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CUSTOM DESIGNED INSTRUMENTS
A carillon is an outdoor musical instrument consisting of a minimum
of 23 bells and as many as 70. A group of bells numbering 22 or
fewer is known as a chime, such as the set of 10 bells in Berea
College's Phelps Stokes Chapel. Chime bells are normally used used
to play single-line melodies. Carillon music with harmony in addition
to melody and rhythm is made possible by having the larger number
of bells.
Berea's carillon was built and installed by the Verdin Company,
Cinncinati, Ohio, the world's largest maker of carillons and other
bell instruments. Richard Strauss, of Verdin, is the carillon's
designer.
Every carillon is a unique, custom-designed instrument, but the
basic structure and playing mechanism is the same for all manually
played instruments. The bells are hung stationary, bolted to steel
frames installed in the an open or enclosed bell tower. Only the
clappers move. The clappers are connected through a series of mechanical
linkages to the carillon's distinctive keyboard which is located
in the playing room positioned directly below the bells. Lever-like
keys are depressed with the loosely-clenched fists to play the
smaller bells and the larger bells are played from a pedal keyboard.
The forceof the player's hand or foot determines how loud or soft
the tone is.
At Berea, the bells are hung enclosed in Draper Tower, with sound openings
on all four sides. The unusually large playing room at Berea accommodates 15
-20 people to observe carillon performances.
VITAL STATISTICS ON THE BELLS OF BEREA'S CARILLON
Berea's carillon bells range in size from the 2,750 lb. "bourdon," or
largest bell, with a diameter of 50", to the smallest, which
is 5 1/2" in diameter and weighs 18 1/2 lbs. The bourdon was
the first bell to be raised and installed in the tower with the
others following in descending size order. The bells were cast
and tuned in the Netherlands by Petit and Fritsen Bellfoundry,
makers of bells since 1660, and are made of "bell bronze," an
alloy of 80% copper and 20% tin. With 56 bells, the carillon has
a range of four and 1/2 octaves, making it possible to play virtually
any piece of music in full melody and harmony.
Carillon bells are specially tuned at five different points inside
the bell, which ensures that each bell is in tune not only within
itself, but with all the others in the series. Once a well-tuned
bell leaves the foundry, it never needs tuning again.
MEMORIAL INSCRIPTIONS
Several of the larger bells have raised letter inscriptions and
intricate designs cast in bronze using the ancient "lost wax" process.
Inscribed on the bourdon is the College's motto "God has made
of one blood all peoples of the earth." Referred to as "the
Trustees Bell", the bourdon was purchased with a gift from
the College's Trustees Memorial Fund. On the third largest bell
is an ancient Sanskrit poem and on the fourth largest bell, is
a verse from Psalm 109, "Awake my Soul! I will sing and make
melody!" Former College president John B. Stephenson and his
wife Jane contributed to the project, and their names are inscribed
on two of the bells.
BACKGROUND ON BEREA COLLEGE'S CARILLON
Berea's carillon project began in the 1970s, through the efforts
of professor of music John Courter, with a desire to add more bells
to the chimes in the College's Phelps Stokes Chapel's tower. Since
it is difficult to match the tone and quality of old bells and
new ones from different foundries, a plan was developed to leave
the existing 10-bell chime intact and install a complete carillon
in the Draper tower. It wasn't until 1992 that a matched set of
52 perfectly tuned bells became available for sale. The College
was able to purchase the set with a memorial gift.
To finally make the carillon a reality, Berea president Dr. Larry
Shinn and the College's board of trustees had four more bells cast
by the same firm in 1999 and began finalizing the plan to install
the carillon in the Draper Building.
A NEW WORLD STANDARD
Although almost 25 years in the making, Berea's instrument is
in the
forefront of the carillon world. Working with the Verdin Company,
the carillon's
designer, Richard Strauss, developed a new world standard keyboard
using ergonomic studies and the best features of both European
and American keyboard dimensions (currently these differ significantly).
Strauss delivered a lecture on Berea College's new keyboard at
the International Congress of the World Federation of Carilloneurs
earlier in July in Springfield, Ill. Berea's new practice keyboard
received rave reviews from carilloneurs from around the world at
the International Congress.
Berea's keyboard also incorporates the use of connecting rods
made of polycarbon, rather than stainless steel, which can more
easily be bent. The flexible carbon rods ensure the carillon's
tone is not adversely affected.
TEACHING STUDENTS
Courter, an internationally known carilloneur and a composer for
the instrument, began playing the carillon while he was a student
at Michigan State University. He continued his studies at the University
of Michigan-Ann Arbor, where he received his master's degree in
music. In 1987 and 1995 he spent sabbaticals at the Netherlands
Carillon School, performing recitals and earning the Performing
Artist's Diploma, the carilloneur's highest level of achievement.
Courter has won several international prizes with his original
carillon compositions and his works have been published in Germany,
the Netherlands and the United States. He has performed throughout
the U. S. and Europe, and in 1993, was awarded the prestigious
Berkeley Medal for "Distinguished Service to the Carillon" as
a performer and composer for the instrument.
The College's carillon will serve as a performance instrument
and be used for student instruction. The historic Phelps Stokes
Chime, a part of Berea's campus since 1917, continues to be heard.
Its Westminster chime sounds every quarter-hour and students regularly
play tunes on the chime. Plans currently call for "bell sounds" from
one or the other instrument to be heard on campus at 5 p.m. most
days of the week.
HOW BEREA COLLEGE'S CARILLON COMPARES TO OTHERS
Berea's carillon brings to four the number of carillons in Kentucky,
and becomes the state's largest. Those at Eastern Kentucky University
and at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Louisville are played
from electric piano-type keyboards, which do not have control of
expression. The Carroll Chime in Covington is known as a "light
weight." Its largest bell is approximately 600 lbs. and it
has a range of four octaves.
Additional information is available at the Berea College website
(www.berea.edu) at websites for the Verdin Company (www.verdin.com)
and the Guild of Carilloneurs of North America (www.gcna.org).
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