Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-05-27
A CHAPTER ON CARILLONS.
The Chimes of the Great CathedraIs
How they are Rung.

From CasselPs (English) Magazine.l
We venture to say that, although there
are several carillons unused for the
most part D in different parts of England
there are good many people who dc
not know precisely what is meant by q
carillon--a friend of ours suggested, the
other day, "a sort Of carriage" But in
Belgium, the classic land of bells, the
carlton consists of an octave or more
of bells, capable of playing tunes with
variations of all sorts, either by ma.
chinery alone, or by a professional man
called cdriiloneur, who plays upon a
keyboard connected by wires with the
bells. Every town in Belgium has its
carlton and cdritiOneur
On feast days the townspeople always
expect special performance on the bells,
and the carilloneur is often listened to
by an audience many thousands, reach
ing over several miles, the greater num-
Der of whom are at least as critical about
the quality of the entertainment as orr
enlightened countrymen who flock to
hear the ballad concerts of the period
Up in little, dark room in the tower sits
the player Sometimes it is in the tower
of a noble cathedral, as at Antwerp and
Mechlin; sometimes it is an old civic
belfry, as at Bruges and TOurnay. The
keyboard is not made of ivory, but con-
sists of two rows ofperhaps 40 or 80 pegs,
corresponding to 40 or 80 bells, tuned in
perfect scales. Besides the pegs there is
row of pedals, generally connected
with the biggest bells These are struck
with the feet, and correspond to
the pedal pipes of an organ The bells
themselves are hung high overhead in
tower. They are Of all sizes, and fire.
quently of all ages. The biggest will
often be large enough for two or three
people to stand upright inside of them,
while the smallest can always be lifted
by the hand. The oldest may have been
manufactured when Edward the Third
was reigning in England, whilst the last,
with its FURNISHED surface and sharply
cut devices, may have been turned out
by the great Belgian bell-founder, Sew
erin Van Aerschadr, but yesterday. In
carlton playing the bell is not struck by
a clapper but always by heavy ham
mer upon the outside. The hammer is
worked by the wire from the keyboard, /
and drops upon the bell just as the ham
mer of piano-forte falls upon the wire. |
Thus a cathedral is changed into vast
case containing a musical instrument I
capable of music for whole city.
At the appointed time the carrilloneur,
very lightly clothed, with his fists care
fully protected with thick leathern gloves,
and the sleeves turned up to the elbows,
.akes his seat at the keyboard. After
'miting few of the pegs by way of pre-
ude, he begins the performance, His
lists and feet soon deal with a colossal
instrument after a wonderful fashion
he begins by simple accompaniment,
putting down deep pedal bell here and
here, which resounds through several
,ars, whilst an air is being played on the
mailer treble bells. Attentive listeners
II over the town are eagerly waiting for
uceeed each other, the skill of the per
ormer is more and more severely tried.
10 one who has not seen and heard
arillon music would believe the COM {
,licated passages that can be performed
N this unwieldy instrument. The talent !
nd taste for carillons is a little dying |
ut even in Belgium; but in the last cen
nry. when music Was less easily obtained
y the people, this essentially popular I
1rm, this music for the million, was car {
led to an extraordinary degree Of per- {
sction. The music Of Vanden Gheyn .
J still exteni in manuscript AZ LonYain, Z
fep ekgaisile fragments have heep j
rinted and published bY the Ohevaler s
AN Flewyck, and can be played upon
he pianOf0rte or organ with considerable
feet. There are, however, few Gallo n
eurs nov living capable Of playing this a
Iusic upon the ben. The effeet must |;
deed have been exceedingly grand 4
II, in every sense Of the word, this bell 4
Ilsin is good music. II resembles che 4
ness inspirations af Raeh ana Handal q
1d Is written In the sfvle OF their Occa- Y