Carillons, musical instruments of bells in the percussion family, are found on every inhabited continent. The Netherlands, Belgium, and the United States contain more than two thirds of the world's total, and over 90 percent can be found in either Western Europe (mainly the Low Countries) or North America.
The World Carillon Federation (WCF) defines a carillon as an instrument of at least 23 cast bronze bells hung in fixed suspension, played with a traditional keyboard of batons, and tuned in chromatic order so that they can be sounded harmoniously together. It may designate instruments of 15 to 22 bells built before 1940 as "historical carillons". [1] Its member organizations –including for example The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America, [2] the German Carillon Association, [3] and the Flemish Carillon Association [4] –also define a carillon with those restrictions. Conversely, TowerBells.org –a database of tower bells of all types –defines a "non-traditional" carillon, which is an instrument that has had some component electrified or computerized. [5] These instruments fail to meet the definitions of a carillon defined by the associations of carillonneurs mentioned above. This list contains only those carillons that meet the definition outlined by an association of carillonneurs, such as the WCF and its member organizations.
Israel has one carillon, located at the Jerusalem International YMCA. It was installed and dedicated along with the rest of the newly constructed building in 1933. Gillett & Johnston cast the original 35 bells, the heaviest of which weighs 1,500 kilograms (3,300 lb). In 2018, Royal Eijsbouts cast a 36th bell, weighing 800 kilograms (1,800 lb), for the instrument. It is one of the only carillons in the Middle East. [8] [9]
Japan has been exposed to carillons through its relations with Belgium. Since the 1980s, Belgium has used a targeted cultural diplomacy program to expose Japanese artists and students to the carillon, and to encourage them to construct instruments in their country. The city and province of Antwerp and the city of Mechelen provided Osaka with a mobile carillon in 1984. Hasselt donated a carillon to Itami, its sister city, in 1990. Members of the Shinji Shumeikai religious movement, inspired by their trip to St. Rumbold's Cathedral in Mechelen, purchased a carillon for Shigaraki in 1990. The Japanese School of Brussels and the Royal Carillon School "Jef Denyn" established educational relations on playing and composing for the carillon. [10]
Two Belgian carillon associations –the Flemish Carillon Association and the Walloon Carillon Association –count carillons in their respective regions. According to their registries, there are 94 carillons in Belgium: 70 in the Flemish Region, 22 in the Walloon Region, and 2 in the Brussels Capital Region. They are distributed across 77 different cities; several are located within the same city, and two are even within the same building –at St. Rumbold's Cathedral in Mechelen. The population has a wide range in total weights, with bourdons spanning between 30 and 8,180 kilograms (66 and 18,034 lb). They also span a wide range of notes, from 21 (which the Flemish association considers a carillon despite failing its definition that requires at least 23 [18] ) up to 64. Many carillons were constructed over several centuries by several bellfounders; a minority are constructed entirely by a single bellfounder. The majority of carillons are transposing instruments, and often transpose such that the lowest note on the keyboard is B♭ or C.
According to the World Carillon Federation , the carillons in Belgium account for 14 percent of the world's total [19] and is consequently considered one of the "great carillon countries" along with the Netherlands and the United States. [20]Carillons are found throughout the British Isles as a result of the First World War. During the German occupation of Belgium, many of the country's carillons were silenced or destroyed. This news circulated among the Allied Powers, who saw it as "the brutal annihilation of a unique democratic music instrument". [21] [22] The destruction was romanticized in poetry and music, particularly in England. Poets –often exaggerating reality –wrote that the Belgian carillons were in mourning and awaited to ring out on the day of the country's liberation. Edward Elgar composed a work for orchestra which includes motifs of bells and a spoken text anticipating the victory of the Belgian people. [23] He later even composed a work specifically for the carillon. [24] Following the war, countries in the Anglosphere built their own carillons to memorialise the lives lost and to promote world peace, [22] including two in England. [25]
The Carillon Society of Britain and Ireland (CSBI) counts carillons throughout the British Isles. [26] Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers , a publication that historically concerns itself with bell sets outfitted for full circle ringing, also counts carillons in the region. [27] According to the two sources, there are fifteen carillons: eight in England, one in the Republic of Ireland, one in Northern Ireland, and five in Scotland. There are no carillons in Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Jersey or Wales. [26]
The heaviest carillon is at the Kirk of St Nicholas in Aberdeen, Scotland, weighing 25,846 kilograms (56,981 lb); the lightest is at the Atkinsons Building in London, weighing 3,194 kilograms (7,041 lb). The carillon of St Colman's Cathedral in Cobh has the most bells –49. The region has several two- and three-octave carillons. The heaviest two-octave carillon in the world –weighing 22,669 kg (49,976 lb) –is located in Newcastle upon Tyne. [28] The carillons were primarily constructed in the interwar period by the English bellfounders Gillett & Johnston and John Taylor & Co. [26] Almost all of the carillons are transposing instruments, all of which transpose such that the lowest note on the keyboard is C. [26]
According to the World Carillon Federation , the carillons of the British Isles account for two percent of the world's total. [29]The German Carillon Association counts carillons throughout Germany, and according to the organization, there are 49 in total. [59] They are distributed across 41 cities; in four of them – Berlin, Bonn, Cologne, and Hamburg –there are more than one. The population has a wide range in total weights, with bourdons spanning from 20 kilograms (44 lb) in Altenburg [60] and Schwerin [61] to 8,056 kilograms (17,760 lb) in Halle (Saale). [62] They also span a wide range of notes, from 23 in Bonn [63] and Lößnitz [64] up to 76 in Halle (Saale). [62] The carillons were all exclusively constructed after 1900 by a mix of bellfounders, many of them German. The majority of carillons are transposing instruments, and often transpose such that the lowest note on the keyboard is B♭ or C. There are also two mobile carillons, which were constructed and are owned by two German bellfounders: Perner and Sandkuhl. [59]
According to the World Carillon Federation , the carillons of Germany account for seven percent of the world's total. [65]According to the Nordic Society for Campanology and Carillons, there are 56 carillons in the Nordic countries: 29 in Denmark, [84] 1 in Finland, [85] 12 in Norway, [86] and 14 in Sweden. [87]
Heiligenkreuz Abbey, which claims to be the only Cistercian institution that owns a carillon, acknowledges that the tradition of playing carillons is not popular in Austria. [95]
Annual concerts since 1999 during the Gdańsk Carillon Festival. See also Traveling carillons below.
Selections of notable carillons in the United States:
Carillons are found in Australia and New Zealand as a result of the First World War. During the German occupation of Belgium, many of the country's carillons were silenced or destroyed. This news circulated among the Allied Powers, who saw it as "the brutal annihilation of a unique democratic music instrument". [164] [165] The destruction was romanticized in poetry and music, particularly in England. Poets –often exaggerating reality –wrote that the Belgian carillons were in mourning and awaited to ring out on the day of the country's liberation. Edward Elgar composed a work for orchestra which includes motifs of bells and a spoken text anticipating the victory of the Belgian people. [166] He later even composed a work specifically for the carillon. [167] Following the war, countries in the Anglosphere built their own carillons to memorialise the lives lost and to promote world peace, [165] including two in Australia and one in New Zealand. [168] [169]
The World Carillon Federation and the Carillon Society of Australia counts carillons throughout Australia and New Zealand. According to the two sources, there are four carillons: three in Australia and one in New Zealand. [170] [171] The largest and heaviest carillon is the National War Memorial Carillon in Wellington, New Zealand, weighing 70,620 kilograms (155,690 lb). [172] The carillons were primarily constructed in the interwar period by the English bellfounders John Taylor & Co, Gillett & Johnston, and Whitechapel. Almost all of the carillons are transposing instruments. [170] [171]
According to the World Carillon Federation, the carillons in Australia and New Zealand account for less than one per cent of the world's total. [170]Traveling or mobile carillons are those which are not housed in a tower. Instead, the bells and keyboard are installed on a frame that allow it to be transported. These carillons are often constructed by bellfounders for advertising purposes, though several exist solely to perform across the world. According to a count by the World Carillon Federation, there are 18 existing mobile carillons headquartered in 11 countries. [179]
The definition of a carillon is fixed as follows: 'A carillon is a musical instrument composed of tuned bronze bells which are played from a baton keyboard'. Only those carillons having at least 23 bells will be taken into consideration.
For the purpose of these Articles, a carillon is a musical instrument consisting of at least two octaves of carillon bells arranged in a chromatic series and played from a keyboard permitting control of expression through variation of touch. A carillon bell is a cast bronze cup- shaped bell whose partial tones are in such harmonious relationship to each other as to permit many such bells to be sounded together in varied chords with harmonious and concordant effect.
Ein Carillon (im deutschen Sprachgebrauch manchmal auch als Turmglockenspiel oder Konzertglockenspiel bezeichnet), hat gegenüber einem Kirchengeläut mindestens 23 Bronzeglocken (zwei Oktaven in chromatischer Reihenfolge), die mit einer Handspieleinrichtung verbunden sind. Diese Handspieleinrichtung, auch Stockspieltisch genannt, ist mit dem Spieltisch einer Orgel vergleichbar, jedoch in anderen Dimensionen. Die Tasten für die Hände sind als gerundete Holzstäbe gefertigt und werden auch Stocktasten genannt. [A carillon (sometimes also referred to as a tower glockenspiel or concert glockenspiel in German) has at least 23 bronze bells (two octaves in chromatic order) compared to a church bell, which are connected to a hand-held device. This hand-held device, also known as a stick console, is comparable to the console of an organ, but in different dimensions. The keys for the hands are made as rounded wooden sticks and are also called stick keys.]
We spreken over een beiaard (of carillon) als er tenminste 23 (2 octaven) ten opzichte van elkaar gestemde bronzen klokken aanwezig zijn die handmatig worden bespeeld met behulp van een stokkenklavier waardoor expressiviteit mogelijk wordt. [We speak of a carillon if there are at least 23 (2 octaves) bronze bells tuned relative to each other that are played manually with the help of a baton keyboard, allowing expressiveness.]
We spreken over een beiaard (of carillon) als er tenminste 23 (2 octaven) ten opzichte van elkaar gestemde bronzen klokken aanwezig zijn die handmatig worden bespeeld met behulp van een stokkenklavier waardoor expressiviteit mogelijk wordt. [We speak of a carillon if there are at least 23 (2 octaves) bronze bells tuned relative to each other that are played manually with the help of a baton keyboard, allowing expressiveness.]
... and the three 'great' carillon countries –the Netherlands, the United States and Belgium –are responsible for almost 70% of all carillons worldwide.
Only those carillons having at least 23 bells will be taken into consideration. Instruments built before 1940 and composed of between 15 and 22 bells may be designated as 'historical carillons'.
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: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)Die Tradition des Glockenspielens ist zwar in Holland und im flämischen Raum überaus populär, jedoch nicht in Österreich.[The tradition of carillons is extremely popular in Holland and the Flemish region, but not in Austria.]
у западним звоницима је уграђено 49 звона; 4 клатећа и 45 „свирајућих" (карилон). највеће звоно тешко је 6.128 кг, а најлакше има 11 килограма; карилон тежи око 19.000 кг; укупна тежина свих 49 звона достиже 23.755 килограма.[Forty-nine bells are installed in the western belfries; 4 pendulums and 45 "playing" (carillon). The largest bell weighs 6,128 kg, and the lightest weighs 11 kg; the carillon weighs about 19,000 kg; the total weight of all 49 bells is 23,755 kg]
The largest bell in NC State's carillon, ... required some 2,400 pounds of metal to be melted in two furnaces and poured into its mold; it weighs more than 1,800 pounds in its finished form.