Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-02-04
On Bells.

THE number of changes that can be
rung on a peal of bells is almost incred-
ible. 1t would take ninety one years to
ring the changes upon twelve bells at the
rate of two strokes 10 second; the
changes upon fourteen could not be rung
through at the same rate in less than 49,
575 years, and upon four-and-twenty they
would require more than 1T 900 billions
of years.
In 1896 the Westmoreland youths rang
a complete course of 5,040 peals-called
by the mysterious name OF grandsire
triples-in three hours and twenty min
utes. This was considered gigantic
performance, but it was fairly eclipsed by
the men of Kidderminster, who rang the
changes in three hours and fourteen min
utes-a feat which seems incredible, COM
prising as it does 1, ,267 ,453 separate strokes
or rings. Truly there were giants in the
land in those days.
But the bell.ringing of England, how
ever scientifically and powerfully per-
formed, is mere meaningless jingle com
pared to the beautiful carillons of the Con-
tinent; indeed the art as practiced in En-
gland belongs peculiarly to us, the Cont.
mental bells being almost universally
played by keys.
At Amsterdam, about the year 1900 was
born one Franz Hemony, who may safely
be styled the very king of bell-founding,
since he it was who wrought the colossal
peals of Antwerp, Bruges, Client, Utrecht,
etc. His name is frequently found in.
scribed on the Holland bells. The bells
are gigantic musical notes. At Utrecht
there are forty-two, at Antwerp over one
hundred. The general number is from
thirty to sixty, but in the Tower of Les
Halles, at Bruges, is the finest carlton in
the Low Countries perhaps in the world.
1t was on these bells, Glow and loud, and
sweetly blended" that Longfellow wrote
his carlton, as he lay
s"In Bruges, at the Fleur De Bic,
Listening with wild delight
To the chimes that through the night
Rang their changes from the belfry
ofthat quaint old Flemish CITY,"
Hemony arranged his bells in tiers.
Six or eight of the largest bass bells were
hung on the first floor of the beitry, per
haps $50 feet up the tower; higher still,
among many an airy arch and solid but
tress, hung ten or twelve smaller ones
highest of all, far away dim, dizzy
height, hung twenty or thirty more
These stupendous peals are sounded by
means of cylinder, on the principle of a
barrel organ, or played by keys by a
musician. Every tone and semi.tone is
represented, and the most delicate har.
mOny, the grandest chorals, and most in.
tricate figures can be executed on these
bells. But what giant in conception
and power must be the musician who pre-
sides over this colossal harmony; what q
sense of unlimited command over the
power of sound as he thunders out sonor
GUS grand chords, stately solemn melo
dies, gentle cadences of ringing mirth, Ol
soft floating phrases like dream of silver
bell what sense of supreme sway, as th'
grand music rolls over the country fol
miles and miles, filling the air with it
wonderful grandeur and beauty, and caus
ing the heart TO swell with emotion at tho
unutterable splendor of the music which
seems to float up to heaven and die among
the stars!-1he ArgOsy.