WELLINGTON’S BELLS

Hokitika Guardian, 29 May 1929, Page 3

WELLINGTON’S BELLS

AVAR MEMORIAL CARILLON

LONDON, April 10

ln the carillon of 49 bells which is to form the \V cling .on AVar Memorial, New Zealand will become possessed of a real treasure o» its k.iul, and as the many distinguished visitors who hoard .licni to-day acknowledged, a most wonderful possession for the Dominion such as is not to be found South of the Line. Admittedly the firm of Gillett and Johnston, of Croydon, who have cast them, are the foremost boll founders of the day, a position the firm lias held for eighty years. An old edition of the “Encyclopaedia Britannica,” in a volume dated 1875, says in .ts article on bolls:—“The new earilbn machinery by Gillett and Bland, of Croydon, now employed almost everywhere in connection with clocks and carillons .is incomparably superior to anything of the kind on the Continent.” What the “Encyclopaedia” said then over half a century ago is still true of Gillett mid Johnston—as the firm now is—for does not America, that land which- demands tiie biggest and best, come lo Croydon, as ilo Holland and Belgium, where the art oi the carilloneur lias ever been at its finest—Belgium, indeed, possesses a school for carilloneurs. Louvain itself with its University library now restored contains a 48-bell carihon from the Croydon works. And it is worth noting that old Louvain, the Archives of which went up in smoke in the Great War, contained some of the music of the celebrated carilloneur, Mathias van den Gheyn, as fine in its way as Bach and Handel. Fortunately some of his music was published. Ii was the Belgian firms of Van den Gheyn and Dumery who, with Hermonys, of Amsterdam, a:ione had the secret of harmonical tuning in the 17tb century. That, secret lost after their day was revived and improved upon at .he Croydon works. The revival in England was due to the research of Canon Sampson of Fittleworth, Sussex, which led to the improvements whi.li 10-day makes it possible to tune an extensive range ol bells exceeding five ohronatie octaves from 20 tons Bourdons up to little trebles weighing a few pounds, more accurately than Hennonys did three hundred years ago.

Oil the arrival of the. High Comings-, sioner for New Zealand, and Lady Farr and litti.o Aliss Christine Parr, who were received by Air Cyril Johnson, head of the,,firm, the assembled guests were then led into the factory, profusely decorated with Union Jacks and the red New Zealand Ensign,, where oil two steel frames were fixed tiie complete set;:of) bells. At the clavier, set below' the ground level,; Aliss Norali Johnston (sister of Mr Cyril Johnston), < who is a student ol the Alalines • CariT m School, played a nirmfber of selections‘to show the volume and sweetness of tone of the bells. The clavier looks like a queer sort of •rgan —the keys being separate levers, which have to be struck down by band with what appears to be considerable lower and action similar to that which some spectacular ’ piantists display. The bigger bells are operated by pedals, iust as are the deep notes of an organ. To relieve the’ considerable physical exertion necessary to play the notes at the low r er and of the register, which has hitherto been an obstacle in the develoiwnent of carillon technique —the six lower pedals of the clavier have’ been provided with specially-de-signed eoc rical connections. Air. Clifford Ball, of Bournville, then played a selection on the ' carilloneur’s clavier, the firm’s patent electro-pneu-matic mechanism., which has a dual function. One operates a paper band machine on the principal of the pianola, whereby tunes, specially arranged for enriilon music, are played—the neclianism being released by a clock at any intervals desired in the day. The other connects an ivory keyboard similar to that of a piano. This can be fixed in any part of the tower for use by a musician who is not necessarily a carilloneur.The automatic electro-pneumatic machine for the AVellington Carillon will bo equipped initally with two’ve paper bands to play the following tunes, especialv arranged for carillon music:—“Men ‘of Harleeb,” “The Bluebells of Scotland,” “The Atinistral Boy,” “Be Gone, Dull Care.” Mendelssohn's “Spring Song,” “God Save The King,” “Annie Laurie,” “The Bailiff’s Daughter of Islington,” “The Last Rose of Summer,” “Drink to Afe Only With Thine Eyes.” Rubentsein’s Afolody in F, “God Bless the Prince of Wales.”