CARILLON MUSIC IN THE DUSK

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 92, 12 January 1935, Page 6

CARILLON MUSIC IN THE DUSK

How Bells Are Played

HARD PHYSICAL WORK IN HOT WEATHER

Dusk on a lovely summer evening was settling upon the city of AVellington. The Campanile ou Mount Cook, wherein is maintained the War Memorial Carillon, traced its outline faintly against the deepening sky. At the foot of the tower people in twos and threes, some in motor-cars drawn to the kerb, awaited the music of the bells, for a recital was to begin at half past eight. Lights appeared in the tower throughout its height of 166 feet, the whiteness coming from inside emphasising tiie softness of the amber lamp at the top perpetually lighted for the nation’s war dead.

The scene was this ou a recent night when a representative of “The Dominion” joined a group making the ascent to the clavier chamber, where, for a small charge made by the Carillon Society, the official’ carillonist, Miss Gladys AVatkins, welcomes visitors to see her making bell music. On the way to tiie fifth floor, where the carillonist will be found at the clavier, one all but rubs shoulders with those of two great bass bells culled "The Somme” and "Reo AVairua,” weighing respectively just over four tons and nearly five tons. If one or both should be sounded at that moment, the air trembles as from a peal of thunder.

At present 49 hells comprise Wellington’s carillon, the largest, "Rco Wairua,” technically called a Bourdon, weighing 4 tons 19ewt. Iqr. 131 b., and the smallest 91b. Alongside of the two big fellows mentioned earlier, space is provided for four additional and larger bells to bring the installation to 53, as contemplated in the final plan. Outpouring of Energy. Tiie item Miss AVatkins was playing just then was the favourite of other days "Alice, AVhere Art Thou?” with variations. The theme saug sweetly on the treble tones against a chordal background from the heavier bells. The statement of the air without the embellishment yet to come, seemed to the onlookers to require the outpouring of a degree of energy not demanded by any other instrument. But this part was as nothing compared with the effort called from her for execution of the later elaboration of the melody. The variations sought the concerted action of hands operating the levers for the upper octaves, and tiie feet for the pedals sounding the big bells. The figure at the clavier became almost a flurry of limbs—molto agitato—and perspiration lay beaded on her forehead. In playing the bells, Miss AVatkins operates no less a weight than three tons of clappers, no mean performance for a woman of slight physique. Chopin on the Bells. Djscussing this point, Miss Watkins mentioned that of her repertoire Chopin’s "E Flat Nocturne” was the piece which required the greatest expenditure of effort. Music for the bells had to be specially arranged to suit tiie genius of the instrument, and in the case of the nocturne the essential embellishments of its theme could not be simplified. Consequently its successful playing was full of technical difficulty. In general, the pieces which were most difficult were those requiring the rapid use of the treble bells, such as some of the music written by the fainous Dutch bell caster and composer. Van den Gheyn. The operation of the levers needed similar treatment to the keys of the pianoforte, except that much more power was called for. Miss AVatkins has composed many pieces of her own for the carillon, and her work has attracted attention overseas. Her old tutor, Chev. Jef Denyn, of Belgium, perhaps the world’s most famous carillonist, brought a composition of hers, “Prelude on the Scale of O for Bells,” under the notice of the Dutch Society for Carillon Playing, which ha§ fished permission to publish the piece, together with Miss AVatkins’s "Ecce Salvator,” which she has dedicated to Chev. Denyn. Bells with Personalities. During an interval between items a woman, who had been inspecting the names of the bells listed in. the tower requested the carillonist to sound one of them. Later Miss AVatkins explained that, this particular bell had been given by the visitor in memory of a relative who had fallen in action. "Numbers of people conne up to identify their own bell, and they are much moved when it is struck for them,” she said. "The wonderful thing about this carillon is that each bell has its own personality and a sentiment attaching to it for someone.” Beside the principal instrument the clavier chamber houses also a practice clavier which sounds the bells faintly in order that the carillonist may try out music arrangements to determine whether they are suitable for the bells, and “so that I can test new music without inflicting pain on the public,” as Miss AVatkins put it. Then there is a mechanical player operated by electricity from perforated paper rolls like a pneumatic pianola. Its output is "canned” music, however, and lacks the full expression and soul which only a human player can impart.

Asked at what distance individual Items could be identified, the carillonist said that on still nights she had a regular audience at Kelburn and on Alount Victoria. Alystery and Loveliness.

The mystery and loveliness of carillon music has been beautifully interpreted by Alists Flora Klickmann, who has written:—

A’o one can give an adequate idea of the unique beauty of the music, and its ethereal character. Xo one can produce in words the haunting appeal in the singing of the upper bells, the majesty of the bass bells, and. the, sense of opulence in the air vibrant with a wealth of overtones that no other instrument can produce—sounds that hum for long after the bells have ceased to speak. It must be heard to be understood. No one is ever prepared for the waywardness, the unexpectedness of the tumult of music that will suddenly shower the senses with delight—and as suddenly float away, the merest gossamer-fragment of melody, that tho car strains to catch ere it has passed beyond recall.