Arizona republican., 1919-10-25

QeNeIOpLlenI III DtlSluLl anu III 1AOl- land, so that this bell tower which it is proposed to erect in Washington will be in some sort a tribute to Bel gium and to Belgian hereism. Again the bell tower say those who know, is a syn bol of democracy. The first ones were built in those dark ages when common men first dared to strike against the expressions of the over | lords. They were then merely the means of calling people together. Gradually they grew in size, and the wonderful musical properties of bells were discovered and developed. First came the chimes, then the carillon. For carillon, it should be under stood is mammoth musical instru- ment upon which any sort of music may be played. It contains from 40 to 50 bells and each of these has several clappers or strikers, operated by power. The carillon is played like an organ from a room below the belfry, and has a keyboard like an organ or piano.
 In Belgium and Holland nearly ev- cry town and city has it's carillon, usually located in a tower near the center of the city and often in the market place. The bellmaster is a municipal officer, usually a musician of high attainments, and one of the most valued and respected of civil ser vants
 The bell towers usually play few bars of music at the hour, the half hour and the quarter hour. This is done by machinery and does not re- quire an attendant. But at regular in- tervals, usually about once week, a concert is held and the bellmaSter renders a regular musical program. It is said that S0,000 people often gather to hear Josef Denyn, the famous Bel gian master of the carillon at Mecklin, Belgium. He is the man whom the promoters of the scheme hope to bring to America and place in charge of their bells of peace.
 Some of these European bell towers are very old. The one at Ghent, for example, rang in 1914 to celebrate the making of peace between the United States and Great Britain after the war Of 1912, and it was planned to hold centennial celebration of this event there in 1914, but the world war inter fered
 The use of the carillon spread from Belgium and Holland to France, Italy and finally to England, where the carillon in recent years has become very popular. The English bell foun ders are now recognized as the best in the world and it is with an English firm, which has been making bells for several generations, that the promot- - CTS of the American project are now in correspondence. They asked for an estimate and received one which they rejected on the ground that it was too modest. The English bell makers are | fA H1 estimate for a carillon greater than any now in existence It will have A bells, which is said to be two more than any existing carillon contains. It's largest bell will weight over 12 0O0 pounds and will probably be the great est bell in existence, while the smallest will perhaps weigh not more than % pounds.
 It should not be imagined that the music of the carillon is a sort which ii takes much education to appreciate te All kinds of tunes are played on the big bells, popular as well as classical When President Wilson was tourins Belgium, Josef Denyn played at a spe. claI car1llon concert in his honor al Mecklin, and there "The Star Spanslee Banner was played on a carillo: probably for the first time. Those wh, fldQt the national song more impressiy. than ever did brass band.
 In order to make this a true memo rial of the war as well as of peace, tn, promoters of the idea are asking al Of the allied governments to contrib ute some material connected with tht war to be used on the construction O the tower. Thus Belgium is expecte, 10 contribute some stones from tn great cathedrals which were shattere, by German guns. A bill has been in troduced in congress appropriatinr copper and brass salvaged from Euro pean battle fields for use in the mak ing of the bells This, however, more of sentimental notion than
 practical eXpedient, as the metals use In the bells must be of the purest, an It IS not known whether the war relic will serve the purpose.
 In order to make the memorial
 truly national one, the money will b raised by popular subscription as ia as possible, though it is hinted tha money is also forthcoming in larg chunks. Every state in the union. tn District of Columbia, Porto Rico, tn
 Philippine Islands and Hawaii wi eaeh' be asked to raise money for tn making of one bell, so that every par of America will be represented.
 The most important phase of th project is that it represents an at
 tempt to play in America for the frs
 tune good music which is accessible { . al- Of this heretofore we have ha very little. In most European cour
 tries the highest musical ability is f
 be heard in concerts which are ire TN or which may be heard for very To, j. prices. Even in Latin- America, in th
 turbulent little countries of the We,
 Indies and Central America, nearl
 every city has it's band of genuir
 merit under a competent direeto ,u. which plays weekly in the plaza. Yo Jm can hear better musnc free in Sa ,a1 Juan, Porto Rico than you can A Chicago. All of the best musical abi ,or lty in this country is tied up by ii s big opera companies and sold at fro, ie S1 to $15 a seat. Our democratic idea o, do not extend to music
 ,o The carillon will furnish a sort , ;e music which cannot be capitalized il ns corporated or sold. The promoters bt ho lieve that if one is erected at the. ns Ao tional capital, other cities M ,1 promptly follow suit and the gre; u-t ,at bells will raise popular music to a ne i"' level in America.
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