The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-07-27
CHURCH CHIMES
CROW IN FAVOR
New Bells at Washington Play
"Star SpangIed Banner"
MEMORIAL TO LATE RECTOR
Only Three Other Sets Of Bells in
Country Can Equal Feat of Playing
National Anthem-BeiIs Are Played
From Instrument Very Much Like
an Organ Console-Chme Player
Must Be Alone SO He May Concen-
trate on Work.

The music of the bells is gaining
favor in this country. Another church
in Washington has just installed a
chime of bells, and the city for blocks
around leans out of its windows or
stands on the street every evening lis
tening To the concerts.
Under favorable conditions, that is
ON clear day with traffic at a min
imum, the bells can be 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 is that 1t can play THE Star
Spangled Banner" a feat 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
runs the gamut of the best part of two
octaves. Most sets of chimes have
eleven bells. This set was to have
fourteen, including several half tones,
but a fifteenth bell was added express
ly so that the unofficial national an
them might be played.
Memorial to Late Rector
The new chimes belong to the
memorial to the late rector, Dr. 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. good many
churches that have peal of bells
rlrely 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 a series of ropes, or whether he
goes from one bell to another striking
each with hammer, somewhat as q
xylophone player strikes his notes
that the largest of these
bells weighs more than two tons and
is five feet in diameter, and some OF
the others are very little smaller, these
methods would be obviously i'm
No PLAYER, however
agile, could play tune by leaping
from bell to bell, sounding each with
he proper stroke.
How Chimes Are Played.
Instead, the bells are played from
IN instrument very much like an or
gan console. The instrument is neal
he top Of the bell tower To reach il
he player climbs the tower by lad
lers fastened to the walls.
The console is the only article OF
urniture in the little tower room, fol-
he bellringer wants nothing to dis
ract him. He must concentrate en-
irely on the business of getting cleaI
ones from the bells. The chime play
r of Epiphany says that when he is
laying he cannot have anyone els,
n the tower with him. No matter how
uiet companion might be. the play
+ would be conscious of another pres
nee and al moment when his atten
ion was divided he might strike The
,rong bell.
"And if you do that" the player
listake from the hOusetops." There il
othing, he explained, to cover up the
Use note; no harmony of sound al
n the piano. The melody is carried
Y the bells, one note at q time as OF
violin or horn, except that the sig
ificance of each note is even more
.riking in bell music. In chime
,ndition the reverberating, .clearcu
MES OF the bells make every note O
lie piece stand out in pitiIess relief
tiless that is. if you make a mis-
Ike.
Operator Gets Brisk Work.
The bells are struck by an elaborate
arrangement The wooden console ha:
row OF levers, one for each bell
hese levers are attached to a row
wooden rods whicl
Sc above the console and are in turf
with the bell clippers InAtht
Dry above BY a-system Of chains run