Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-18
NEWS OF MUSIC
By DAY THORPE

up Washingtonian, I took an
out-of-town friend over the
Skyline Drive last Saturday.
AS there was still enough left
Of the shay end Of the after
noon, we decided to go
through the Luray Cayerns.
about which I learned two
new bits of information
namely, that the green fungus
growing in the caverns is the
result of the installation of
electric lights, and that the
corporation that owns the
caverns is planning a corrolary
exhibition of models of an
tique automobiles.
AS we came above ground
amid a profusion of Ike and
Mamie pottery and other
prime examples of Virginia
art, we heard an enhancing
clangour of bells. Looking up
l recognized the tower of the
Luray carlton. situated in a
simple park several hundred
yards away.
It came to my mind that
there was a letter on my desk
from Charles T. Chapman.
carillonneur Of the Singing
Tower" inviting me to visit
him and learn something
about one of the most an
cient, austere and noble Of
all musical instruments. I re-
membered, furthermore, that
next Sunday chat is, today
there would be a concert at
the Phillips Gallery here in
town of a tape recording OF
a recital by Mr.. Chapman.
Organs, harps and even SYM
phony orchestras are more or
less portable, but a carlton
travels only on tape, as the
AZ bells alone, exclusive OF the
steel structure which supports
them, weigh 36,170 pounds.
Resembling, Ripping, Dying
The naturalization of the
bells, weighty and discordant,
was appealing. We walked
toward the tower. listening to
the simple hymns and carols
resounding from the open bell
chamber at the top of the dig
nif1ed obelisk perhaps $50 feet
high, ripping through the
chilly foothills, and dying away
in the silence of the afternoon.
The music was. for the most
part, unadorned tunes. but at
times it was in two and even
three voices. The plainest mel
ody, however. seemed fully
harmonized, for the character
istic jangling overtones of the
bells supplied a satisfying &C
compartment.
It was the least serene Of
music, this Ginning, the snarl
of the accommodating overtones
enveloping the plaintive songs
in an ancient and dissonant
winding sheet.
Finger Guards, Cut Up Shoes
The heavy door of the bell
tower opened into a clammy
and discheveled lumber room.
We climbed several flights Of
stairs, each leading to an empty
room smaller than its prede-
cessor, until we, reached the
top of the tower. Our knock
was answered by Mr.. Chap
man himself, a tall clean-cut
man in his 40s. who was
Just removing the leather fin
ger guards of the carolloneur
from his hands and the de-
lapidated cut up shoes Of any
pedal-board performer from
his feet.
The carillonneur welcomed
us with the delight of the
devotee with an opportunity
of expounding his hobby to
novices. Asking his wife to
cancel an appointment, and
setting up the heat in a small
oil stove, ne turned to the
keyboard of the carlton.
This clavier is not one with
ivory touches like a piano or
IN organ, but with little
wooden handles which are
either pounded by the fiat of
the little finger or else struck
with the f1ngertips as on a
conventional keyboard instru-
ment.
Bell Tone Theory
"What do you know about
carillons?" asked Mr.. Chap
man, who has been the caril-
lonneur of Luray's Belle Brown
Northcutt Memorial instru-
ment since its installation in
1887. 1 told him that / knew
little specifically about the in
strument. but that I had some
knowledge of the theory of
overtoneS.
1T will do you very little
good" he replied. "A cast bell
defies science and the laws
of acoustics. The distin-
gushing feature of a bell tone
is that the second haromic--
the first above the funda-
mental, that isis a minor
third above that fundamental.
You can also hear a hum tone
an octave below the funda-
mental and a perfect fifth and
minor seventh above. But the
minor third is the important
overtone, for it is very strong
and lasts much longer than
the fundamental itself which
dies away quickly after it is
struck. Listen"
He demonstrated the acous-
tics Of his Al bells which he
Could play from the merest
whisper Of a pianissimo to a
deafening forte.
intoxicated BY DiscOrds
1--WE carillonneurs can play
absolutely nothing but success