Friday, April 3, 2020

A to Z Joy: Carillon

Today's joyful object is the carillon, which I've often mistakenly called a bell tower. Technically, per Wikipedia:
A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in the bell tower (or belfry) of a church or municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to produce a melody, or sounded together to play a chord.
Traditionally, carillons are played using a keyboard and pedal keyboard to trip the levers and wires attached to the bell clappers. Carillons of a more modern vintage are played digitally, or even utilize digital recordings in lieu of actual bells.

The last carillon I heard was this one, in Victoria, British Columbia, in January.




And here's a short, fun clip of the carillon at the University of Chicago, which takes requests.





8 comments:

  1. I have incredibly joyful memories of a live performance of Tschaikowsky's 1812 Overture played with a real carillon (and real small artillery). So exciting!
    Black and White (Words and Pictures)

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    1. That must have been memorable! I would love to have heard it.

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  2. There's a carillon at the University of Rochester. It's always fun when some student plays pop songs with it.

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    1. A campus is a great place for a carillon. I wish our local university had one. We have a great pipe organ, but you have to be inside to hear it.

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  3. We have a Carillon here in Canberra, Australia - it was a gift from the British Government to the people of Australia to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the national capital. It sounds lovely. It normally plays every day and they host concerts there, but it was being serviced when covid started so now... but it will play again, eventually.

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    1. I do hope you get to hear it again soon, AJ!

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  4. Gosh, I have always called then bell towers too. Thanks for enlightening me. :) Enjoyed the clip- lovely! All the best for the challenge.

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  5. I had no idea that's what they're called, nor looked like! There's a church with a carillon right by us but I've never paid close enough attention to the tune it's playing--I will now for sure.

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