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Carillon
A carillon (US: /ˈkærəlɒn/ KARR-ə-lon, UK: /kəˈrɪljən/ kə-RIL-yən) is a pitched percussion instrument that is played with a keyboard and consists of at least 23 bells. The bells are cast in bronze, hung in fixed suspension, and tuned in chromatic order so that they can be sounded harmoniously together. They are struck with clappers connected to a keyboard of wooden batons played with the hands and pedals played with the feet. Often housed in bell towers, carillons are usually owned by churches, universities, or municipalities. They can include an automatic system through which the time is announced and simple tunes are played throughout the day.
Carillons come in many designs, weights, sizes, and sounds. They are among the world's heaviest instruments, and the heaviest carillon weighs over 91 metric tons (100 short tons). Most weigh between 4.5 and 15 metric tons (5.0 and 16.5 short tons). To be considered a carillon, a minimum of 23 bells is needed; otherwise, it is called a chime. Standard-sized instruments have about 50, and the world's largest has 77 bells. The appearance of carillons depends on the number and weight of the bells and the tower in which they are housed. They may be found in towers that are free-standing or connected to a building. The bells of a carillon may be directly exposed to the elements or hidden inside the structure of their towers.
The origins of the carillon can be traced to the Low Countries—present-day Belgium, the Netherlands, and the French Netherlands—in the 16th century. The modern carillon was invented in 1644 when Jacob van Eyck and the Hemony brothers cast the first tuned carillon. The instrument experienced a peak until the late 18th century, a decline during the French Revolution, a revival in the late 19th century, a second decline during the First and Second World Wars, and a second revival thereafter. UNESCO has designated 56 belfries in Belgium and France as a World Heritage Site and recognized the carillon culture of Belgium as an intangible cultural heritage.
According to counts by various registries, about 700 carillons exist worldwide. Most are in and around the Low Countries, though nearly 200 have been constructed in North America. Almost all extant carillons were constructed in the 20th century. Additionally, about 500 "non-traditional" carillons are known that most registries do not consider to be carillons due to some component of their action being electrified or computerized. A plurality of them is located in the United States, and most of the others are in Western Europe. A few "traveling" or "mobile" carillons are fixed to a frame that enables them to be transported.
The word carillon is a loanword from French dating to the late 18th century. It is derived from Old French carignon (an alteration of quarregon) 'a set of four bells'. The word quarregon originates from Latin quaternionem 'set of four'; from quater 'four times'. The word carillon is often stated to have referred originally to a set of four forestrike bells, whose melodies announced the time signal of public hour bells, but this is not confirmed by archival sources. Some convincing evidence shows that the term referred initially to the medieval custom of chiming on sets of four church bells by pulling the clappers by means of ropes. In German, as well as using the French term, a carillon is sometimes called a Glockenspiel (lit. 'bells set'). This should not be confused with the identically named glockenspiel, which itself is sometimes called a carillon in French. Dutch speakers use the word beiaard, which has an uncertain etymology.
A musician who plays the carillon is commonly called a carillonneur (US: /ˌkɛrələˈnɜːr/ KERR-ə-lə-NUR, UK: /kəˌrɪljəˈnɜːr/ kə-RIL-yə-NUR), also lent from French. It and carillon were adopted by English speakers after the introduction of the instrument to British troops following the War of the Spanish Succession in the 18th century. Though the French word carillonneur literally refers to carillon players who are men, the French carillonneuse to denote women is not used in English. Another common term is the English carillonist, which some players of the carillon have wished to replace carillonneur because of the former's gender inclusivity, simple spelling, and unambiguous pronunciation. In 2018, the World Carillon Federation adopted carillonist as the preferred term for its communications.
The carillon is a keyboard instrument. Though it shares similarities with other instruments in this category, such as the organ or pedal piano, its playing console is unique. Playing is done with the player's hands on a manual keyboard composed of rounded, wooden batons. The manual has short chromatic keys (i.e. "black keys") raised above the diatonic keys ("white keys") and arranged like a piano, but they are spaced far apart, and the chromatic keys are raised above the rest, about 10 cm (4 in). To operate, the keys are depressed with a closed fist. The lowest one-and-a-half to two-and-a-half octaves of the manual are connected to a pedal keyboard played with the feet. The connection is direct, meaning that when a pedal is pressed, its corresponding key on the manual is pulled down with it. Since the mid-20th century, two keyboard design standards have competed for a carillon's console: the North American standard and the North European standard. They differ over several design elements, such as whether the outer pedals curve toward the center or the specific distance a key is depressed. In 2006, the World Carillon Federation developed the WCF Keyboard 2006, which is a compromise between the two standards. The organization recommends that its keyboard standard be used as a guideline when constructing new carillons or renovating existing keyboards.
Each key is connected to a transmission system by a wire, usually made of stainless steel. When a particular key is depressed, it pulls on the wire, which after interacting with other wires and pulleys, causes a clapper to swing towards the inner wall of the key's corresponding bell. At rest, these clappers are about 2 to 4 cm (0.8 to 1.6 in) away from the bell wall. Small bells are fitted with springs to pull their clappers back immediately after the stroke, so that the bell is not sounded more than once with each keystroke. This is not necessary for large bells, which have sufficiently heavy clappers. Immediately above each key is a wire adjuster called a turnbuckle. These allow the performer to adjust the length of the wire, which often changes with temperature fluctuations.
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Carillon
A carillon (US: /ˈkærəlɒn/ KARR-ə-lon, UK: /kəˈrɪljən/ kə-RIL-yən) is a pitched percussion instrument that is played with a keyboard and consists of at least 23 bells. The bells are cast in bronze, hung in fixed suspension, and tuned in chromatic order so that they can be sounded harmoniously together. They are struck with clappers connected to a keyboard of wooden batons played with the hands and pedals played with the feet. Often housed in bell towers, carillons are usually owned by churches, universities, or municipalities. They can include an automatic system through which the time is announced and simple tunes are played throughout the day.
Carillons come in many designs, weights, sizes, and sounds. They are among the world's heaviest instruments, and the heaviest carillon weighs over 91 metric tons (100 short tons). Most weigh between 4.5 and 15 metric tons (5.0 and 16.5 short tons). To be considered a carillon, a minimum of 23 bells is needed; otherwise, it is called a chime. Standard-sized instruments have about 50, and the world's largest has 77 bells. The appearance of carillons depends on the number and weight of the bells and the tower in which they are housed. They may be found in towers that are free-standing or connected to a building. The bells of a carillon may be directly exposed to the elements or hidden inside the structure of their towers.
The origins of the carillon can be traced to the Low Countries—present-day Belgium, the Netherlands, and the French Netherlands—in the 16th century. The modern carillon was invented in 1644 when Jacob van Eyck and the Hemony brothers cast the first tuned carillon. The instrument experienced a peak until the late 18th century, a decline during the French Revolution, a revival in the late 19th century, a second decline during the First and Second World Wars, and a second revival thereafter. UNESCO has designated 56 belfries in Belgium and France as a World Heritage Site and recognized the carillon culture of Belgium as an intangible cultural heritage.
According to counts by various registries, about 700 carillons exist worldwide. Most are in and around the Low Countries, though nearly 200 have been constructed in North America. Almost all extant carillons were constructed in the 20th century. Additionally, about 500 "non-traditional" carillons are known that most registries do not consider to be carillons due to some component of their action being electrified or computerized. A plurality of them is located in the United States, and most of the others are in Western Europe. A few "traveling" or "mobile" carillons are fixed to a frame that enables them to be transported.
The word carillon is a loanword from French dating to the late 18th century. It is derived from Old French carignon (an alteration of quarregon) 'a set of four bells'. The word quarregon originates from Latin quaternionem 'set of four'; from quater 'four times'. The word carillon is often stated to have referred originally to a set of four forestrike bells, whose melodies announced the time signal of public hour bells, but this is not confirmed by archival sources. Some convincing evidence shows that the term referred initially to the medieval custom of chiming on sets of four church bells by pulling the clappers by means of ropes. In German, as well as using the French term, a carillon is sometimes called a Glockenspiel (lit. 'bells set'). This should not be confused with the identically named glockenspiel, which itself is sometimes called a carillon in French. Dutch speakers use the word beiaard, which has an uncertain etymology.
A musician who plays the carillon is commonly called a carillonneur (US: /ˌkɛrələˈnɜːr/ KERR-ə-lə-NUR, UK: /kəˌrɪljəˈnɜːr/ kə-RIL-yə-NUR), also lent from French. It and carillon were adopted by English speakers after the introduction of the instrument to British troops following the War of the Spanish Succession in the 18th century. Though the French word carillonneur literally refers to carillon players who are men, the French carillonneuse to denote women is not used in English. Another common term is the English carillonist, which some players of the carillon have wished to replace carillonneur because of the former's gender inclusivity, simple spelling, and unambiguous pronunciation. In 2018, the World Carillon Federation adopted carillonist as the preferred term for its communications.
The carillon is a keyboard instrument. Though it shares similarities with other instruments in this category, such as the organ or pedal piano, its playing console is unique. Playing is done with the player's hands on a manual keyboard composed of rounded, wooden batons. The manual has short chromatic keys (i.e. "black keys") raised above the diatonic keys ("white keys") and arranged like a piano, but they are spaced far apart, and the chromatic keys are raised above the rest, about 10 cm (4 in). To operate, the keys are depressed with a closed fist. The lowest one-and-a-half to two-and-a-half octaves of the manual are connected to a pedal keyboard played with the feet. The connection is direct, meaning that when a pedal is pressed, its corresponding key on the manual is pulled down with it. Since the mid-20th century, two keyboard design standards have competed for a carillon's console: the North American standard and the North European standard. They differ over several design elements, such as whether the outer pedals curve toward the center or the specific distance a key is depressed. In 2006, the World Carillon Federation developed the WCF Keyboard 2006, which is a compromise between the two standards. The organization recommends that its keyboard standard be used as a guideline when constructing new carillons or renovating existing keyboards.
Each key is connected to a transmission system by a wire, usually made of stainless steel. When a particular key is depressed, it pulls on the wire, which after interacting with other wires and pulleys, causes a clapper to swing towards the inner wall of the key's corresponding bell. At rest, these clappers are about 2 to 4 cm (0.8 to 1.6 in) away from the bell wall. Small bells are fitted with springs to pull their clappers back immediately after the stroke, so that the bell is not sounded more than once with each keystroke. This is not necessary for large bells, which have sufficiently heavy clappers. Immediately above each key is a wire adjuster called a turnbuckle. These allow the performer to adjust the length of the wire, which often changes with temperature fluctuations.
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