Evening star., 1947-08-26
Convention of Cori|Ionneurs
Fills Luroy's Air With Music
By Hermon F. Sehoden
.. StoS Sfoff CORRESPONDENT


By Hermon F. Sehoden
star steff Correspondent
LURAY, Va, Aug. 26.-The carn-
lonneurs have converged on this
peaceful, green valley to fill the air
with music from the Singing Tower
of Luray.
Hardy pioneers of a. once for
gotten art. they blithely climb 108
steps to the bellfry for recital after
recital, thus regaling the natives
and thee tourists with the finest
assortment of bell ringing since Col.
Northcott erected the tower 10 years
ago.
Col. Northcott-97 when they laid
him away-would have been very
proud today were he alive to sit
home by his magnificent Luray
Caverns and have the carlton music
piped in to him as he once had the
54-degree atmosphere of the caverns
piped into the first air-conditions
house In America.
It was the first time the Guild of
Carillonneurs in America had hon.
ored-- Col. Northcott's remarkable
tower by using it as convention
headquarters.
Native Carillonneur Is Host.
T. c. Northcott, Union veteran,
preacher and later heating and
ventilating expert, took the money
tourists had left in his Beautiful
Caverns Of Luray" and put up this
tower in memory of his first wife,
Belle Brown Northoctt. Assisting in
the project was his daughter, Mrs.
Katherine Northcott Graves.
The man he selected back in 1887
to Operate" the carlton lit feet
above the green carpet of grass has
been playing 1t ever since and was
the first Guildsman to display his
talent during the three-day con-
vention.
The bellmaster of Luray is Charles
T. Chapman, AZ, and native. He
had heard carlton only once when
Col. Northcott asked him to "oper-
ate" the new instrument and
offered to pay for few weeks" of
instruction.
A musician Of some note, with
organ and piano background, Mr..
Chapman sought out Anton Brees,
noted carillonneur of Florida's Box
Tower. It took more than few
weeks-so many more than Mr..
Brees kindly consented to dedicate
the tower and play five weeks while
his pupil was learning.
Pleased the Colonel.
For more than a year after that,
Mr.. Chapman played the carlton
from anonymous heights, but well
enough to please Col. Northcott.
"Oh, yes, he told me several times
I was doing nicely" recalled Luray's
bellmaster. Mr.. Chapman could
speak with modesty, for Col. North
colts critical appreciation was
dulled by impaired hearing.
Il think he heard the carlton only
once" Mr.. Chapman unused. THAT
was when I gave him special con-
cert, struck the keys with full force
and stomped as hard as I could
on the pedals"
Today, the coloners carlton,
forged by one of England's foremost
bellmakers, would cost more than
100000 for the bells alone. There
are Al of these, ranging from one
weighing 7,64o pounds and spanning
6 feet in diameter, to the smallest
121z pounds.
The bells, which add up to about
20 tons, are suspended stationary in
a structural steel framework. In
stead of keyboard, such as piano
has, the instrument is played by a
clavier of oak levers and pedals,
each one connected to one of the
bell clappers.
Most carillonneurs seem to be
rather on the gaunt side. This
might. in Mr.. Chapman's case, be
attributed to the six trips daily up
1o8 steps he has averaged eight
months of the year for 10 years.
Takes Steps Easy.
IT don't think the climbing has
helped my health. or hurt it either" :"
said the 42-year- -old master bell
ringer. IT learned a long time ago
to take it easy on the way up"
To avoid extra steps, he had a
telephone installed in his concert
cubicle, and there's stove there for
chilly days. From the windows there
is broad vista of some of the pref
tiest hills In Virginia, and no setting
could be lovelier for the resonance
of blended bells.
Ten years after Col Northcott gave
him his operating" license, Mr..
Chapman is a confirmed carillion-
neur. AS the novice might suspect,
there Is a force, greater than man
that pulls him up those 108 steps
almost daily.
"Yes, there is something that
impels me, almost drives me to the
bells" said the man who plays in
the clouds. 1t is a tug more relent-
less than he feels who plays the
organ.
Critics Are Silent.
The neighbors are very kind. If
they don't like the bells, they don't
say so. And there are many people
who do not like the bells.
Matter of fact, there are three
kinds Of reaction to the bells" said
the man who keeps ringing them.
There are people who love them
Immediately; those who are rather
cool at frst, but later warm up tol