Carillon News

Brian Swager is a contributing editor of THE DIAPASON.

Bok Tower Festival

The 17th International Carillon Festival at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, Florida, February 23-March 3, 2002, will feature guest carillonneurs Koen Van Assche (Belgium), Sjoerd Tamminga (The Netherlands), J. Samuel Hammond (Duke University, Durham NC), Helen Hawley (Lawrence, KS), and Bok Tower carillonneurs Milford Myhre and William De Turk. Events will include daily recitals at 3 pm, a moonlight recital at 8 pm on Monday, February 25, carillon and art exhibits, and non-carillon concerts. For further information, contact Bill De Turk: 1151 Tower Blvd., Lake Wales, FL 33853-3412; phone: 863/676-1154; fax: 863/676-6770; E-mail: <[email protected]>;

web page: <boktowergardens.org>.

Ireland World Congress

The next congress of the World Carillon Federation will take place in Cobh and at the National University of Ireland in Cork from Sunday 28 July through Thursday 1 August, 2002. Hosted by the British Carillon Society, this is the first world congress to be held in Ireland or Britain. The theme of the congress is "The Carillon and the Music of the People."

Cobh (pronounced "Cove") has a population of 10,000. Cobh is a picturesque and historic harbor town on Ireland's south coast and a major tourist destination. Cork Airport and Ringaskiddy Ferry Port are a 30-minute drive from Cobh, and both have regular international service.

The magnificent fully chromatic four-octave 49-bell carillon of St. Colman's Cathedral (bourdon 8000 pounds) is a Taylor instrument dating from 1916 which was completely restored, modernized and enlarged by the Royal Eijsbouts Bellfoundry of Asten, The Netherlands, in 1998. It is a transposing instrument, in A, and is now the largest carillon in Ireland and Britain in terms of the number of bells.  The playing console is of North-American standard dimensions. There is also a state-of-the-art practice console.

Some 15 miles upriver is Cork (population 200,000), where the university's renowned music department has recently been relocated to a fine period building overlooking the city. Its facilities include a carillon practice console, identical to the one in Cobh.

The President of Ireland, Her Excellency Mary McAleese, has been invited to formally open the Congress; Most Rev. Dr. John Magee, Bishop of Cloyne, and Professor G.T. Wrixon, President of the University College Cork, are the congress patrons. The Eijsbouts traveling carillon will be available for the duration of the congress. An interesting and enjoyable program is being planned by the organizers, including morning, lunch time, afternoon and evening carillon recitals (30 minutes) every day. There will be an academic day at University College Cork, a day featuring young and upcoming carillonneurs, a congress banquet, Irish traditional music and dancing, sight-seeing tour of East Cork, a Cobh harbor boat trip, and a fireworks display.

Congress participants will be based in Cobh, which offers a range of accommodation--hotels, guest houses and self-catering apartments for four to six occupants.  Registration forms will be available on the Cobh Carillon Website: http://homepage.eircom.net/~adriangebruers. Specific questions can be sent to: [email protected].

Send items for "Carillon News" to Dr. Brian Swager, c/o The Diapason, 380 E. Northwest Hwy., Suite 200, Des Plaines, IL 60016-2282. For information on the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America, write to: GCNA, 37 Noel Dr., Williamsville, NY 14221.

Brian Swager is carillon editor of THE DIAPASON.

Robert Byrnes,
carillonneur of the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, died May 28,
2004. Byrnes graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 1972, earned a
master's degree in music from UNI in 1974, and taught at UNI since 1972
in the School of Music. He was also an administrative assistant and director of
the UNI Varsity Men's Glee Club. He was especially known among
carillonneurs for his compositions such as On the San Antonio River and
Reflection.

The Royal Carillon School “Jef Denyn” in
Mechelen, Belgium, held a carillon composition competition. Sixteen entries
were received from composers in Belgium, America, and Russia. The winner was Geert
D'hollander. His composition, We
Ring, We Chime, We Toll, became the obligatory work for the Fifth International
Queen Fabiola Carillon Competition, which was held in Mechelen, Belgium, in
September 2003. Twelve carillonneurs from six countries participated. Winners,
from first to fifth place, were: Twan Bearda (The Netherlands), Ana Lucia Elias
(Portugal), Liesbeth Janssens (Belgium), Charles Dairay (France), and Henk
Veldman (The Netherlands).

A list of carillons all over the world and a list of CD
recordings of carillons are available on the website of the World Carillon
Federation:

<www.carillon.org/&gt;.

The 2006 World Congress will be held in Gdansk, Poland. The
first carillon in Gdansk dates from the 16th century, and it was the first city
outside the Low Countries to have a carillon. Both of Gdansk's historic
carillons were lost during the war. Currently the city has two carillons. The
larger one is an instrument of 49 bells hanging in the tower of St.
Catherina's Church. The Gdansk Town Hall has a three-octave, 37-bell
carillon dating from 2000.

A new 49-bell carillon was installed in
theHelligåndskirken in Copenhagen, Denmark. It has four fully chromatic
octaves from “C” and has a total weight of 14 tons. The new
carillon was christened by Bishop Erik Norman Svendsen with a special mass. The
church's organist and carillonneur, Hans Ole Thers, began the dedicatory
recital with Salute to the C-Sharp Key as a tribute to the lowest semitone,
which is absent on most other carillons. Ulla Laage
style='font-weight:normal'> also played a recital as part of the festivities.

Send items for “Carillon News” to Dr. Brian
Swager, c/o The Diapason, 380 E. Northwest Hwy., Suite 200, Des Plaines, IL
60016-2282; e-mail:

<[email protected]>. For information on the Guild
of Carillonneurs in North America, write to: GCNA, 37 Noel Dr., Williamsville,
NY 14221.

News from Bok Tower

The Historic Bok Sanctuary in Lake Wales, Florida, announces its 18th International Carillon Festival, 8-16 February 2003, featuring guest carillonneurs Boudewijn Zwart (The Netherlands), Eddy Mariën (Belgium), John Gouwens (Culver Military Academies, Culver, Indiana), Dennis Curry (The Kirk in the Hills, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan), and resident carillonneurs Milford Myhre and William De Turk. Events will include daily recitals at 3:00 pm, a moonlight recital at 8:00 pm on Friday 14 February, carillon and art exhibits, and non-carillon concerts.

Until recently, the sanctuary was known as Bok Tower Gardens. Originally it was known as The Mountain Lake Sanctuary and Singing Tower, and the new official name is Historic Bok Sanctuary. An explanation follows:

Nearly 75 years ago, Edward W. Bok gave this incredible gift for the visitation of the American people. Mountain Lake Sanctuary and Singing Tower drew the praise of President Calvin Coolidge and the interest of the nation as it assumed the prestigious position as one of Florida's original tourism destinations. It has welcomed more than 23 million American and international visitors since its dedication in 1929.

In recent years, however, visitation has declined. The state's tourism industry has grown and changed, and the marketing of it has become more sophisticated. Research indicated that Bok Tower Gardens was not particularly well-known or well-understood by Florida residents or out-of-state visitors. However, the overwhelming majority of visitors were very satisfied following their visit and felt the integrity and quality of Bok Tower Gardens has remained impeccable for nearly 75 years.

A market evaluation process helped the sanctuary look at the value of its offerings and what relevance they have in today's world. Through various stages of research and analysis, they came to realize that Bok Tower Gardens provided its visitors with different types and levels of "personal enrichment." Visitors identified its "genuine qualities" as what they viewed as most valuable, especially in an increasingly fast-paced and artificial world, and they embraced the values and integrity of Bok and his gift. Many expressed an interest in learning more about Mr. Bok and the unique role he played in American history.

From the research of Visit Florida, the Tourism Industry of America, and other experts, they realized that they best fit the definition of Cultural Tourism and found it encouraging to learn that an increasing number of people are seeking the type of experiences that they offer--enriching experiences that elevate both mind and spirit. Baby boomers report a particular interest in heritage, cultural and educational experiences, and 85% of Florida's out-of-state visitors engage in some type of cultural/heritage activities while in the state. Research also suggests that as the world continues to get more high tech, there is a growing demand for experiences that are rooted in authenticity and integrity.

They feel that the new name, Historic Bok Sanctuary, and positioning provides a better framework of relevance so that people can better understand what it has to offer. The new name actually says who they are: a historic and cultural site, a gift from Edward Bok, and a sanctuary for man and nature.

Along with the new name, the new graphic identity represents the key offerings: Olmsted-designed gardens, a majestic belltower that holds the state's first and finest carillon, and a stunning Mediterranean Revival estate. Also, the positioning line "Florida's Higher Place" reflects the rare quality of this place and how it enriches visitors through a combination of beautifully landscaped gardens, the carillon music,  and historic structures and museum-quality exhibits. It is also appropriate because the tower is 205 feet tall and built on the highest point in peninsular Florida.

Anton Brees Carillon Library

Librarian William De Turk announces that the Anton Brees Carillon Library is now online! It is a part of Librarycom which is a web site for many libraries using LibraryWorld as their database program.

There are 6600+ items cataloged to date. The current search options are: Author, Title, Subject, Keyword. The company is working on adding the complete line of search capabilities, which will include Expert Search (Boolean search capabilities) & Browse the Shelves.

To access the Brees Library, go to <http://Librarycom.com/opac/&gt;

Type in the library name box: Anton Brees Carillon Library

Check: guest

Send items for "Carillon News" to Dr. Brian Swager, c/o The Diapason, 380 E. Northwest Hwy., Suite 200, Des Plaines, IL 60016-2282. For information on the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America, write to: GCNA, 37 Noel Dr., Williamsville, NY 14221.

Brian Swager is a contributing editor of THE DIAPASON.

Chesman appointed

Jeremy Chesman has been appointed University Carillonneur and Instructor of Music at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri. He will develop and direct a carillon program and teach music theory. Additionally, he will serve as staff accompanist.

The carillon, installed in August, is a 48-bell instrument cast by the Royal Eijsbouts Foundry in Asten, The Netherlands. The bourdon, a C3, weighs 4850 pounds. The instrument is chromatic for four octaves, excluding the lowest C-sharp.

Mr. Chesman holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the University of Michigan, in organ and carillon, respectively. He is currently studying at the Royal Carillon School in Mechelen, Belgium, on a fellowship from the Belgian American Educational Foundation. His primary carillon teachers include Margo Halsted, Todd Fair, and Eddy Mariën.

Carillon study at the Lemmens Institute, Leuven, Belgium

The Lemmens Institute opened in Mechelen, Belgium, in 1879, founded by Flemish organist and composer Jaak Nikolaas Lemmens (1823–1881). Lemmens is remembered by organists for his revolutionary pedal technique which, through his students Guilmant and Widor, had a significant impact on French romantic organ music. His method book, Ecole d'orgue basée sur le plain-chant romain, emphasized the importance of pedal technique as well as manual technique and was adopted by the Paris Conservatory among others.  Lemmens founded the Institute as a school of church music, basing the curriculum on the study of Gregorian chant and the organ.

The Lemmens Institute moved to the famous university town of Leuven (Louvain) and has developed into a broader school of music offering training in all musical disciplines: all instruments, voice, theory, music education, music therapy, jazz, and theater. Carillon study is also possible at the Institute, and because of its status as a department of the "Hogeschool voor Wetenschap en Kunst" it offers a Master's Degree in Carillon.

Each student's curriculum is designed individually and includes a broad range of related disciplines. The aim of the course of study at the Institute is the total development of the musician as opposed to focusing solely on an instrument. Carillon students can also study another instrument such as organ.

The carillon curriculum consists of:

* Bachelor's Degree (3 years): courses in harmony, music theory, history, analysis, carillon playing, etc.

* Master's Degree (2 years): improvisation, arranging, campanology, etc.

Post-graduate courses are available.

The carillon department has a lively exchange program with the Netherlands Carillon School in Amersfoort.

Partners of the Lemmens Institute in the Erasmus Program for carillon are the Academy of the Arts, Utrecht, The Netherlands, and the Academy of Music, Gdansk, Poland. This program offers the student the opportunity of specialized study in any of the three academies. For example, a student could spend a term studying baroque performance practice on carillon with Bernard Winsemius in Amersfoort or learning about arranging music for carillon and brass ensembles from Carl Van Eyndhoven.

General information:

Lemmensinstituut

Herestraat 53

3000 Leuven

Belgium

Tel :+32 / 16 23 39 67

Fax: +32 / 16 22 24 77

www.lemmens.be

Information about carillon studies:

Carl Van Eyndhoven

Tel: +32 476 337 330

e-mail: [email protected]

Carillon composition competition

2002 is the 400th anniversary of the formation of the Dutch East India Trading Company, or VOC (from the Dutch, Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie).  Chartered on 20 March 1602, the VOC monopolized trade with the East Indies.  It was a coalition of a number of small, independent trading companies, all operating out of The Netherlands. During its 200-year history, the VOC became the largest company of its kind, trading spices like nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and pepper, and other consumer products like tea, silk, and Chinese porcelain. Its factories and trade centers were world famous: Desjima in Japan, Mokha in Yemen, Surat in Persia, and Batavia, the company's headquarters on Java. The new company was given extensive powers by the government of The Netherlands, including the rights to enter into treaties, to maintain military forces, and to produce coinage, as well as powers of government and justice. By the second half of the seventeenth century, the VOC had established Cape Town, South Africa, as an important place for replenishing its ships with essentials such as water, fresh fruit and vegetables.

To celebrate this momentous event many activities are planned in the six Dutch cities that make up the former VOC: Amsterdam, Middelburg, Rotterdam, Delft, Hoorn, and Enkhuizen. In addition to a week of carillon recitals given by the carillonneurs of these cities, the organization The Carillon Of Hoorn has organized a carillon composition competition.

Songs from that era were selected by a musicologist, and they will form the basis for each composition. Included are songs such as "Sailor's Farewell," "A Veritable and Pitiful Tale," and "A Vagabond Song." A complete set of these works will be sent on request.

The prize winner will receive 4000 Dutch guilders. The composition will be the required piece for the performance competition to be held in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands, on 22 July 2002. Along with the winning composition, five or six of the best remaining works will be published and may also be played during the carillon week.

Competition rules and information

1. The keyboards of both Hoorn and Enkhuizen are: G, B-flat, C, D, chromatic to D5 (52 notes).

2. A composer may submit multiple works but only one will be awarded a prize.

3. The work should be based on one of the VOC songs without necessarily following them note-for-note.

4. A list of songs is available from: Frits Reynaert, Zuiderhavendijk 40, 1601 JC Enkhuizen, The Netherlands; phone: 0228 317816;

<[email protected]>

5. Duration of the piece should be between six and nine minutes.

6. Form and style is left to the composer.

7. The composition should be playable on meantone instruments.

8. The jury consists of Peter Bremer, chairman Wim Franken, Geert Bierling, Carl van Eijndhoven, and Mathieu Dijker. Frits Reynaert is the non-voting secretary.

9. The jury will judge for originality, musicality and suitability for carillon.

10. The jury has the right to award no prize as well as splitting the prize.

11. To ensure impartiality, no identifying marks may be placed on the score.

12. The identity of the winner will only be made known at the end of the competition.

13. Composers should send in six good clean readable copies (no originals please). Deadline is 1 April 2002 to Frits Reynaert. In a separate letter the composer should give their name and address, the title of the piece, and a short curriculum vitae.

14. The winner agrees to all of the rules of the competition which include publication of the winning piece.

15. The winner will be notified on 1 May.

Send items for "Carillon News" to Dr. Brian Swager, c/o The Diapason, 380 E. Northwest Hwy., Suite 200, Des Plaines, IL 60016-2282. For information on the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America, write to: GCNA, 37 Noel Dr., Williamsville, NY 14221.

Kansas Congress Report

In the spring of 1854 the Massachusetts legislature chartered the New England Emigrant Aid Company, whose mission was to promote the settlement of Kansas by people who opposed slavery. Among the towns founded under its direction was Lawrence, and it was there that the University of Kansas was established. Central to its lovely campus, located on Mount Oread, is the World War II Memorial Campanile with its carillon.

Hosted by University Carillonneur Albert Gerken and the University's Department of Music and Dance, 132 individuals participated in the 55th Congress of the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America, June 3-7, 1997, which celebrated the instrument's restoration and with it the lives and contributions of four individuals whose careers as composers are inextricably linked to the carillon and to the University. Honored were Ronald Barnes, Roy Hamlin Johnson, John Pozdro and Gary White, who took inspiration from the magnificent Taylor carillon and contributed to the profession beyond words. Through recitals and presentations, the delegates, representing Australia, Belgium, Canada, England, The Netherlands and The United States of America, witnessed in glorious measure the significance of those contributions and of the instrument that inspired them.

John Gouwens played the opening recital, which included two compositions commissioned by the GCNA: Figments (1982) by Gary White, and Easter Dawning (1992) by George Crumb. Albert Gerken, like Gouwens, featured each of the four composers being honored, and premiered two works: Roy Hamlin Johnson's Winter Fanfares (1996), commissioned by the Department of Music and Dance and dedicated to Gerken, and Winds of Autumn, by John Pozdro. Other recitalists were Robert Byrnes, Don Cook, Bill De Turk, David Hunsberger, Karel Keldermans, Brian Swager, and Sally Slade Warner.

Six individuals were accorded Carillonneur status by vote of the Guild after playing successful examination recitals: Elaine Brewer, a Lawrence, Kansas freelance harpist; Helen Hawley, Organist/Choir Director at Plymouth Congregational Church, Lawrence; Rosemary Laing of Victoria, British Columbia, who is Carillonneur of the Netherlands Centennial Carillon, Organist at First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Music Specialist at the University of Victoria; Patrick Macoska, Organist/Choirmaster at St. Mary's of Redford, Detroit, Michigan; Suzanne Magassy, Carillonneur at the National Carillon, Canberra, Australia, and the only person outside of North America  to have become a Carillonneur member of the GCNA; and Gloria Werblow, Carillonneur at the Rainbow Tower Carillon, Niagara Falls, Ontario, and Carillonneur/Handbell Director at Calvary Episcopal Church, Williamsville, New York.

Presentations were enlightening and enjoyable. Mark Holmberg provided a historical overview of the KU carillon. Don Cook conducted a presentation/discussion on carillon music that meets pedagogical needs. Karel Keldermans described Gillett and Johnston's impact on carillon design in North America, focusing on the Rockefeller Chapel instrument at the University of Chicago. Brian Swager continued his description, begun in a Cohasset presentation, of baroque performance practice for carillonneurs, while Bill De Turk, anticipating his own recital, discussed the work of Samuel Barber, Gian-Carlo Menotti and Nino Rota while composers-in-residence at Bok Tower. In a session on Russian campanology, Edward Williams reviewed some of the more spectacular projects of Russian bellfounders.

George Gregory, joined in performance by Guild volunteers and KU music faculty, demonstrated the use of cup-shaped bells. John Pozdro led a session on composing, Andrea McCrady offered suggestions on how to play the carillon so as to avoid injury, and Roy Hamlin Johnson recalled his early efforts to learn how to compose for the carillon. Two new instruments were highlighted in illustrated presentations:  Margo Halsted introduced the Lurie Carillon, located on the north campus of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; and Beverly Buchanan described the Carillon Beach instrument, located at Panama City, Florida. Milford Myhre and Ronald Barnes gave a master class. There were tours of the Reuter Organ Company, and two KU students performed on the recently completed Wolff organ in the new Bales Recital Hall. John Agraz, Arla Jo Anderton, and John Courter were elected board members at-large.

Meeks and Watson hosted a welcoming reception, and Schulmerich hosted a closing ice cream social at the Campanile. The John Taylor Bellfounders hosted a candlelight buffet at the Dyche Natural History Museum. The Verdin Company hosted the annual pizza party at historic Liberty Hall, with entertainment by the Chuck Berg Quartet. The Royal Eijsbouts Bellfounders hosted the Congress banquet at KU's Adams Alumni Center, after which Bert Gerken formally introduced and thanked Ron Barnes, Roy Johnson, John Pozdro, and Gary White.

Profile: University of Kansas

The World War II Memorial Carillon and Campanile, inspired by the memories of classmates, teachers, friends, and relatives, stands as the most outstanding visual symbol of the University of Kansas.

In 1945, Kansas Supreme Court Justice Hugo T. "Dutch" Wedell, secretary of the Kansas Alumni Association Fred Ellsworth, Chancellor Deane W. Malott, and their tireless volunteers began a campaign which would raise $343,000 from 8,000 individuals to build KU's memorial to its war dead, the 276 students and faculty whose names appear in the Memorial Room of the Campanile, and to additional individuals in whose memory bells and donations were given. Through many people's efforts, the World War II Memorial Carillon and Campanile was constructed. The Belgian Anton Brees, then carillonneur at Lake Wales, Florida, and Duke University, played the dedicatory recital to over 7000 listeners on May 27, 1951. Thus, KU became one of the first universities in the nation to complete a major World War II memorial. An inscription in the Memorial Room at the base of the tower reads: "Free government does not bestow repose upon its citizens, but sets them in the vanguard of battle to defend the liberty of every man."

The Campanile is 120 feet tall and made of native Kansas limestone quarried in Cottonwood Falls and Junction City. It was inspired by a plan by Olin Templin and designed by Kansas City architects Homer F. Neville (class of '22) and Edward B. Delk. The fifty-three bronze bells were cast by the John Taylor Foundry in 1950 and range in weight from 12 pounds to 13,490 pounds. The bourdon is keyed to G and sounds F-sharp. Frank Godfrey supervised the design, casting, and installation of the KU bells.

State of Kansas funds provided for maintenance of the Campanile structure itself, but there was never a maintenance fund for the musical instrument inside. Because the carillon received only minimal maintenance after the day of its dedication in 1951, use and time took their toll. By 1991 the carillon had fallen into disrepair, with no funds available for restoration. Deterioration was so extensive that the cost for repair had risen to $425,000. It needed new playing and practice consoles, new bell clappers and hardware, an entire new mechanical action, and a bell frame.

Fortunately for the beloved campus landmark and everyone who cherished it, Keith and Joan Bunnel, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, contributed the entire $425,000, because they cared deeply about the carillon and those to whom it was dedicated.

The bells were silenced in 1993 to begin renovation. The Verdin Company of Cincinnati performed the work, and the new consoles were supplied by Meeks, Watson, & Company. That same year, former Chancellor Deane Malott of Ithaca, New York, agreed to lead a campaign to establish a $200,000 endowed maintenance fund that will provide annual inspection and upkeep of the carillon, in order to avoid the same deterioration that occurred in the first forty years. With Malott's leadership and the inspiration of the Keith and Joan Bunnel gift, nearly one thousand alumni responded to the call, exceeding the campaign's goal and ensuring that the KU carillon remains in perfect condition forevermore.

Ronald Barnes was University Carillonneur from 1951 to 1963 during which period the instrument was influential in the development of a North American school of carillon composition. Primary in this movement were KU composers Roy Hamlin Johnson, John Pozdro, and Gary White.

The University Carillonneur since 1963 has been Professor Albert Gerken of the KU Department of Music and Dance in the School of Fine Arts. Gerken supervised the entire carillon renovation and played the rededication on April 26, 1996.

Brian Swager is carillon editor of THE DIAPASON.

Riverside reborn

The installed in the Park Avenue Baptist Church in 1925. Benefactor John D. Rockefeller, Jr., continued his close collaboration with Cyril Johnston and project consultant Frederick Mayer when in 1930 the instrument was moved to The Riverside Church and expanded to 74 bells. For all its glory in the bass range, G&J had yet to thoroughly succeed in producing bells in the treble range that were consistent in quality of tuning and timbre. Furthermore, the sound of the bells was somewhat muffled, and carillon music could not be heard clearly from the ground. The church was persuaded to replace the 58 highest treble bells in 1955, and unfortunately, the new bells cast by the Van Bergen foundry of The Netherlands proved to be a step in the wrong direction.

For the most recent renovation, the Riverside Church chose Olympic Carillon, Inc. of Port Townsend, Washington. The re-engineering of the instrument, under the direction of Peter Hurd, included the replacement of the 58 treble bells, fabrication of a new playing console, revision of the bell chamber and playing cabin, and installation of a new transmission system. The mechanism for the chiming peal and hour strike was to be installed this spring. The 74 bells of the carillon range in weight from the 10-pound treble bell to the 40,900-pound bourdon bell, which is the largest and heaviest tuned bell in the world.

The new bells were cast by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry and were designed to complement the original 16 Gillett & Johnston bells. In order to have greater sound projection from this 390-foot tower, the new bells have considerably greater mass than the Gillett & Johnston treble bells from 1930.

The former playing cabin and a machine room were removed from the bell chamber as they both blocked the egress of bell sound from the tower. The new playing console was designed to a “new world standard” by Olympic Carillon. It is constructed of African Padauk hardwood and marine-grade stainless steel, equipped with stainless steel “flexures” for manual keys and roller bearing clevis assemblies for the pedal coupler mechanism. The Carillonneur’s Study was also supplied with a new practice console.

Former carillonneurs of The Riverside Church were Kamiel Lefevere (1927-1960), James R. Lawson (1960-1989), and Joseph Clair Davis (1990-1998). Dionisio A. Lind is the current carillonneur.

The rededication of the instrument was celebrated on Sunday 17 October 2004. Milford Myhre then gave the dedicatory recital. The service included a prayer of thanksgiving, words from the architect, and comments from David Hurd on the renovations. Mary Morgan was present for the dedication and recital. She shared the legacy of her great grandmother, Laura Spelman Rockefeller, for whom the Riverside carillon is named:

“I never met Laura Spelman. She was born in 1839, a hundred years before my birth . . .

“I think our family will be very touched to hear about the efforts and the victorious conclusion of what’s happening here today with the carillon. It seems grandfather’s gift was like a seed, and now it’s turned into a forest of accomplishment all around this beautiful instrument, bringing such amazing joy and spiritual uplifting to many people.

“So I also want to join my family in giving our thanks to all of those who spent so much time and effort and took such care in this rejuvenation.

“Laura was brought up in a home that was very connected to her community and to the important and emotionally troubling times they were living in. She went to [high] school in Ohio, and that’s where she met John D. Rockefeller.

“Laura loved music. She became an accomplished pianist and also had a lovely singing voice. One of the things that she and John D. Rockefeller did when they first started going out with each other [was] accompany each other in the evening singing and playing the piano. When Laura married John D. Rockefeller, they both had incredibly similar sensitivities, values, and interests.

“To dedicate this carillon to her…is a beautiful thing. She had a spirit that swelled and expressed itself way before its time. She was courageous and her spirit soared. . .

“Her middle name is Celestia. . . . Laura Celestia Spelman was her name before she was married. I like to think of that name, Celestia. . .  I think it’s really appropriate today, now as we get near time of the concert with this beautiful carillon.

“There was a foundation . . . that grandfather set up in her name. It was called the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Foundation. This foundation supported areas of Laura’s interest that included child study, education, public health, race relations, religion, and social welfare. An early beneficiary of support was the Atlantic Baptist Female Seminary, which was subsequently renamed Spelman College in honor of Mrs. Rockefeller’s family. . .  As many of you know, Spelman is the oldest black college for women.

“So I take my hat off to my great-grandmother, and I am so proud to be her great granddaughter. And I am happy to be present with you here today as we listen to this beautiful carillon and as we feel our spirits rise and expand, as we hopefully can enter into that place within us where we can bring out the best of who we are, just as the music swells to the celestial heavens.”

Send items for “Carillon News” to Dr. Brian Swager, c/o The Diapason, 380 E. Northwest Hwy., Suite 200, Des Plaines, IL 60016-2282; e-mail:

<[email protected]>. For information on the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America, write to: GCNA, 37 Noel Dr., Williamsville, NY 14221.