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Carillon News

Brian Swager

Brian Swager is a contributing editor of THE DIAPASON.

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Cobh bells return home

Adrian Patrick Gebruers, carillonneur of St. Colman's Cathedral in Cobh, Ireland, sends the following news. Adrian Gebruers and St. Colman's Cathedral will be hosts for the congress of the World Carillon Federation in 2002.

Early in the morning of Wednesday April 15, 1998, the ship "Mathilda" sailed past St. Colman's Cathedral in Cobh,  Ireland, en route from Rotterdam to the Port of Cork.  On board was the precious cargo of the bells of the cathedral carillon returning from the Royal Eijsbouts Foundry in Asten, The Netherlands, where they had been since the previous October as part of the complete restoration and modernization of this famous carillon. The following Sunday afternoon, all forty-nine bells were lined up at the base of the cathedral tower to be viewed by the general public. In all, several thousand people came to admire and photograph the bells which have always been so much a part of the life of the community. An exhibition of material illustrating the history of the Cobh Carillon past and present aroused great interest. At 6 pm, Bishop John Magee of Cloyne, who had specially returned from the Vatican where he was on official business, performed the solemn blessing of the bells. The two new bass bells were named for the Irish martyrs St. Oliver Plunkett and Blessed Dominic Collins, and the five treble bells added in 1958 but not named at the time were christened Sts. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice, the great Irish educationalist. In his homily, the Bishop referred to the significance and importance of bells in religious worship and in the daily life of the community. He also thanked all those who had made the carillon restoration possible, including Royal Eijsbouts. The choir was under the direction of Adrian Patrick Gebruers, organist, choirmaster, and carillonneur of St. Colman's Cathedral. Readings were done by members of the Cobh Carillon Committee, including David H. Cox, professor of music at University College Cork, and Dr. Elizabeth Gebruers, wife of the carillonneur. The responsorial psalm "I Will Sing Forever of Your Love O Lord" was sung by Adrian Gebruers in a setting composed by his late father, Staf Gebruers, the first carillonneur of St. Colman's. The intercessions included prayers for those deceased carillonneurs who had played the Cobh Carillon and for Jef Rottiers, teacher in Mechelen of the present carillonneur. As the Bishop blessed and incensed the bells, the cathedral choir sang the church's great hymn of thanksgiving, the first line of which is inscribed on the bourdon of the carillon: "Te Deum Laudamus" ("We praise Thee, O God").

The formal rededication of the restored and modernised 49-bell carillon of St. Colman's Cathedral in Cobh took place on Pentecost Sunday, May 31, 1998. The day began with a live link-up on the regional radio station of key figures involved in the restoration, including Bishop John Magee and the Cathedral Carillonneur. This was followed at noon by a special Mass in the Cathedral, concelebrated by the Bishop and members of the Diocesan Chapter. The first Carillonneur of St. Colman's, the late Staf Gebruers, and his wife Maureen were commemorated in the Bidding Prayers. In addition, the Cathedral Choir sang compositions by Staf Gebruers during the Mass. The two new bass bells, named St. Oliver Plunkett and Blessed Dominic Collins, were formally rung for the first time during the Elevation. At the conclusion of the Mass, the Bishop and other dignitaries walked in solemn procession to the tower entrance where a commemorative sculpture was unveiled. The Bishop then formally declared the carillon rededicated and the Carillonneur played the hymn, "The Bells of the Angelus," which was the last piece heard on the bells the previous October just before the restoration work began. This was followed by the "Te Deum" Prelude by Charpentier. The short recital concluded with the first performance of The Sacred Metal by David Harold Cox, Professor of Music at University College Cork. This work was commissioned for the occasion by the Cobh Carillon Committee, with funds provided by the Arts Council, and especially highlights the two new bass bell notes of C-sharp and D-sharp. There followed a formal reception in the Bishop's House. In attendance were local and visiting dignitaries, including Ministers of State and TD's (Members of Parliament). In a speech, Bishop Magree spoke emotionally of his joy in finally having the carillon restored. A letter of congratulations from Mr. Loek Boogert, President of the World Carillon Federation, was also read out. There was an hour-long recital at 4:30 during which guests and journalists were given an opportunity to view the new carillon installation. They were shown the computer-operated automatic and practice-console systems, the galvanized steel framework and mechanism and the playing cabin now located within the belfry. All expressed their approval of the quality of the workmanship and congratulations were extended to P. J. Hegarty & Sons, the main contractors, and Royal Eijsbouts, the bellfounders, for a job well done.

Dutch Carillon Museum

The National Carilllon Museum in Asten, The Netherlands, publishes the quarterly Berichten uit Het Nationaal Beiaarrdmuseum. Here follows some information from recent issues.

* Many bells were removed from towers during World War II to be melted for their metal. A number were saved from destruction and were the subject of research. One resulting dissertation was Acoustical Measurements on Church Bells and Carillons by E.W. van Heuven (Delft, 1949). Less well-known is the research done by E. Thienhaus of Hamburg which includes detailed drawings of hundreds of German bells. Simon Lighthart of Bemmel has taken on the project to do statistical research on this collection of information in the Dutch National Carillon Museum.

* A recent donation to the museum is an African mask which was traditionally used in an adolescent's initiation rite to manhood. A bell is found on the back of the mask with which the Great Spirit announced its coming. The mask has its origins in the Baga tribe in Guinea. The museum also acquired an African mask used by the Dan tribe of the Ivory Coast in their ritual dances. A beard of bells forms a half circle which is completed with jingle bells around the forehead hairline. Further, the museum acquired items worn by shamans from Nepal: two leather belts are decorated with bells, a tail, and tiger teeth.

* Museum curator André Lehr tells the fascinating story of "A squabble between Nijmegen and Liege--or--how Jean-Baptiste Levache of Liege cast a false-sounding carillon for  Nijmegen in 1735." It could also be entitled "The merry pranks of an unscrupulous bellfounder."

* The traditional western European bell profile has scarcely changed since the Middle Ages. The cost of experimentation has been drastically reduced thanks to the advent of special computer programs. A recent design demonstrates that it would be possible to produce a bell with the same pitch and timbre as, yet 20% lighter than, a bell with a traditional profile.

* The Dutch National Service for the Preservation of Monuments publishes a brochure concerning the nuisance of pigeons in towers.

* Bert Augustus discusses the Eijsbouts firm's restoration of the tolling bells for the cathedral of Seville. He describes the Spanish tradition of tolling bells in which the bells are swung in complete revolutions causing characteristic rhythmic patterns, a characteristic timbre due to the dampening of the bell by the clapper, and lots of damage to the bells. For a web page on the bells of Seville, see "Campanas de las Catedrales de España" at <http://www.cult.gva.es/scripts/gcv/campacat.idc?cpoblacio=sevilla&gt;.

* André Lehre muses over what possessed the 16th-century inhabitants of the Low Countries to enthusiastically acquire incredibly false-sounding carillons for virtually every city. He says that a pilgrimage to Monnickendam is in order to hear the Speeltoren carillon that was cast in 1596 by Peter III van den Ghein, since it is the only place that one can witness the original sound of a complete 16th-century carillon. He notes that the imperfections of early carillon bells were masked to a certain extent in several ways. Old playing consoles and photographs indicate that there was sometimes the possibility of reducing the keyfall in which case the bells were struck with less force producing a sound that favored the fundamental pitch and reduced the strength of the overtones. The use of wrought iron clappers gave a milder sound. Furthermore, performance practice differed: virtuosic playing was the exception. Also, dissonance was minimized in a musical texture in which normally only two notes were struck simultaneously.

* The National Carillon Museum's Internet address is <www.carillon-museum.nl&gt;. The e-mail address is <[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.

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Carillon News

by Brian Swager

Brian Swager is a contributing editor of THE DIAPASON.

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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.

Carillon News

by Brian Swager
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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.

Carillon News

Brian Swager

Brian Swager is carillon editor of THE DIAPASON.

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Adrian Gebruers Honored

In the last few weeks of his papacy, His Holiness Pope John Paul II conferred on Adrian Patrick Gebruers the very special honor of Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great, in recognition of outstanding service. The scroll was formally presented by Most Rev. Dr. John Magee, Bishop of Cloyne, at a ceremony in St. Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh, Ireland, on Sunday May 29, Feast of Corpus Christi. Gebruers’ association with church music began at the tender age of seven as a boy soprano in the Cathedral Choir. In 1970, he succeeded his late father Staf (himself the recipient of the Papal Cross of Honour “Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice”) as organist, choirmaster and carillonneur. In addition to being director of music at St. Colman’s, he is also lecturer in carillon studies at the music department of University College Cork.

In 1998, he was elected president of the World Carillon Federation and is also honorary president emeritus of the British Carillon Society and a founder Vice-President of Eurocarillon. He is a member of the Guild of Carillonneurs of North America.

Nunc Dimittis: Janet Dundore

On Thursday, March 31, 2005, carillonneur Janet Dundore passed away at the age of 84. During her funeral service, Janet’s family spoke eloquently about her life, comparing it to the dynamics of a carillon bell, that once struck, the sound cannot be dampened. Janet’s association with the carillon—its music, programming, audience, organization—all reflected her unswerving, undampened desire to bring music to people’s lives.

Janet was internationally recognized as a proponent of carillon. She served as president of the Guild of Carillonneurs of North America during some turbulent years. To encourage members to stop arguing, she handed out Tootsie Rolls to keep their jaws “occupied.” In recognition of her lifelong contributions to the art of the carillon, the GCNA presented her with Honorary Membership and the Certificate of Distinguished Service. In addition, The University of California, Berkeley, awarded her the Berkeley Medal, the university’s highest and most prestigious award, in recognition of her efforts which had “manifestly benefited the public well beyond the demands of tradition, rank, or direct service to the University.” St. Thomas’ Church, Whitemarsh, bestowed the title of Carillonneur Emerita on Janet upon her retirement in 1999 following 26 years of service to the church.

Janet was the first carillonneur at St. Thomas’ Church, Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania. Besides her position at St. Thomas’, Janet also served as carillonneur at Trinity United Church of Christ. When Trinity moved from North Philadelphia to its present location in Bucks County, she was adamant that the parish not leave their bells behind. To this day, the open tower, which showcases all 49 carillon bells of Trinity, is a Bucks County landmark and a testament to Janet’s vision that bells can be heard and seen.
For over 30 years Janet was carillonneur of the Miraculous Medal Shrine in Germantown, Philadelphia, one of the oldest carillons in the United States. For decades, Janet played Monday night novena services at the Shrine, bringing music not only to the faithful, but to an entire neighborhood.
Janet studied carillon with Frank Law of Valley Forge and Leen ’t Hart at the Dutch Carillon School in Amersfoort, The Netherlands. She performed carillon recitals throughout the Americas and Europe. Together with her husband, Dwight, Janet traveled the world in search of carillons and their players. She was a respected scholar, teacher, and authority on audience development. Her no-nonsense approach to programming still reverberates in our ears: “Always end a recital with something familiar so the audience knows when to clap!” She took great pride in the Tuesday evening audiences gathered in the grove at St. Thomas’ Church to listen to the carillon.

Perhaps Janet’s legacy with carillon bells can be summed up with a simple analogy: She pointed towards the sky and showed us how to fill it with music.

Carillon News

by Brian Swager
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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.

 

Carillon News

Brian Swager

Brian Swager is carillon editor of THE DIAPASON.

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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;.

Carillon News

by Brian Swager
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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.

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