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Carillon News

by Brian Swager
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Book Review

Ensembles campanaires en Rhône-Alpes, Pierre Marie Guéritey. Seyssel: Editions Comp'Act, 1994. 229 pp., photos, paperbound, 180 FF (available from Editions Comp'Act, 9 & 11, Place dela République, 01420 Seyssel, France.) ISBN 2-87661-104-X.

Published with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the regional government, Ensembles campanaires en Rhône-Alpes is a survey of tower bells in the Rhône-Alpes region of France. There, bells traditionally have been swung--alone or in combination--or tolled, often in conjunction with religious activities. The installation of keyboards in order to control the bells for musical purposes, in the Flemish tradition, came as a secondary usage. Municipal rivalry for the largest bell and the preference for fewer large bells that are audible for longer distances rather than numerous small bells kept the Flemish tradition at bay for some time. But regardless of their function, bells have a pronounced significance in this region. As the commissioner of the Rhône-Alpes region, Paul Bernard, remarks in a preface to the book: "Whatever its nature, the sound of bells never makes an indifferent impression." Furthermore, the author underscores the pervasive nature of bells in the region's culture. For example, of one village he notes that: "Not one resident of Valsonne cannot remember having heard these bells . . . "

It is from the old French word quadrillon--for a set of four bells--that the name of the musical instrument carillon comes. Nowadays, a carillon normally has four octaves of bells, although more or fewer are possible. In fact, the Dutch require an instrument to have 11/2 octaves of bells to qualify as a carillon, and Americans insist on two chromatic octaves. The French regard this issue with more nonchalance, and this publication simply discusses "bell ensembles." Its glossary suggests that in addition to an officially accepted grand carillon de concert, there can be a petit carillon with from four to fourteen bells. This survey includes ensembles with as few as seven bells. The second criterion for inclusion in the book is that the ensemble be equipped with a keyboard and a transmission system--mechanical or electrical--for playing the bells en carillon.

While not attempting to make a thorough inventory of all the bell ensembles in the region, the book provides detailed information on a representative sampling of installations. Entries for each featured tower are very thorough, listing date, founder, and pitch of each bell; type of transmission system; name of city, tower, current and former carillonneurs, and the person or firm responsible for maintenance; dates of construction, inauguration, and modification; address and phone number of contact people; historical notes; technical descriptions of the bells, mechanics, and tower; current use and condition of the instrument; and bibliographic references and discography. The numerous photographs show bell, clappers, keyboards, clockworks, towers, frames and mountings, jacquemarts, ornamentation, inscriptions, and a founding in process. The provinces represented are the Ain, the Ardèche, the Drôme, the Isère, the Loire, the Rhône, the Savoie, and the Haute-Savoie. A map of the region would have been helpful.

The author gives a historical introduction. A history of the region's own  celebrated bell foundry is furnished by its current director, Pierre Paccard. The Paccard foundry has its roots in the end of the 18th century, a point when the era of itinerant bellfounders was coming to a close. The book largely represents the work of 19th-century founders who flourished in the wake of the Revolution. Newspaper clippings, archival documents, and historical notes make for interesting reading and give insights into a slightly distant era and a very distinctive bell culture.

Incidentally, Guéritey and Editions Comp'Act have published two inventories of organs in the Rhône-Alpes region, one for Lyon and one for the rest of the Rhône province; a third--for the Isère--is in preparation. One can only hope that similarly splendid campanological publications documenting other regions of France will be forthcoming. Carpe Librum!

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Carillon News

Brian Swager

Brian Swager is a contributing editor of THE DIAPASON.

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Preludia voor Beiaard/Preludes for Carillon; Matthias Van den Gheyn. Gilbert Huybens and Luc Rombouts, eds., part 2 of Monumenta Flandriae Musica, Eugeen Schreurs, ed. Peer: Alamire Foundation, 1997.  ISBN 90-6853-120-4. Available for 1990 BF plus postage from: Alamire Muziekuitgeverij; Postbus 45; 3990 Peer, Belgium; ph: 32.11.63.21.64; fax: 32.11.63.49.11; e-mail: <[email protected]>; web site:<http://www.innet.be/musica/alamire&gt;.

This publication is a milestone in the carillon literature. The preludes themselves are the most significant 18th-century contributions to the carillon repertory. Ever since knight Xavier van Elewyck rediscovered the carillon preludes of Matthias Van den Gheyn in the 19th century, carillonneurs have based their playing editions on a manuscript made by Van Elewyck's copyist--a hastily made manuscript riddled with mistakes and unclear notation. With the discovery and publication of an autograph manuscript, previously unknown mistakes come to light, and many of the riddles can be solved.

The boxed set includes two volumes, the first of which is a facsimile of the autograph manuscript acquired by the Louvain University Archive on 19 April 1995. The manuscript includes the eleven preludes--with the exception of the final page of the Cuckoo Prelude--as well as six carillon arrangements of existing music: an allegro in D, an untitled piece in D, and aria in G, a six-section "Cantate," a menuet in C, and an andante in D. The second volume consists of editorial commentary and a new performance edition of the eleven preludes based on the autograph. All essays are in Dutch with clear English translations by Todd Fair.

Codicologist Chris Coppens and paleographer Marc Nelissen confirm that both the text and the music notation in the manuscript are in the hand of Matthias Van den Gheyn. The editors provide a short history of the performance of the preludes, and they examine the relation between the other manuscript copies of the preludes that exist or are known to have existed. They also give some consideration to the question "for which carillon were the preludes composed?"

The editors give a cursory explanation of their rationale for choices made in the performing edition. This leaves considerable room for discussion. For example, they state simply that "incorrect note values have been corrected."  Without further justification they have changed, not corrected, note values such as the dotted rhythms in the early measures of Prelude Six. In the same prelude, they invent a quirky rhythmic pattern--for which there is no basis in the manuscript--in order to avoid one of Van den Gheyn's shifts from triple to duple divisions of the beat. As in the past, carillonneurs concerned with performance practice and performances directed at authenticity will need to scrutinize the manuscript, realizing that the performing editions--including this most recent one--are subjective interpretations. Fortunately we now have an autograph manuscript.

The publication is "Dedicated to Xavier van Elewyck and Ronald Barnes, with respect for the roles played by each in studying the work of Matthias Van den Gheyn." As an invaluable reference for historically informed performance and study, it belongs in the library of every serious carillonneur and campanologist.  Carpe Librum!

News from abroad

* Wallonian carillonneur Edmond de Vos writes in Bulletin Campanaire about the carillon and the history of Chimay, Belgium. The 26 bells are playable automatically, via the mechanical drum connected to the clock, or manually via a machine à carillonner--a piano-type keyboard with large keys. The carillon was restored in 1997 by the Clock-o-Matic firm, and because of its rarity and historical interest the mechanical piano-type keyboard was kept in service.

* Carmen Bernad V. E. Hijos announced that a 72-bell carillon was installed in the Basilica of San Pascual van Villarreal, 50 km north of Valencia. The total weight of the bells, cast in France, is 12,000 kg. The inauguration was to have taken place on 17 May 1998.

* Rosemarie Seuntiëns writes in Klok en Klepel about the history of the St.  Petrus-banden Tower in Venray, The Netherlands, and its 50-bell carillon. A new type of tumblers was adapted for the instrument's traction system.  Rather than the traditional roller bars or directed cranks, the new tumblers involve a thin steel cable that turns over a round wheel whose axis is placed off-center. The system seems to be effective for short, relatively direct connections; the action is supple, and dynamic possibilities are optimal.

* The Petit & Fritsen Bellfoundry was commissioned to cast a 36-bell carillon for the Presbyterian Church in La Porte, Indiana.

* Petit & Fritsen was commissioned to cast an 84-bell carillon (E, F-sharp, G-sharp, chromatic to F) with a bourdon of approximately 8500 kilograms and a total weight of 42,300 kilograms. The donors have not yet disclosed the specific location in America where this "Millennium Carillon" will be located.

* A 51-bell Eijsbouts carillon was installed in Hamburg and dedicated on 24 July 1993. The instrument has a completely chromatic range from C to d.  It has a unique setting amidst the ruins of the St. Nicholas' Church. Hamburger Richard Brinkmann is the carillonneur.

* Currently, one of the heaviest bells in the world can be found in Cologne, Germany. However, a Cologne television station reported last May that the American city of Newport (the particular state was not mentioned) has commissioned a 30 metric ton (approximately 33 US tons) bell from the Paccard Bellfoundry in time for millennium celebrations. The bell will be 3.6 meters high (11 feet) and cost over $360,000.  It will be housed in a tower over 450 meters high.

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

by Brian Swager
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Travelogue

 

 

From Philadelphia immediately following the national AGO convention, I hopped on a plane to Belgium to begin a two-month recital tour in Europe. Here follows an assortment of reflections as I proceed along my way, to be continued next month.

 

The intense six-month period of preparation was a challenge: a myriad of details to arrange for the 26 carillon and two organ recitals, dates, programs, lodging, travel, etc.; preparations for being away from home and work for 12 weeks; selecting music that will actually work on most of the varied instruments that I'll be playing--and learn it all!

 

Dear friends from my Fulbright years (1984-86) at the Belgian Carillon School meet me at the airport in Brussels and whisk me off to their home in Mechelen--it will be my pied-à-terre for the next few months. After dinner it was time to visit the carillon school for a session on the practice console. The dimensions of the standard European playing console differ significantly from the more ergonomically-conscious American consoles. Instead of our standard two-octave pedalboard, Belgian and Dutch carillons normally have a 11/2-octave pedalboard which is shifted quite a bit to the right in relationship to the manual keyboard. The distance between keys in both the manual and pedal keyboards differs, as does the keyfall.

 

A good dose of melatonin seems to have helped me get a good night's sleep and to minimize the effects of any jet lag. On Monday I return to the carillon school to practice on the lightweight carillon in the tower of the Hof van Busleyden adjacent to the school. Alas, there is no opportunity to rehearse on the carillon in Turnhout before this evening's recital. This is a bit distressing, as the console is rather uncomfortable for tall carillonneurs like me, predating the European standard. I must remember here, when playing chromatic ("black") pedal notes, to shift my knees off to the side lest they block the manual keys. The bells are enchanting, however, made some 230 years ago by the Belgian founder Vanden Gheyn.

 

Tuesday is a work day: more practice at the carillon school, including organ music on the piano, plus typing the text of the Flemish Carillon Guild's website (www.beiaard.org) which I had translated into English during my "spare time" during the AGO convention last week.

 

On Wednesday I validate my Eurailpass and take the train to Nivelles, south of Brussels in the French speaking part of Belgium. After the short walk to the Collégiale Ste. Gertrude, the organist Robert greets me. I am eager to practice for my Sunday recital. The 38-stop organ was built in the French classic style by Patrick Collon of Brussels. I set to work. The positif is a bit stiff, but the grand orgue plays like butter. Over the course of my practice sessions here I notice my technique adapting to the action. The tension that plagues my hands from practicing at home on an organ with horrible action begins to melt away. I draw the grands jeux and slide the G.O. manual towards me to engage the coupler: a treat for my ears, yet more work for my fingers. At one point while playing, the manual inches forward a bit, and excruciating sounds emanate from the organ. Yikes! I must now also concentrate on "pulling" the keys toward me so as not to disengage the coupler during performance. But it is worth the effort. DeGrigny is coming alive for me. As an undergraduate and master's student I could never get excited about French baroque organ music. Give me a Skinner with a 32' bourdon purring under some lush strings and a vox humana, or a fiery swell box and a 32' bombarde, and I was in seventh heaven. Who wanted to play Couperin with a wimpy American cornet? But then I went to France, and Monsieur Clicquot taught me a lesson or two, and now the sounds and the feel of this instrument are reminding me, teaching me more. I have the uncanny feeling that this instrument has a soul, that it is alive, that it is communicating with me when I listen carefully.

 

On Thursday the train takes me to Goes, a small but lively town in The Netherlands. Sjoerd, the resident carillonneur, leads the way up to the carillon cabin, and at one point we traverse a gangplank over the vaulted ceiling of the church below. We hear the organist practicing on the Marcussen. Once I've climbed the final ladder and squeezed by a huge wooden beam, there is just enough time to position the bench, set out my scores, and adjust the carillon: an adjuster above each key brings the clapper to the desired position. Since the connecting wires expand and contract with temperature changes, this adjustment is usually necessary before each recital. With the key fully depressed, I prefer that the clapper be as close as possible to the side of the bell without actually touching. This prevents the clapper from grinding into the bell (not a pretty sound) and ensures that the lightest of strokes will actually make a sound. The playing console here in Goes is old and rickety, and again the pedals are much too close to the manual, but by now I'm accustomed to moving my knees out of the way without missing the pedals. Sjoerd was enthusiastic about my playing, and with the president of the local "friends of the carillon" we went to his home on the canal for a few beers before I had to catch the last train back to Mechelen. Trains are off schedule tonight: I miss my connection in Antwerp, wait 90 minutes for the next one, land in bed at 1:45 am.

 

Friday: The 8:42 train takes me back to Nivelles where I have the luxury of practicing from 10 until 3. I am amazed at how focused my work is today. Perhaps because the pressure is on? Perhaps because I don't always have the opportunity to play such a fine instrument? Back in Mechelen, Koen picks me up again and drives me to Louvain. After a light meal, we head for St. Pieter's Church across from the impressive city hall. As we enter, Koen warns me to duck my head--which has bumped into something once or twice a day so far. I conclude that Europe was not built for tall people. Koen mentioned that a tall Dutchman had gashed his head there last year; sure enough, the concrete floor was still stained by huge drops of blood.

 

On Saturday I practice again in Nivelles and have dinner with friends in Mechelen. The recital goes well on Sunday, and Robert and I celebrate with the local beer of choice: "Jean de Nivelles," named after the jacquemart that is perched atop one of the towers of the Collégiale, poised to strike the hour bell. Monday is free for chores like laundry, making a bunch of train reservations, practicing the alternate carillon recital program, and having dinner with Mimi. I rented a room in Mimi's home for a year when I was a student at the carillon school. Back then I dropped out of the local Dutch language course after the first meeting, much preferring my evening chats with Mimi. Learning with her, and my other Flemish friends, was faster and more enjoyable. On Tuesday I took advantage of my Eurailpass and hopped on a train to Amsterdam for the afternoon and on to Haarlem to hear Wolfgang Zerer's recital in the St. Bavo Church as part of the summer organ academy. I ran into Marianne of Dresden whom I had met while studying at the academy two years ago, so we headed to the Carillon Café to catch up. A few hours and a few bottles of Westmalle (delicious Belgian Trappist beer) later I headed back to my room in Amsterdam.

 

Riding first class on two TGVs to Chambéry in the Savoy region of France made the long train rides more tolerable, although having to get off in Paris at the North station and traipse down to the Gare de Lyon was annoying. Chambéry carillonneur Jean-Pierre Vittot calls his instrument the "Cavaillé-Coll" of carillons. It is a "grand carillon" in the American tradition with the extended bass range to G, and 21/2 octaves of pedals. The Paccard bells sing gloriously from the chapel tower of the Château of the Dukes of Savoy. In my opinion it is one of the most beautiful sounding carillons in the world. Unfortunately, rather than serving the performer, the key action is more of an obstacle. It did not take kindly to the rapidly repeated notes in my rendition of the "Preludio" from Bach's Partita for solo violin (S.1006). I had transposed it from E up to A, a lighter range, and took a slower than usual tempo, hoping that the action could keep up with me. But alas, a C-sharp gave way early on, so I stopped. Jean-Pierre insisted that I continue, but I figured that I needed that C-sharp about 100 times in the Bach Prelude alone, so I pleaded for repairing the carillon. It wouldn't have been the first time that I had crawled up amidst the bells to fix something during a recital. It looked to me as if a screw had merely come loose. Jean-Pierre went to retrieve the bolt, knocked his head on a rather large bell, returned with the bolt and another mysterious-looking part, and promptly declared that it was broken. So I played the rest of the program, without the Bach, and without the C-sharp.

 

This was the first of five recitals in the festival week "Campanaires Chambéry." A camera crew was in the playing cabin, with several bright, hot, lights, filming the performances which were to be projected onto a large screen adjacent to the Château. Unfortunately the threat of rain prevented the unfurling of the screen, although the filming and bright lights continued. From the playing cabin sound system, Jean-Pierre announced each piece on the program with brief program notes. A wonderful dinner of Savoyard specialties and Chignin Bergeron wine completed the evening.

 

Another long train ride on Thursday took me back to The Netherlands. Changing trains and train stations again in Paris, I had just enough time to get some fresh air, sunshine, and a baguette sandwich on a short walk from the north station past the Place Franz Liszt, the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, and the Square Cavaillé-Coll. Once in Roermond, my host's nephew Wouter meets me at the train station and escorts me to the city hall to check out the carillon: light, bright, easy to play. Whew! After dinner we meet up with my e-mail pen pal Inge and her daughter Sonja who come upstairs to watch me play and then take me home to Gelsenkirchen. Inge and I have been practicing German and English together for a few years now. Friday is free to spend with their family, and we attend an exciting flamenco performance in the evening. Inge brings me to Oirschot for my Saturday afternoon recital. It is a very nice medium-weight carillon with good action. After a few Duvals (devilishly strong Belgian beer) with the carillonneur and the mayor of Oirschot, my next host Erik takes me to Peer where I will play on Sunday evening. The Peer carillon is now one of the nicest in Belgium. The transmission system is well done and the recently installed playing console is the American standard--unique in Belgium. It is comfortable to play and very responsive. The American pedal range plus the extra treble bells here enable me to play my original transcription of Francisco Tárrega's Recuerdos de la Alhambra rather than the compromised "Euro" version that I've had to play in most venues. The warm Petit & Fritsen bells sing well from this tower, making the tremolando style of playing live up to its Flemish monicker, gebonden zang (legato melody).

 

Here is the program that I've been playing in most places:

 

Prelude III, Matthias van den Gheyn; Evocation, John Courter; Preludio (Partita for Violin, S.1006), J.S. Bach; Variations on a Slavonic Theme, John Pozdro; Klinget, Glöckchen, klinget (from The Magic Flute), Laudate Dominum (from Vesperae Solemnes de Confessore), Four German Dances, W.A. Mozart; Sweelinck Fantasy, Albert de Klerk; Burlesca, John Ellis; Recuerdos de la Alhambra, Francisco Tárrega; Variations on "Ode to Joy," Brian Swager.

Carillon News

by Brian Swager

Brian Swager is a contributing editor of THE DIAPASON.

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New carillon in West Virginia

Nestled in the southern West Virginia Appalachian mountains, atop the administration building of a small liberal arts college, stands one of the newest additions to the world of carillons. This beautiful 48-bell carillon was cast by Paccard and installed by the Van Bergen Bellfoundry of Charleston, South Carolina. The Marsh Memorial Carillon is the first true carillon in the state of West Virginia. It ranges from a C of 4310 pounds to a 29-pound C. The bells can be played manually or by computer. By way of a fiber-optic cable, the system has recording capabilities from the midi keyboard to the bells. All of these units are located in the climate-controlled playing cabin directly under the bell chamber. In the music building is a unique practice console that uses batons, and rather than xylophone bars it uses an electric device for producing computer-generated sound through speakers. The practice console, like the manual console, is equipped with a two-octave pedalboard that duplicates the lower two octaves of the manual keyboard.

Twenty-three of the bells have the Concord College seal, a decorative band, and various other inscriptions. Of particular interest is the inscription on bell number ten, an A-sharp: "Dedicated to the musicians and carillonneurs who will play this carillon and enrich for the centuries to come the college community with melodious tones and provide inspiration to all who hear these bells."

The Marsh Memorial Carillon is a statement of one of man's joy of life, of giving, and of love for college and community and is the realization of a 40-year dream for Dr. Joseph F. Marsh, Jr., the donor. A resident of Athens and a former President and President's son of Concord College, Dr. Marsh became enamored with bells during his years at Dartmouth and Oxford and planned his tower in the 1960s while serving as President of Concord College. During his Presidency the administration building was renovated and redesigned to accommodate a tower room complete with a slit in the roof for the rods and pads on the floor to support a bell frame. Because Dr. Marsh was unable to raise the funds from private sources to finance the bells, he had privately bequeathed the money to the college so that the carillon could be built after his death. In 1995, however, he decided to donate the funds during his lifetime so that he too could enjoy the carillon. It is truly a magnificent gift to the college, the community, and the state.

The carillon was dedicated on 10 October 1997 with a concert by Robin Austin. His program included original works by Barnes, Byrnes, as well as arrangements and transcriptions by Myhre, Austin, Warner, Dundore, Gerken, Rusterolz, and Lannoy. Attending the dedication were representatives from the French government, the United States Navy, the Paccard Bellfoundry, Concord alumni, and local dignitaries.

In addition to the striking of hourly chimes and a special chime--the Concord Chimes, written by Dr. Marsh--that rings at the close of classes, the bells are programmed to ring daily for fifteen minutes in the early evening.

Concord is located between Princeton, West Virginia, and Pipestem State Resort on Route 20. There is easy access to Athens from Interstate 77.

News from Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin Carillonneur Lyle Anderson sends the followong news.

The first set of bells for the University of Wisconsin's Memorial Carillon in Madison was cast by the English firm of Gillett and Johnston late in 1935 and installed in 1936. This was a two-octave span of 25 bells with a bourdon of E-flat (with the then common omission of the two lowest semi-tones, corresponding to C# and D# on the keyboard). G&J often cast numbers on their sets of bells beginning with the highest, so that the smallest bell of this group, an F in pitch, was number one.

As fortune would have it, there was money left over (!) in the carillon fund, so five additional bells were purchased and installed in the tower in early 1937. When the Paccard foundry of France was contracted to next expand the carillon in 1962, the smallest six G&J bells were deemed too delicate of profile to successfully anchor an additional 21 treble bells. So six more Paccard bells replaced these G&J bells (including therefore the original "number one" bell cast in 1935).

When the carillon was next expanded ten years later, the Dutch firm of Royal Eijsbouts won the contract to cast five large bells that would complete the carillon with a bourdon of B-flat. The instrument was reconfigured to play in concert pitch. As part of that installation, Eijsbouts offered to replace all 27 of the Paccard bells for the cost of the metal alone, a deal too good to refuse. Thus no French bells resounded from the carillon after 1973. Like a group of abandoned orphans, the Paccards lost various members and several of them suffered abuse at the hands of a local theatrical company for several years, but eventually 20 of them were put into silent storage for most of the last decade.

On May 29, 1998, Wisconsin celebrated 150 years of statehood. To mark the precise moment at noon of that date, a statewide bell-ringing was planned, initiated by Governor Tommy Thompson on the grounds of the State Capitol in Madison and carried by radio and television throughout the state. Through a mostly coincidental series of connections, the largest of the Paccard treble bells--the "F" that replaced the original G&J number one bell--was brought out of storage and mounted by the carillonneur's father, Gordon Anderson, in a visually striking frame that allowed it to be swung by hand by the governor. Several weeks later the bell was returned to the tower, where it resounds in the lively acoustics of the tower's lower stone chamber and serves as a historically significant "hands-on" introduction to the tower.

--Lyle Anderson

News from Ann Arbor

Margo Halsted sends this news from Ann Arbor.

A chime of 17 bells was installed in the Kerrytown Market and Shops in Ann Arbor, Michigan last September. The chime is the third bell instrument in Ann Arbor, since the nearby central and north campuses of the University of Michigan each have a carillon.

The Kerrytown Chime has an interesting history. During a 1993 vacation in Cork, Ireland, Kerrytown owners Joe and Karen O'Neal ascended the tower of St. Anne's Church and were allowed to perform on the Ellacombe system installed there for the eight tower bells. (Around 1850, the Rev. H. T. Ellacombe, an Englishman, devised a system so that one person could play melodies on tower bells that were used at other times as swinging bells.) Next to the Ellacombe apparatus there were pages of melodies written out to correspond to numbers on the ropes. The O'Neals played and then wrote out the numbered melody notes for the University of Michigan Fight Song "The Victors." Later, from the street below, the couple heard someone else playing "The Victors" from the church tower. The O'Neals were surprised and thrilled.

In 1996, Karen and Joe O'Neal discovered some bells for sale in a Brooklyn, Michigan "used bell" shop. They purchased seven bells, planning to acquire one missing bell and install an Ellacombe apparatus in Kerrytown. The bells originally had been installed in the 1920s in the carillon at St. Stephen's Church, Cohasset, Massachusetts (the top octaves of the Gillett & Johnston Cohasset carillon had been replaced in 1989). At that point the O'Neals contacted Margo Halsted, who persuaded them to purchase three more of the Cohasset bells and to order seven additional bells to form a chime to be played from a traditional chimestand.

The Kerrytown Chime, for the most part, is built to the measurements of the Cornell (NY) University Chime, including a pedal note for each manual lever. With a complete pedal range, quite fast and complicated music can be performed. Assisting with the instrument design was Ann Arbor resident Judy Ogden, a former Head Chimemaster at Cornell University, where she played the 19-bell chime for 19 years. In addition, Judy Ogden is a GCNA carillonneur member and an Assistant Carillonist at the University of Michigan. Twice a week she plays 30-minute noonday chime concerts and reports that the action is even and that the bells sound "wonderful."

Kerrytown Market has an open-air market three days a week. In addition to being visually beautiful, the bells also fulfill concert and market-day functions. The chimestand is located at the side of a second-floor hallway in the shopping center, and the public is able to see the chimestand behind glass or watch it being played when a performer is present. Once a practice mechanism is developed, other bell aficionados will have a chance to learn to play the chime.

The seven new bells were cast and the keyboard and mechanism were created and installed by the Royal Eijsbouts Bellfoundry of the Netherlands. There are inscriptions on the seven new bells, and the largest bell has an outside hammer which strikes the hour. The new bells well match the old in finish, shape and timbre. The pitches of the chime are B (of 699 pounds) C, D, E, F, F#, G, A, B-flat, B, C, C#, D, E, F, F#, G.

Visitors are very welcome to visit the three bell instruments of Ann Arbor.

--Margo Halsted

Organs in the French Alps

A juxtaposition of great sound and great scenery

Aldo Baggia

Aldo J. Baggia is the retired chairman of the department of modern languages and instructor in French, Spanish, German and Italian at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Iona College and the MA from Middlebury College, and has completed graduate work at Laval and Duke universities. He has studied and traveled extensively in Europe, and has written numerous opera reviews for various publications as well as articles for The Diapason.

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France is divided into “départements” that represent the political subdivisions of the country. Much work has been done in the last decade by governmental agencies to have a ready inventory of organs by departments, and although the work has not yet been completed in the entire country, it has progressed very well in the area of the Rhône valley. Quite a bit of information is available, and the inventory of the organs of the department of l’Isère, which encompasses the dioceses of Grenoble and Vienne, is available in book form. The last edition was published in 1996, and it is easy to check out the various instruments and to see what the stylistic trends have been over the years.
L’Isère is one of the most scenic areas in all of France because of the magnificent mountain ranges that come together to form part of the Alps, including the impressive Mont Blanc. And in this area there are some great organs that demonstrate the development that has taken place over the last two centuries. At one point there were practically no organs of any significance in this area, but that is not the case now.

Government ownership

In France, organ maintenance, including rebuilds and restorations, as well as the building of new instruments, oftentimes comes under the aegis of some governmental agency, thereby relieving the pressure on an individual church to provide the total financing for the work. Often it is the municipality that owns the organ of a church, and this applies throughout the country, including Paris, where the city owns a good number of the organs of the various churches. In the book, Les Orgues de Paris, Jacques Chirac, mayor in 1992, notes in the preface that 130 of the 250 organs at that time were owned by the city, making Paris one of the major proprietors of organs in the world.1

This situation has prevailed in France since 1905, the year of rendering final the separation of church and state. In the interest of fairness, a system of ownership that depended on the year of construction of the organ was established. If it preceded 1905, the organ became the property of the municipality; this was also the case if it had been rebuilt after 1906 but included parts of an older organ. In theory everything new after 1906 was to be the property of the parish or some other organization. An older organ could become the property of the parish if it had been bought back at the time of the application of the law of separation of church and state.

The government of the French Republic owns the organs of cathedrals that are considered “immeubles par destination” (buildings by their nature of being cathedrals).2 This explains why the organ of Notre-Dame de Paris is owned by the French state and not the city of Paris. This clearly indicates the desire of the country to document the cultural heritage that is represented by the master organbuilders over the centuries. In effect a great organ is a significant aspect of French culture and worthy of public support. On the other hand, government financing of work is not automatic. A request is made to the commission that oversees such things, and a positive or negative judgment is rendered, depending on the circumstances.

L’Eglise Saint-Louis en l’île Saint-Louis

From the information provided on the website of l’Eglise Saint-Louis en l’île Saint-Louis, one can see a good example of how an organ project develops. In spring 2005, the installation of the new organ (III/51) by the organbuilder Bernard Aubertin took place. L’île Saint-Louis represents a very scenic location inasmuch as it is directly behind l’île de la Cité where Notre-Dame de Paris stands. As far back as 1977 the titulaire, Georges Guillard, expressed an interest in the idea of a new organ for the church because the Mutin organ (III/33) at that time was in an unplayable state. In 1983 the city of Paris became interested in this project, which was supported by L’Association des grandes orgues de Saint-Louis-en-l’île, because the new organ was to be a special instrument suitable for baroque music of North Germany and that of Bach in particular. In 1993 the commission approved the project in principle, but it was only in 1999 that Bernard Aubertin was chosen from eleven organ builders to realize the work. The case is absolutely stunning and makes a statement in its own way. It has a baroque grandeur that is difficult to equal. The construction of this instrument took place over the span of six years at a cost of one million euros. About a dozen members of the Aubertin team dedicated more than 20,000 hours of work to the project. [For a detailed report on this organ, see “A New Aubertin Organ in the German Baroque Style,” by Carolyn Shuster Fournier, The Diapason, March 2006, pp. 22–25.]

Saint-Antoine l’Abbaye

Aubertin did the restoration work on the organ of Saint-Antoine l’Abbaye, which was completed for the most part in 1992. This organ is easily the most famous instrument in the department of l’Isère. Numerous recordings have been made there; it is generally considered to be one of the finest examples of a French classic organ. The restoration was completed in 2001 when Michel Gaillard, an associate of Bernard Aubertin, added the final four stops to bring the total specifications to IV/44.

As of 1996 there were 72 organs in the department of l’Isère, and their ownership was divided between municipalities and parishes, with the emphasis on the municipalities. More than half of the organs extant in the department have been built since 1960. The organ of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Grenoble belongs to the state, but that of the Cathedral of Saint-Maurice in Vienne belongs to the municipality. The church of Saint-Louis in Grenoble has the largest and one of the better-known organs in the department (III/60). This was built by Bartolomeo Formentelli in 1982 and belongs to the municipality. The choir organ (I/6) was built in 1981 by a local builder, Michel Giroud, and its main purpose was for use in the liturgical services while the installation of the large organ was taking place. It is owned by the parish. The acquisition of the Formentelli organ by the church of Saint-Louis is interesting because it is related to the intriguing story of the instrument at Saint-Antoine l’Abbaye, which is within an hour’s drive of Grenoble.

An organ at the Abbey Church goes back to 1491, and the elegant walnut case of five turrets for the Grand-Orgue and Pedal divisions dates from around 1634, but there is no information on the designer or the builder.3 The case for the Positif de dos matches that of the rest of the organ and has three turrets. Bernard Aubertin, who did the restoration work in 1992, believes that the Positif case from 1639 was replaced in 1748 when the Swiss builder, Samson Scherrer, did the work for the new organ.4 The current organ loft was built in 1678, and further work on the instrument was done through 1700. But 1748 was the year that the organ achieved its current character with 40 stops on four manuals and pedal. Scherrer, originally from Saint-Gallen, had established himself in Geneva and had chosen to do much of his work in France between the years of 1746 and 1755. He constructed an organ for the church of Saint-Louis in Grenoble in 1746, and in 1750 built organs for both the Collegiate Church of Saint-André in Grenoble and the Cathedral of Embrun, which is in the nearby department of Hautes-Alpes.

The success of the organ at Saint-Antoine resulted from the stoplist, the mechanical action, the materials used, the positioning of the instrument, and the excellent acoustics of the church. People at the church stated that they had an organ “de huit pieds, sonnant seize, à quatre claviers et deux octaves de pédales, avec un positif en saillie sur la tribune du grand portail” (of eight feet, sounding like sixteen, with four manuals and two octaves in the pedal division, and with a positif that projected from the organ loft of the main portal).5 This was a perfect organ for the works of Couperin, de Grigny, Charpentier, Boyvin, Muffat, Böhm, Lebegue, Titelouze and Sweelinck as well as for the music of the liturgy. It is interesting that the Dom Bedos organ that was restored in 1997 and is currently in the Abbey Church of Sainte-Croix in Bordeaux was built in the same year of 1748.

Not much seemed to happen at Saint-Antoine between 1750 and 1805, and the organ was primarily used for accompaniment during services. The French Revolution did not bring damage to the instrument, but in 1805, by a bizarre set of circumstances, the organ was removed and placed in the church of Saint-Louis in Grenoble. In March 1805 the municipality decided to sell the organ because funds were badly needed to repair the bridges of the gates of Lyon and Romans, which were in danger of collapsing. The town had no money, and therefore it was proposed to sell the organ to the municipality of Vienne, which had expressed an interest in it. But either Saint-Antoine wanted too much or Vienne was offering too little, and the transaction fell through. A number of other communities were interested in the organ for which the municipality of Saint-Antoine l’Abbaye was expressing little need. The church of Saint-Louis in Grenoble had enough influence with the authorities that the Minister of Finance decreed that the organ should be sent to Grenoble posthaste. On November 22, 1805, the people of the town were not permitted access to the church by the army so that workers could complete their dismantling of the organ for its removal to Saint-Louis. The people of Saint-Antoine used the term “enlèvement” to describe the affair, and the word can be translated by “removal,” “abduction,” or “kidnapping.” Ultimately the coup de grâce was that Saint-Antoine received absolutely nothing for the organ.6

This brings us to 1981 when the organ was finally returned to Saint-Antoine. For many years the inhabitants of Saint-Antoine had clamored for the return of the instrument and in 1968, thanks to the efforts of Father Jouffre, a priest at Saint-Antoine, and others in the area, some progress was made. On January 14, 1971, the High Commission for historical monuments (organ section) gave a favorable opinion to the question of returning the case and the older pipes to Saint-Antoine; the transfer of the organ was to be done as soon as the new organ for Grenoble was ready for installation. The old pipework was classified as historic by a decree of April 10, 1974. It was stated that “the Minister of Cultural Affairs and the Environment has classified as Historical Monuments: Isère. Grenoble. Eglise Saint-Louis. The organ coming from the Abbey Church of Saint-Antoine. The old pipework of the instrument: 530 pipes from Joli, XVII century, and Scherrer, XVIII century. Around 300 pipes from Zeiger (1850).”7

The organ was dismantled at Grenoble in January 1981 and arrived at Saint-Antoine on February 7; it had taken 175 years for this to take place. Monsieur Damien, the cabinetmaker at Saint-Antoine, needed seven coats of paint for the restoration of the case. The case was placed in the west gallery at the beginning of 1984, and the façade pipes were cleaned and re-installed in June 1984 by Promonet and Steinman, organbuilders from Rives. Next came the question of giving it back its voice, and that is what was done by Bernard Aubertin.

Organbuilding in the 1990s

The inventory of organs that was published in 1996 traces the work that was done through that year, and one finds that there was only one new instrument built in the 1990s, at l’Eglise Saint-Nicolas in Autrans, a small village in the mountains near Grenoble. There were rebuilds and modifications of organs at a number of churches, and some small instruments were installed in the 1980s in some of the picturesque villages of the department.

There had not been a history of great interest in the organ in this region during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. In the area near Grenoble there is the monastery of La Grande Chartreuse that played a great role in the economic development of the department, but the monks never expressed much interest in the organ as part of the liturgy; that is one of the reasons why there were so few organs in the region until the eighteenth century.9 The Chartreux made generous donations to a number of churches in the department, but that involved funds for stained-glass windows, choir stalls or the construction of nineteenth-century grandiose churches such as those at Voiron and Bourgoin-Jallieu. But they never gave funds for organs. Their factory for the production of the famous green and yellow liqueurs is in the city of Voiron, which is very close to Grenoble and which has one of the best-known organs in the department.

Both the organs of Saint-Bruno at Voiron and Saint-Jean-Baptiste at Bourgoin-Jallieu were mentioned in the inventory as major instruments in need of work, and it was regretted that nothing had been done with them up to that time. It was good to find in the fall of 2004 that both of those organs had recently been completely restored. In the case of Saint-Jean-Baptiste, major work had also been done to the interior of the church, and the sound of the instrument at the present time is absolutely magnificent.

Saint-Bruno in Voiron

Let us begin with the instrument at Saint-Bruno in Voiron. The financing of the work that was done from 1999–2002 involved the State, the region of Rhône-Alpes, the Department of l’Isère, and the City of Voiron. This clearly showed how important the organ was in the life of the community from an historical point of view. This organ (IV/41) was originally built for the church of Saint-François de Sales in Lyon in 1838 by the Callinet brothers. In 1864 Cavaillé-Coll replaced the two small manuals (Récit and Echo) with a récit expressif of ten stops as well as adding four new stops and a new console. Through the intercession of François Widor and his famous son, Charles-Marie, the parish acquired a new organ from Cavaillé-Coll in 1879 and put the modified Callinet up for sale. A neo-gothic case that harmonized with the style of the interior of Saint-Bruno, which was constructed in 1864, was built in 1881 when the transfer to the church was made. The actual inauguration took place in 1883, and modifications took place during the following years; in 1973 it was classified as an historic monument. Twenty-nine stops by Callinet and four by Cavaillé-Coll had been retained, but it was evident by that date that the instrument was in a pitiful state, and therefore talk of restoration surfaced. By 1992 a decision was made in favor of work but it was not until 1999 that the contract was given to Daniel Kern of Strasbourg. The crowning point of the work was the return of the organ to the west front gallery in 2002. It was indicated in a church brochure that Kern kept most of the Callinet stops and some stops of Cavaillé-Coll from the Récit expressif.10 Saint-Bruno is of cathedral size and has magnificent acoustics. The sound of the organ is rich, airy, and majestic with no sense of harshness. This is a first-class instrument that is surely worth seeing and hearing.

Saint-Jean-Baptiste at Bourgoin-Jallieu

The organ at Bourgoin-Jallieu is an impressive instrument of some 40 stops on three manuals from the workshop of Joseph Merklin of Lyon in 1880. The church is situated at the Place Carnot in the heart of Bourgoin-Jallieu, which is near Lyon but still in the department of l’Isère. It is a vast structure of cathedral proportions and has been refinished in white in the interior, which gives it an impressive allure. Previously the interior was dark and gloomy. One interesting characteristic of the organ is the borrowing of stops in both the Grand-Orgue and the Positif. This technique of borrowed stops with mechanical action considerably augments the resources and variety of the instrument.11 This organ was made for the French romantic repertoire and makes a most favorable impression, given the excellent acoustics of the church. The restoration work was done by the Manufacture provençale in Carcès (Var), which is directed by the organbuilder Yves Cabourdin, who did the restoration work on the Isnard organ (IV/41) of the famous royal basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine of Saint-Maximin-La-Sainte-Baume in Provence. The latter is considered to be an excellent example of the French classic organ and ranks with that of Saint-Antoine l’Abbaye and the Dom Bedos instrument at Sainte-Croix in Bordeaux as a marvelous venue for baroque repertoire.

Cathedral of Grenoble

The first mention of an organ at the Cathedral of Grenoble goes back to 1426. In the nineteenth century Cavaillé-Coll installed an organ of eight stops there. The instrument was enlarged by different builders over the years, but has not been used since 1990 because of all the construction work being done. There are no services at the cathedral because the entire nave is a building site. Work on the organ will be done eventually, but it is not clear when that will take place.

A Cavaillé-Coll organ of 11 stops was installed in l’Eglise Saint-Marcel in the town of Allevard in 1874. Work by Tschanun and Schwenkedel was done in 1922 and 1965, but the organ now (II/23) has had the benefit of major additions and restorations over the past 30 years at the hands of Xavier Silbermann, who is still listed as the curator of the instrument.12 Silbermann comes from the Strasbourg wing of the family and had his workshop in the Rhône Valley area until his recent retirement. Even so, he has continued to work in tandem with the titulaire, Dr. Henri Perrin, to upgrade the instrument. Monsieur Perrin is a virtuoso organist and pianist and presently dedicates most of his time to composition. Even though this is not a large instrument, the sound is very impressive as it speaks into the nave of the church. It can be used to good effect in the music of Vierne and Widor as well as the music of Bach. Monsieur Perrin demonstrated the organ in a piece of his own, Lamento e Trionfo.

Notre-Dame-des-Neiges, Alpe d’Huez

Very close to Grenoble is the town of Alpe d’Huez, which is known by anyone who follows the Tour de France because of the 21 hairpin curves one must negotiate in leaving the highway at Le Bourg d’Oisans to go to the top of the mountain. The stage to Alpe d’Huez was not used two years ago in the tour, but one could still read the names of different riders on the road in November 2004 as well as noticing the placards in honor of riders at each curve. Most of the names are from the distant past, but there are two curves in honor of Marco Pantani.

Alpe d’Huez is very much a resort town, which means that it is virtually deserted out of season. In 1968 a remarkable church, Notre-Dame-des-Neiges, was built, the tower of which looks like a lighthouse. The architect, Jean Marol, worked with the German organbuilder, Detlef Kleuker, to give the organ (II/24) the form of a hand, “La Main de Dieu.” The celebrated organist and musicologist, Jean Guillou, was instrumental in the design of the organ. In his book, L’Orgue Souvenir et Avenir, Guillou points out that the organ is in the choir of the church, which is in the middle of this church in the round, immediately behind the altar. The pipes of the 16¢ Flûte make up the four fingers, and the thumb contains the case of the Grand-Orgue. The swell box of the Récit is in the palm of the hand. The entire case is made of American beech wood.13

Guillou notes that it was necessary to decide which stops would provide the most sound from the instrument, given that the budget was limited to 24 stops. The specifications of the Grand-Orgue and the Récit give a brilliance, clarity and presence to the ensemble. The Pedal division gives a solid foundation to the ensemble. From Guillou’s point of view, this small organ is ideal. The proof of its quality can be seen in the quantity of concerts, masterclasses and recordings that have been made since its construction. He further mentioned that there have been few works from the baroque era to modern times that have not been played on this organ to the complete satisfaction of musicians.14

Church of Saint-Nicolas, Autrans

In the town of Autrans, a small village in the mountains very near Grenoble, there is the one new organ built in the 1990s in l’Isère. The Church of Saint-Nicolas has an austere stone tower that dates to the twelfth century, and the organ case of oak stands tall against the right wall of the choir. This organ (II/13), built by Dominique Promonet of Rives, owes its existence to the generosity and dedication of the parish priest, Father André Chabrier, who died on February 27, 1995, just a month before the instrument was installed. It is something that he thought about for a long time, and it was his way of saying thanks to the people of the Vercors for all they had given him over the span of 50 years. On the left side of the case there is an inscription which reads “En lui le Souffle de la Vie”—P. A. Chabrier, donateur. (“In it there is the breath of life”—P. A. Chabrier, donor.) And on the right side it is added “Je me tiens debout pour que mon chant / monte au-dessus des paroles.” (I stand erect so that my song will rise above the words.) When asked about why he did not use his funds in a different manner, he said that the organ would be there for everyone and would last for centuries. The all-enclosed case stands impressively against the right wall of the church, and the instrument with its 16¢ Soubasse in the Pedal division produces a resonant and weighty sound to accompany the liturgy.

Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul in Crolles

Saint-Philibert in Saint-Ismier

Two organs by local builders are worthy of mention; they are fairly typical of what one would see in the small villages in the area. The organ at Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul in Crolles was built by Promonet & Steinmann in 1982. The two symmetrical cases in the gallery give the impression that the organ (II/15) is much larger than it really is. It is used for the liturgy and concerts, and the sound is quite impressive because of the good acoustics.16 At l’Eglise Saint-Philibert in Saint-Ismier there is an interesting instrument from the workshop of Michel Giroud, who did the original installation in 1981 and further work in 1993. This organ (II/17) serves the church very well in the liturgy and has the resources that are necessary for concerts. Olivier Vernet was featured in a concert of baroque music in October 2004.
One can easily see that the organ scene in France is a very interesting one and that there are treasures to be found in any of the departments.17

Carillon News

Brian Swager

Brian Swager is carillon editor of THE DIAPASON.

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2005 GCNA Congress

The annual congress of the Guild of Carillonneurs in North
America was held June 13’17 on the campuses of Grand Valley State
University in Grand Rapids and Allendale, Michigan. University Carillonneur
Julianne Vanden Wyngaard was the host. Recitalists for the congress were
Tin-shi Tam, Ray McLellan, Todd Fair, and Ms. Vanden Wyngaard. On the Allendale
campus is the 48-bell Eijsbouts carillon that was installed in 1994. The
48-bell Beckering Family Carillon built by Paccard in 2000 is on the Grand
Rapids Pew campus. Milford Myhre gave a masterclass. Grand Valley organ faculty
member Gregory Crowell gave a presentation on historic keyboard instruments.
Jeremy Chesman gave a presentation on carillon degree programs in North
America. The next GCNA congress will be held June 13’17, 2006 at Yale
University, New Haven, Connecticut.

New Carillon Compositions

The Johan Franco Composition Fund committee of the Guild of
Carillonneurs in North America, chaired by John Gouwens, is responsible for three
new carillon compositions. 

Pealing Fire, by the
American composer Libby Larsen, was commissioned by the committee. Larsen has
written for all manner of instrumental and vocal media, solos, and ensembles.
Pealing
Fire
is a fresh addition to the repertoire,
bringing together numerous idiomatic bell figurations, along with the
“Veni creator” plainchant that is woven throughout the piece.

Neil Thornock, a doctoral student in composition at Indiana
University, won the first prize in the Johan Franco Composition Competition
with his Sonata in three movements. The
second prize was awarded to Geert D’hollander of Belgium for his
Two
Poems for Children
.

Merger of Taylor with Eayre & Smith

John Taylor Bellfounders Ltd. of Loughborough, England, has
announced a merger with Eayre & Smith Ltd. of Melbourne, effective July 1,
2005. Not bellfounders themselves, Eayre and Smith is an engineering and
bellhanging firm whose primary focus is on installation, service, and repair of
tower bells intended for English-style bell ringing, or “change
ringing,” with rope and wheel. It has been in business for about 30 years
and had become the largest independent bellhanging company in the United
Kingdom. John Taylor Bellfounders continues a line of bellfounding that has
been unbroken since the middle of the 14th century and is now one of the
largest bellfoundries in the world. The largest bell in Britain, “Great
Paul,” the massive bourdon bell at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London,
was cast in Loughborough in 1881 and weighs 17,002 kilos/37,483 pounds. There
are several significant Taylor carillons in the United States, including
Washington National Cathedral, Duke University Chapel, and Bok Tower Gardens.

The new business will be known as Taylors Eayre & Smith
Ltd.  Production will continue at
both sites in the short term while redeployment of equipment and facilities
takes place at the present Taylor foundry in Loughborough.

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