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

est note weighs only pr pounds. This
n not q recorti-breaking light weight
for a musical hell. In a four.octave
carlton. such as may be heard In Bel.
GUM. the hlghesttone bell sometimes
weighs as little as eighteen pounds.
Long Popular in Europe.
Though bells are coming into popu-
lnrity In this country. for war memo
rails and In church steeples. chimes
and chime players have not yet been
given the recognition here that Europe
has accorded them. For more than
four centuries the bells have held
high place In the life of towns Of
Europe. especially In Belgium and
Holland. Many Of the larger cities
In this pnrt Of Europe have cartllOns,
cOneaining several octaves and ut.
tuned to the chromatic scale. Some
towns have rs many AZ forty-tive or
fifty bells In carlton sets Of bells.
How popular they are in these coun-
tries may be Seen from the estimate
that there are about one-hundred
carillons In Holland and almost as
many In Belgium. During the war
some OF the Belgium sets were wrecked
by German troops and valuable old
bells were melted down TO make am.
munition. This was a cause Of great
Indignation among the Belgians who
look upon their bells as treasured pos
sessions
Regular Concerts Given.
The player Of the chimes abroad
has always been a figure of local Inn
portance and musician Of dstinc.
tion. Often he holds Office from the
city officials. Every day or at set
times he gives the townsfolk concert
of old melodies. hymns, folk songs.
even classical selections. through the
round. sonorous notes Of the bells.
William G. Rice. an authority Oh
the carillOns Of Europe. says In his
book on the subject that the bells in
some towers have been played for
hundred years or more on fixed days
and at the same hour. When the hell
master in one Dutch town obtainet
permission to play at nm unaccus-
toned hour for the benefit of Mr.
Rice. the inhabitants Of the town
were so startled by hearing the bells
at the unusual time Of day that the
newspapers had to explain the situa-
ton at great length.
How firmly rooted a tradition chime
playing is In these countries is shown
hV Nh, rauuirntu,nnts ~ Z, ,.,riIl.n
player In 1887, as described BY -Four.
din. He says that even AT this time
the carillon was already perfectly or.
ganized at Nivelles The player took
charge of the bells and sang In the
choir ''as much as possible" In return
for these services he drew u salary
Of 200 French pounds and six meas.
urcs of wheat. besides what he could
earn from playing at weddings and
special services.
Required 70 Teach an Orphan.
An interesting demand on this earn.
lonneur was that he must teach his art
To some child from the orphan house.
designated by the magistrate And the
writer adds that the aldermen of this
town exhibited still more their love
Of the bell music: "They established
carlton composed of seventeen lit.
tie and greater bells. intended to pro-
vide for the musical instruction Of the
children. the future carIllonneurs."
This was in the Sixteenth century,
and Belgium and Holland have never
lost their interest In bel; music Some
Of their finest bells have been com.
pared In artistic value 10 the violins
OF Cremona. Perhaps more than any
thing else such comparison suggests
the possibilities ~ the chimes.