Carillon News

Slater to Retire

James "Bud" Slater will retire from his position
as Carillonneur of the Metropolitan United Church in Toronto, Ontario. With his
final Sunday on the job on March 28, Slater will mark the conclusion of his
35th year as carillonneur of the church. His association with the instrument
actually commenced in late 1954, and his first official recital was played
before the Sunday evening service May 22, 1955 under the watchful eye of his
tutor, Stanley James. Slater was appointed Assistant Carillonneur in 1959. During his tenure at Metropolitan, he had temporary appointments at other Ontario carillon locations, i.e., in Toronto at Exhibition Place and the University of Toronto, as well as Niagara Falls. He appeared frequently as guest carillonneur at the towers in Simcoe, Hamilton, and Ottawa, as well as Montréal, Que., and Victoria, B.C.

Slater became a student member of the Guild of Carillonneurs
in North America in 1955 and qualified as a carillonneur member in 1957 upon
passing an exam at the Guild's congress in Cleveland, Ohio. From 1969 to 1971
Slater served as GCNA president and subsequently, he and his wife, Cecilia,
hosted the Guild's Toronto Congress in 1972. James Slater is the father of
Gordon Slater who since 1977 has served as Dominion Carillonneur at the Peace
Tower Carillon in the Houses of Parliament in Ottawa.

On the eve of his 70th birthday in January, 1997, Bud cites
stairclimbing, cranky knees and reluctant elbows as his reasons for retirement.

1997 GCNA Congress

The Department of Music and Dance and Professor of Music
Albert Gerken have announced that the 1997 Congress of the Guild of
Carillonneurs in North America will be held at the University of Kansas, June
4-7. Major presenters will include Bill De Turk, George Gregory, Mark Holmberg,
Associate Professor of Music Theory at KU, Karel Keldermans, Roy Hamlin
Johnson, Brian Swager, and Edward Williams, Associate Dean of the Graduate
School of Penn State.

With ca. 28,000 students, the University of Kansas is in
Lawrence, a community of ca. 70,000. Directly off Interstate 70, Lawrence is
located about 250 miles from the geographical center of the U.S.A. The
picturesque campus of the University of Kansas is situated atop Mount Oread
overlooking the Kaw River valley to the north and the Wakarusa valley to the
south. Not flat as most foreigners picture Kansas, there will be some climbing
to do to get to various places. The Campanile is central to the campus
overlooking the football stadium and Kansas river valley. It was provided by
alumni and friends of the University as a memorial to the 276 KU students and
faculty who died in World War II.

Unquestionably the most prominent and central feature of the
campus, the 120-foot tall World War II memorial tower houses a 41/2-octave
carillon, cast in 1950 by the John Taylor Foundry. Transposing down a half
step, the 53 bells range in weight from 13,490 lbs. to 12 lbs. The instrument,
which was dedicated in May, 1951, with Anton Brees playing the dedicatory
recitals, was rededicated on April 26, 1996, following a complete renovation by
the I.T. Verdin Company with new consoles supplied by Meeks, Watson &
Company. The new radial action is void of any counter weights and assisted only
by coil springs. The sound is full and resonant but light in the top register,
typical of Taylor bells of that vintage.

Major funding for the renovation was provided by Honorary
members of The GCNA, and Keith and Joan Bunnel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Both were born and raised in Holmboldt, Kansas, not far from Lawrence, and
Keith Bunnel attended the University of Kansas, graduating in 1946. He was
president of his class and served on the World War II committee that selected
the Campanile and carillon as the memorial project to honor those who were
killed in battle.

The importance of the University of Kansas carillon has been
significant in that it has been at the center of a new genre of carillon
composition since the 1950s. Indeed, until the mid 1950s, very little music of
any significance had been written for the carillon. It was the likes of Ronald
Barnes, the first carillonneur at the University of Kansas, Roy Hamlin Johnson,
formerly of the KU piano faculty, John Pozdro, Professor Emeritus of
Composition and Music Theory at the University, and Gary White, one of Pozdro's
former graduate students in composition, who were the central figures
responsible for creating this wealth of marvelous and exciting new music. Their
works brought about recognition for the carillon as an instrument worthy of
recital status.

Because of the significance of their tremendous contribution
to the art form, many of their works will be featured in recitals during the
congress. It will be a meaningful experience to hear many of these works that
were written for this instrument or carillons of similar timbre. Two new
carillon compositions by Roy Hamlin Johnson and John Pozdro, commissioned by
the KU Department of Music and Dance and The GCNA respectively, will be
premiered at the congress.

Tours of the Reuter Organ Company will be made available to
participants and the beautiful new Wolff concert organ in the recently
completed Bales Recital Hall will be demonstrated and played. This is a
one-of-a-kind instrument you must see and hear.

Registration information is available from congress host
Albert Gerken, Department of Music and Dance, Murphy Hall, The University of
Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045.

"Overtones"

Beginning last October, new bells rang out up and down the
Avenue of the Arts (Broad Street) in Philadelphia. Thirty-nine Eijsbouts bells
were installed, each on top of a light post, weighing from 40 to 300 pounds.
The creator, Robert Coburn, a sound artist and composer from California,
describes the "worlds longest horizontal carillon" as a half-mile
long piano with the capability of playing pre-programmed or live music on an
electronic ivory keyboard which will be located in the basement of the Academy
of Music.

In observance of the 68th anniversary of The Rochester
Carillon, two special performances were given. Dean Robinson's program on
September 16 included favorite songs of the Mayo brothers. David Johnson of St.
Paul, MN, was the guest recitalist on September 17. The Rochester Carillon was
dedicated on September 17, 1928, and is located in the Mayo Clinic in
Rochester, Minnesota.

David McCain sends word of a new 49-bell carillon at the
First Baptist Church on the Square in LaGrange, Georgia, replete with
"ninety-two electrical connections from the bells to the keyboard and
computer."

In response to a request from Unesco for a program
commemorating the tenth anniversary of the accident at Chernobyl, carillonneurs
Charles Semovich and Pieter Blonk gave a recital at the Albany City Hall in
Albany, New York, on April 26, 1996. Works performed included Lagrima by
Francisco Tárrega, Bells of Hell by Theophil Rusterholz, and Larence
Curry's Prelude on "Dies Irae." Both Charles and Pieter were shown
playing the Albany carillon on the Channel 13 news broadcast.

The fourth annual Keyboard Explorations junior high school
summer music camp was hosted by the Iowa State University Music Department from
June 17-22, 1996. Participants had the opportunity to learn about various kinds
of keyboard instruments and had hands-on experiences in playing them. Eight
participants studied carillon under ISU University Carillonneur Tin-shi Tam.
Two carillon concerts were performed by students towards the end of the week.

After over a decade of silence, inactivity, and exposure to
the elements, the 23-bell carillon located on the property of Schulmerich Carillons, Inc. in Sellersville, Pennsylvania, rang again in a recital given by Lisa Lonie (Trinity Church, Holland, PA) on September 21. Approximately 250 listeners attended the recital which marked the end of a five-day sales and service conference. The carillon, cast in 1928 by Gillett and Johnston, was moved to its present location in 1952 from Belmont College in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1979, Frank Law, carillonneur at Valley Forge, began a nightly summer recital series in Sellersville which continued for six years.

Competition winners

The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America has awarded
Second Prize to two composers in its 1996 Carillon Composition Competition. (No
First Prize was awarded.) The winning compositions were Nocturne
style='font-style:normal'> by Ennis Fruhauf, of Santa Barbara, California (USA)
and Prelude con Fughetta by
Marcel Siebers, of Cuyk, The Netherlands. Both compositions were given their
première performance by Todd Fair, of Amsterdam (Netherlands), at the
congress of the GCNA on June 4, 1996 at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church,
Cohasset, Massachusetts. Both composers received a cash prize, and both pieces
will be published by the guild in the near future. Another competition is
planned for January of 1998.

Premières

A new carillon composition, Winter Song
style='font-style:normal'>, by Roy Hamlin Johnson, was given its
première performance by John Gouwens on June 26, 1996 on the carillon of
the Town Hall in Norwood, Massachusetts, at the congress of the Guild of
Carillonneurs in North America. The new piece was commissioned by the Johan
Franco Composition Committee of the GCNA and is published by the guild. Many of
Dr. Johnson's earlier compositions are staples of the repertory of
carillonneurs throughout North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
This is the sixth carillon composition to the commissioned by the GCNA.

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 a contributing editor of THE DIAPASON.

1998 World Congress Report

The 11th Carillon World Congress was held in Mechelen, Belgium, August 9-13, 1998. The welcoming recital was performed in the tower of St. Rombouts Cathedral by Jo Haazen, director of the Royal Belgian Carillon School. Other recitals that day were given by Patrick Macoska (Michigan), Adrian Gebruers (Ireland), Anna Maria Reverté (Spain),  Arie Abbenes (The Netherlands),  Timothy Hurd (New Zealand), Koen Van Assche (Belgium), Adrien Tien (Australia), Erik Vandevoort (Belgium), Xia Hua (China), and Liling Huang (Taiwan). A lecture on "75 Years Royal Carillon School in Mechelen" was given by musicologist Koen Cosaert, an instructor at the school. This was followed by a film, produced by Toshi Sakurai, documenting the school's history. The last two of the six finalists in the Queen Fabiola Competition played in the evening, and we were graced by the presence of Queen Fabiola herself. The winner was Tom Van Peer of Belgium. Second place was awarded to Belgian carillonneur Liesbeth Janssens.

The second day began with a recital by Helen Hawley (Kansas) who exclaimed that "it really was 441 steps up to the cabin in the St. Rombouts tower--there aren't even hills that high in Kansas!" Recitals that day were also given by Jeffrey Bossin (Germany), Frank Müller (Germany), Nico Swaenen (Belgium), Trevor Workman (England), Karel Keldermans (Illinois), and Carlo van Ulft (The Netherlands). Xia Ming Ming, director of the Museum of Antique Bells in Beijing, gave a lecture on bells excavated from the tomb of Zeng Hou Yi, the Marquis of Zeng, and on bells in ancient China. Liling Huang and Xia Hua provided musical intermezzi on traditional Chinese instruments. Alexander Iarechko, president of the Russian Association of Bell Culture, gave a lecture on the art of bell ringing in Russia. The vocal/instrumental trio Zolotoj Pljos from Zaratov, Russia (students at the Belgian Carillon School), performed musical intermezzi of traditional Russian folk music. The day concluded with a concert of carillon with guitar and brass quintet featuring Eddy Mariën (Belgium) on the Busleyden carillon.

Tuesday August 11 was a travel day.  The group first went to Grimbergen where a lovely concert of Gregorian chant was performed by organ and a men's choir inside a church. Once outside, a carillon concert based on Gregorian chant was heard. The concerts were followed by the obligatory drink of beer, and lunch, both offered by the town of Grimbergen. The group then traveled to Holsbeek to visit the Clock-O-Matic Company where lectures on the carillon console were presented. Karel Keldermans explained the standards set forth by the GCNA. Timothy Hurd spoke about his studies of the use of the keyboard, and the Clock-O-Matic representative discussed their data gathered from electronically monitoring the movement of a player's arm during a carillon performance. The day ended with a gala dinner at the Horst Castle on the edge of a lovely wooded lake where we were welcomed by a concert for carillon and concert band.

On Wednesday, the day's activities took place in Louvain, Belgium. Recitalists that day included Ann-Kirstine Christiansen (Denmark) on the University Carillon in Leuven. This carillon has a video system so that performers can be observed by the audience. Rosemarie Seuntiëns (The Netherlands) and Frank Steijns (The Netherlands) performed on a mobile carillon for the lunch hour. Henk Verhoef (The Netherlands) and Andreas Friedrich (Switzerland) performed on a mobile  carillon during the evening meal which was served in the Begijnhof garden. A concert of contemporary music was given by Klaas de Haan (The Netherlands), Brian Swager (California), and Carl Van Eyndhoven (Belgium) on the University Carillon, with each performer playing new Dutch, American, and Belgian carillon music, respectively.  The rest of the day was filled with various lectures which were given in a very warm room in a university building. The evening was reserved for "9 O'Clockworks," a musical happening on the large square facing the University Library. The Ghent bellman walked around the square introducing performances by various bell groups such as Valencian bell tollers, an Indonesian gamelan ensemble, Russian bell ringers, a mobile carillon, and the University Carillon. The happening concluded with a jam session.

David Hunsberger (California) performed the opening recital of the final congress day. Other recitals that day were given by Koen Cosaert (Belgium), Stefano Colletti (France) and Annick Ansselin (Australia). Sjoerd Tamminga (The Netherlands) played on the carillon in St. Peter's Church in Leuven.  Several lectures were presented that day including papers by Margo Halsted (the carillon music of Johannes Volckerick), Brian Swager (the carillon repertory of Gustaaf Brees), and Karel Keldermans (Gillett & Johnston).  A prelude to the closing session was the music of Matthias Van den Gheyn--including two carillon preludes--performed on harpsichord by Frank Agsteribbe (Belgium). Adrian Gebruers (Ireland) was announced as the new president of the World Carillon Federation. An evening of festive performances heralded the unveiling of the city of Leuven's new jacquemart "Meester Jan." Theban trumpets sounded, a mobile carillon and a renaissance brass quintet accompanied a renaissance dance ensemble, Arie Abbenes and Bob van Wely played a duet on the St. Pieters carillon, and the mobile carillon and a vibraphone accompanied ballet dancers in the Nutcracker Suite. An elegant reception in the University Hall was the final event in a most memorable Congress.

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.

1995 GCNA Congress

The 53rd Congress of the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America was held at Princeton University, June 21-25, 1995. Robin Austin, Carillonneur of Princeton University, served as host. There were 114 registered participants representing Australia, Belgium, Canada, England, Ireland, The Netherlands, and the USA. The Congress served as a commemoration of Professor Arthur Lynds Bigelow (1910-1967), Princeton's first carillonneur and one of America's first campanologists. Bigelow hosted GCNA Congresses at Princeton in 1946 and 1966.

Guild President Larry Weinstein opened the Congress with a recital on the Princeton University Carillon. His program featured Ronald Barnes' Capriccio 3, commissioned by the University for the rededication of the renovated instrument in 1993. Other congress recitalists included Janet Dundore, Carillonneur at St. Thomas' Church, Whitemarsh, PA; Richard Watson, campanologist and designer of the refitted Princeton carillon; Jeff Davis, Assistant Carillonneur at the University of California, Berkeley; Tin-shi Tam, Carillonneur at Iowa State University; and Luc Rombouts, Carillonneur at the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium and City Carillonneur of Tienen, Belgium.

An excursion on Friday enabled participants to visit two other area carillons. Robert Byrnes, Carillonneur at the University of Northern Iowa, was heard in recital at Grace Church in Plainfield, New Jersey. Arie Abbenes, instructor at The Netherlands Carillon School and City Carillonneur of Utrecht, Eindhoven, Asten, and Oirschot, performed at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Morristown, New Jersey. Richard Morgan, Organist and Choirmaster of St. Peter's Church, demonstrated the 1930 E.M. Skinner organ there as well as playing a recital on the organ in the Princeton University Chapel.

John Agraz presented a case study on carillon maintenance and construction, stemming from his experiences with the Berkeley carillon. Karel Keldermans and Richard Watson made presentations on the North American Standard for carillon keyboard construction. Milford Myhre and Sally Slade Warner led a workshop on arranging music for carillon—participants had sent in arrangements and transcriptions in advance for commentary at the Congress. Jo Haazen gave a talk on the Belgian Carillon School, of which she is director. Arie Abbenes and Jacques Maassen presented the Dutch Carillon School's video production on carillon playing technique. Luc Rombouts reported on the recent discovery (April, 1995) of a  manuscript of the carillon works of Matthias van den Gheyn which includes six unknown works.

Princeton University Archivist Ben Primer organized an exhibit on Arthur Bigelow and the "Class of 1892 Bells" from materials in the Bigelow Papers at Firestone Library. Chimemasters Bob Feldman and Donald Beer organized activities at Trinity Church for those who play chime. The church has a 12-bell Meneely/Paccard chime.

Officers for 1995-96 include Larry Weinstein, President; Gloria Werblow, Vice-President; Phillip Burgess, Treasurer; Janet Tebbel, Corresponding Secretary; and David Hunsberger, Recording Secretary. Jane Tebbel, Jeff Davis, and Andrea McCrady were elected as members at-large of the board.

A certificate of extraordinary service was awarded to Margo Halsted upon completion of her 15-year editorship of Carillon News, the newsletter of the GCNA. Her successor in that position in Brian Swager. Honorary membership  status was conferred on Albert Bertram, Walter Pittis, Gary Walker, and Ronald Barnes. Lori Lamma, a student of Ronald Barnes, played an advancement recital and was voted into carillonneur membership.

The Royal Eijsbous Bellfoundry sponsored an elegant banquet. John Taylor Bellfounders sponsored a luncheon at St. Peter's in Morristown. And the Verdin Company sponsored the annual pizza party. As a post-congress event, Janet Dundore and Janet Tebbel organized a tour of Philadelphia-area carillons. Sally Slade Warner extended an invitation to the 1996 Congress which she will host in Cohasset, Massachusetts, June 25-28.

GCNA composition competition

The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America is sponsoring a composition competition for new music for carillon. The piece must be written for an instrument of up to 48 bells with a compass of C, D, D#, thence chromatic through c3. First and second prizes will be $800 and $400, respectively. The deadline for entries is January 15, 1966. Winning compositions will be performed at a congress of the GCNA and will be published by that organization. A 90-minute video tape demonstrating aspects of playing and composing for the carillon, geared toward composers, is available for $15 postpaid. For competition rules and to obtain the video tape, contact John Gouwens; Att. Composition Competition; CMA #133; 1300 Academy Road; Culver, IN 46511-1291.

Send Carillon News to Dr. Brian Swager, Indiana University, School of Music, Bloomington, IN 47405.

Brian Swager is carillon editor of THE DIAPASON.

Aimé Lombaert, a well-known Flemish carillonneur, passed away on October 30, 2008, at age 63. He had just retired from his positions as municipal carillonneur in the Belgian cities of
Bruges, Deinze, Poperinge, Damme, and Geraardsbergen. Lombaert was born in Oudenaarde, Belgium, and studied at the Royal Music Conservatory in Ghent, the Lemmens Institute, and the Royal Carillon School in Mechelen. He received his diploma from the Royal Carillon School in 1978, became assistant carillonneur to Eugeen Uten in Bruges in 1980, succeeding him as municipal carillonneur in 1984. In Deinze, he played one of the few “major-third” carillons.

As a result of the economic downturn, Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, Florida, announced the cancellation of its International Carillon Festival in 2009 as well as the elimination of the positions of the assistant carillonneur/librarian and the administrative assistant.

David Monaghan, Curator of Canada’s House of Commons, announced the appointment of Andrea McCrady to the position of Dominion Carillonneur on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada. McCrady’s former carillon position at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Spokane, Washington is open.

Trinity College, a liberal arts school with approximately 2,200 students in Hartford, Connecticut, is seeking a college carillonneur. The original 30-bell carillon built by the John Taylor Bellfoundry was enlarged to 49 bells in 1978. It hangs in the tower of the Trinity College Chapel.

Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, holds its 2009 Carillon Festival September 5, 10 am–4 pm. The guest carillonneur is Adrian Patrick Gebruers from Cobh, Ireland. He will conduct a seminar on Irish carillon music and perform a recital at the festival. In addition, the ISU Celtic Dance Society will present a program on Celtic dances. Hosting the festival is associate professor of music and university carillonneur Tin-shi Tam. In conjunction with the carillon festival, a carillon composition competition is being held to encourage the writing of original carillon compositions by young composers, under age 35. Prizes include a cash award of $500 and the premiere performance of the winning composition at the festival.

The Begijnhof Church, Sint-Jan-de-Doper (St. John the Baptist), in Leuven (Louvain), Belgium, is expanding its 16-bell chime into a carillon. The historic series of 16 Gillett & Johnston bells, which were once part of the carillon of the Leuven University Library, have been played in recent years by an automatic chiming mechanism. The Royal Eijsbouts firm of Asten, the Netherlands, is casting 29 new bells in the profile and tuning of the Gillett & Johnston bells. The instrument will be played by means of a baton keyboard in the new world standard. The Begijnhof is now part of the university and belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage. The carillon will be played for the first time during the Open Monument Day on September 13.

Carillonneur Piet van den Broek passed away on October 26, 2008, at age 92. Van den Broek was director of the Royal Belgian Carillon School and municipal carillonneur in Mechelen, Belgium, from 1965 until his retirement in 1981. Born in Chaam, the Netherlands, he left at age 18 for Mechelen to study at the Lemmens Institute. Upon his graduation in 1938 he became adjunct organist at St. Rombouts Cathedral. He began carillon studies with Staf Nees in 1941 and received his final diploma from the carillon school four years later.

Send items for “Carillon News” to Dr. Brian Swager, c/o The Diapason, 3030 W. Salt Creek Lane, Suite 201, Arlington Heights, IL 60005-5025; <brian@
allegrofuoco.com>. For information on the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America: GCNA, 37 Noel Dr., Williamsville, NY 14221; <www.gcna.org&gt;.