Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1922-08-26

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The music OF the bells Is gaining
favor In this country. Another church
In Washington has just installed q
chime of bells, and the city for blocks
around leans out OF its windows or
stands an the street every evening lis.
tening Ia the concerts.
Under favorable conditions. that In
on clear day with traffic ut min
imum the bells can he heard for three
miles. so that people who are not
radio fans get music regularly from
he air anyway.
The distinctive feature Of this new
chime in that II can play THE Star
Spanelcd Banner" Seat which only
three ether SETS of chimes In the cOun-
try can equal. Patriotic Americans
who have recklessly tried to reproduce
this piece with their vocal chords
will remember that the patriotic air
rims the gamut Of the best part Of two
Octavcs. Most sets of chimes have
eleven bells This set was to have
hut fifteenth bell was added express
~ so that the unofficial national an.
them might be- played.
Memorial to Late Rector
The new chimes belong Ia the
Church Of the Epiphany. and are
memorial To the late rector, Or. Ran.
dOlph Mckim. AS the church Is the
center Of Washingtons downtown
shopping district the music Of the
chimes reaches large audiences. es
specially when programs are given at
noon.
Such music is rather novelty for
most American cities. A good many
churches that have peal of bells
rarely play them. and still more rarely
give programs of any length.
Few people who hear the tunes
played by the Epiphany chimes have
any idea of how the bells are rung
Some wonder whether the ringer pulls
on series Of ropes. or whether he
goes ircm one bell 10 another striking
each with a hammer. somewhat as a
XylophOnc player strikes his notes.
Considering that the largest OF these
lellS weighs more than two tons and
is i've feet in diameter. and some OF
the others are very little smaller. these
methods would be obviously i'm
practicable. No player however
agile. could play tune by lcaping
from hell 10 hell. sounding each with
the proper stroke.
How Chimes Are Played.
Instead. the bells are played from
an instrument very much like nm or
gan console. The instrument Is near
the top of the bell tower. 70 reach IL
the player climbs the tower by lad
dcrs fastened to the walls
The console is the only article Of
furniture In the little tower room. for
the bellringer wants nothing to dis
tract him. He must concentrate en-
tlrely o; tho business az gettin; clear
tones from the bells. The chime play
er of Epiphany says that when hp is
playing he cannot have anyone else
in the tower with him. No matter how
quiet companion might be, the play
or would he conscious Of another pms
ence and ut moment when his uttcn-
ton was divided he might strike the
wrong bell.
And II you dc that" the player
nddcd. Il, is certainly sounding your
mistake from the housetopS" There Is
nothing. lie explained Ia cover up the
false note; no harmony ~ sound as
on the piaau. The melody is carried
by the bells. one note ut n time as on
n violin or horn. except that the SLY.
nificnnce of ench note Is even more
striking in bell music. Ia chime
rendition the rcverberuting. clear-cul
tones of the bells make every note Of
the piece stand out In pItIlcss relief
pitilcSs that u.s. II you make mis-
take
Operator Gets Brisk Work.
The bells are struck by an elaborate
arrangement The wooden console has
row OF levers, one for each hell