meeks-Watson and judged the carillon to be a concert carillon of high quality. It has to be said that one of the reasons for the success of this project is that Richard Watson, a partner of the Meeks-Watson firm, has been a world-class carillonneur himself for over thirty-five years. As an expert player of the instrument, he is intimately involved with the repertoire and the need for a performer to have a sensitive and responsive instrument. He incorporated his artistic strengths into the design and function of the instrument.

Two essential changes were made to the mechanical action of the instrument. The new console is very quiet and sensitive, which allows for the ultimate in musical expression and dynamic control. For the bells to actually ring better, however, it was necessary to make some changes to the existing playing mechanism. Seventeen of the small bells were being struck by an external hammer rather than a traditional internal clapper. Changing the strike method provided an opportunity to realign several bells, bringing them closer to the console. As a result, several connecting wires were shortened. These changes reduced friction and weight, and with the new, internal clappers the overall sound and resonance of the upper bells were greatly improved. Another change was to bring the bells into concert pitch. Before this change the bells transposed down a whole step. Shifting the bells to concert pitch added a valued B-flat and E-flat to the keyboard.

The dedication of the new bells was a special occasion for everyone who attended the Academy's Alumni Weekend events for 1996. The new bells first sounded during a bonfire on Friday evening. The next day the largest bell, the 31/2-ton bourdon, tolled for a memorial service held for all Academy alumni and faculty who died during the previous year. That afternoon a full marathon of recitals took place, played by the many  carillonneurs visiting here for the weekend. That day ended with a memorial recital at 7 pm for Anton Brees, the school's first carillonneur, who had played the first recital exactly seventy years ago at the same hour on October 12, 1926. That recital was played by the Academy's resident carillonneur and Music Director, James W. Smith. The recital was devoted exclusively to carillon arrangements by Bryan Barker, a student of Anton Brees in England and the carillonneur at Mercersburg for 51 years. Before coming to Mercersburg, Barker spent eighteen weeks at the University of Sydney training players for its new War Memorial Carillon. The chapel spire at Mercersburg was named Barker Tower in his honor in 1979.

The next morning there was a dedication for the six new bells during a chapel service. The Mercersburg Chorale sang an original anthem which included the carillon as part of the ensemble, and Mr. Barker's own arrangement of the Academy Hymn, "Jesus, I Live To Thee," was played. The highlight of the dedication service was the recital performance by Edward M. Nassor, carillonneur of Washington Cathedral and director of the Netherlands Carillon at the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. As his first selection he performed his own composition which had been commissioned by the Academy for this occasion. The composition, Mercersburg Suite  (Fanfare-Toccata with Variations on the Academy  Hymn and The Mercersburg Alma Mater), was dedicated to Walter H. Burgin  '54, Academy Headmaster from 1972 to 1997.

The weekend ended triumphantly with a recital at three o'clock performed by Lisa Lonie, carillonneur at Trinity Church, Holland, Pennsylvania, who was the first performer in this year's Robert M. and Dorothy Betz Kurtz recital series. These recitals continue each Sunday afternoon during the school year when the Academy is actually in session.

The new bells, the new console, and the reconstructed mechanism have all combined to create a wonderful and musically responsive instrument. Carillons can be as expressive as any other musical instrument when played well. But even the finest players are limited by the ability of the instrument to respond with equal sensitivity. The Swoope Carillon at Mercersburg has now taken its rightful place among the nation's truly great musical instruments. Thanks to Bryan Barker's legacy, these bells have taken on a new life.