carillon music and singing towers of the old world and the new BY w. g. rice File – 01 Introductory pages, Chapters I to VII, Pages 1 to 89 This document is provided for you by The Whiting Society of Ringers visit www.whitingsociety.org.uk for the full range of publications and articles about bells and change ringing CARILLON MUSIC and SINGING TOWERS of the OLD WORLD and the NEW WILLIAM GORHAM RICE ST. RO:\H~OLl>'S Sl:'llGING TOWER AT MECHLl:-.1 CARILLON MUSIC and SINGING TOWERS of the OLD WORLD and the NEW BY WILLIAM GORHAM RICE AUTHOR OF "CARILLONS OF BELGIUM AND HOLLAND" AND "THE CARILLON IN LITERATURE." WITH PHOTOGRAVURE FRONTISPIECE AND SEVENTY-NINE ILLUSTRATIONS DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY NEW YORK .. MCMXXV COPYRIGHT, 1914, Bv DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY COPYRIGHT, 1925, Bv DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY, JNc. PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF /t.liElUCA TO THOSE LOVERS OF SlNr.ING TOWERS BARON E. DE CARTIER DE MARCHIENNE BELGIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES AND JONKHEER DR. A. C. D. DE GRAEFF MINISTER OF THE NETHERLANDS TO THE UNITED STATES WHOSE ABILITY, COURTESY AND UNDERSTANDING ARE CONSTANTLY MAKING THE OLD WORLD BETTER KNOWN TO THE NEW VOORSLAG IGH tower clocks in the Low Coun­ tries play a tune just before the hour H strikes to anticipate and call attention to the message of the great bell about to sound. This tune is short and is called a voorslag. So likewise there will be here but a brief prelude. In accepting for publication my first book, "Carillons of Belgium and Holland," in 1914, John Lane of London said he thought I might have searched the whole world over and not have found a subject likely to be of general in­ terest upon which a book had not already been written. This opinion sustained the declara­ tion, two years earlier, of the Assistant Keeper in the British Museum, who wrote me, "I know of no work on carillons." It was indeed these words that satisfied me there was need of an­ other book in the world. Later, I ventured upon a second book, "The Carillon in Literature," and since then in pages of the National Geographic Magazine, the Mu­ sical Quarterly, Art and Archeology, and else- Vlll VOORSLAG where, I have told other parts of the fascinating story of Singing Tower music. What is brought together in this more ex­ tended volume is the result of continued explora­ tion in many old towns in Europe and in newer cities in America, and of study in libraries of the United States and in those of Antwerp, Brus­ sels, the Hague, and Amsterdam, and in the Bibliotheque N ationale of Paris. Still more, I think, it has come from fortunate acquaintance with men of lands other than our own who, sharing my admiration and affection for the people of the Low Countries, have co-operated in my endeavour to assemble in order, scattered and often obscure facts concerning the origin and history of a unique racial music. My thanks for assistance are particularly due to Mr. A. J. F. van Laer, State Archivist, Al­ bany; to Mr. Frederick Rocke, Organist, Choir­ master, and Carillonneur at St. Peter's Church, Morristown; to Mr. F. C. Mayer, Carillon­ Architect, and Organist and Choirmaster at the United States Military Academy, West Point; to Professor H. S. van Klooster of the Rensse­ laer Polytechnic Institute, Troy; to Mr. W. W. Starmer, Professor of Campanology in the Uni- VOORSLAG IX versity of Birmingham; to Dr. G. van Doors­ laer, Carillon-Historian, Mechlin; and to the pre-eminent carillonneur of the world, Mr. Josef Denyn. Above all I continue under obligation to Mr. Prosper Verheyden of Antwerp, Secretary of the Mechlin Carillon School of Instruction. Not only has he always been most kind in giving me the benefit of his valuable general conclu­ sions, based upon information accumulated through many years, but also he has put at my service unusual special material obtained in his recent journey in French Flanders. The courtesy of Charles Scribner's Sons of New York in permitting the quotation of the stanzas of Alice Meynell, of Jonathan Cape Limited of London in giving me the privilege of using some verses of Wilfrid Thorley, and of Houghton, Miffiin and Company of Boston in allowing the reprinting of Longfellow's ((Belfry of Bruges," is gratefully acknowledged. "The secret-which is also the reward-of all study lies in the passion for the search," says Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch. Certainly I have found carillon exploration, if not a passion, at least a stimulating avocation-one, however, which has x VOORSLAG required many hours of research at home and has absorbed no small part of several brief vaca­ tions abroad. Yet I am abundantly rewarded in the belief that thus·there has been developed in the English-speaking world, especially in Amer­ ica, an active comprehension of a noble com­ munity music. This music, assuredly, will more and more give joy and inspiration to multitudes of young and old, and will aid in promoting a democratic unity of spirit in our modern mu­ nicipal life. Travellers from other lands return again and again to the Low Countries, attracted by pic­ turesque scenes of market-place and busy har­ bour~ of city hall and church tower, of quiet canal and lush field, but only when the music of the Singing Tower is heard over all does the charm become complete. WILLIAM GORHAM RICE. 135 WASHINGTON AVENUE, ALBANY, N. Y. CONTENTS ALSO SEE INDEX AFTER APPENDICES CHAPTER I '.PAGE The land of carillons-Its peculiar attractiveness­ Architectural beauty of singing towers-Definition of carillon-Remarks of Charles Burney, 1773- The frontiers of carillon music-Stevenson-"An Inland Voyage"-Hugo--"J'aime le carillon" CHAPTER II Journals of travellers-Correr, 16II-Georgi, 1626-­ Garampi, 1764-Evelyn, 1641-0ther writings­ Hemony, 1678-Fischer, 1737-First comprehen- sive survey-Municipal records and local histories 14 CHAPTER Ill Ghent-The belfry-The bells-Principal carillons of Belgium-Of the Netherlands-Of the United States-Of Canada-Of other countries 25 CHAPTER IV Methods of play-Automatic-Keyboard-Pedal clavier -Technique-W. W. Starmer-F. Rocke-Anec- dotes of Ghent 36 CHAPTER V Bruges-Meaning of "belfry"-Flemish belfries-Mu­ nicipal ownership of singing towers-Longfellow at Bruges-His diary-"Carillon"-A night in Bruges-The carillon now-"The Belfry of Bruges" 44 XII CONTENTS CHAPTER VI J'AGI! The primitive carillon-Development in the sixteenth century-Municipal clocks-The voorslag-The "jeu de cloches"-Increase in number of bells-Im­ provement of keyboard and automatic drum-Im­ portant place of carillons in times past-Brussels -Mons-A christening at Mechlin-A celebration at Bruges-The twin carillons at Mafra, Portugal 58 CHAPTER VII Founders -The Hemonys - Their contemporaries - Pieter Hemony's letters-The van den Gheyns and the van Aerschodts-The Dumerys-The Wag- hevens 69 CHAPTER VIII Other Ancient Founders-Fremy-Whitlockx-Noor­ den and de Grave-Derk-Modern founders­ Present-day specifications-Old contracts-Cost of bell-metal-Its composition-Tariff tax-Memorial use of carillons-Character of bells by various founders 79 CHAPTER IX The charm of unseen music-Carillons and the sea-De Amicis-Music used in automatic play-Now and in the seventeenth century-Effect of air currents -The improved drum-Keyboard play-The music -Its character-Where to listen-Market day music-Recitals-Description of a keyboard 90 CHAPTER X Carillonneurs and their pay-Amsterdam-Pieter Cha­ telet's contract-Dirck Scholl-Pothoff-Matthias van den Gheyn-Haverals-Duties in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries-Hereditary playing­ First inspiration-Kindness of carillonneurs-A postcard canvass - Brielle - Schiedam - Delft - Tours suggested-Mechlin the climax 107 CONTENTS Xlll CHAPTER XI PAGE How the Mechlin carillon was got-Choosing the caril­ lonneur-Mechlin-Louvain-Bruges as host­ Prize competitions, 1897 and 1910-The Denyn fes­ tival, 1912-Presentation and speeches-The caril- lon school-The need of it-Its scope 122 CHAPTER XII Mechlin first visited-Charm of the ancient town-Re­ cital preparations-Saint Rombold's majestic sing­ ing tower-Denyn's superb playing-Music and national happiness . 137 CHAPTER XIII The Great War-Destroyed singing towers-Ypres­ Louvain-Arras-Elsewhere-Finest carillons­ Experiences of carillonneur at Antwerp-Bruges -Ghent-Mechlin-Declaration of Cardinal Mer- cier-The Hague Conference-Havelock Ellis 146 CHAPTER XIV War poems-"Flanders," Bonnaud-"Dawn, August 4, 1914,'' Finley-"Termonde," Conkling-"Christ­ mas,'' Van Allen-Hardy's "Sonnet"-"Mons," Jhorley-"Malines, August 17, 1914,'' Van Dyke 157 CHAPTER XV Journeys in the Netherlands-The province of Zeeland -Middelburg-Costume-Butter and egg market­ Children-"May Song," Marie Boddaert-Veere- Arnemuiden-Zierkikzee 165 CHAPTER XVI In South Holland-The Hague-The Vyver-Gouda­ Long service of carillonneurs-Canal boat voyage­ Delft-Hilaire Belloc-Rotterdam-Three carillons -Willem Van Loon-Leyden-Haarlem 175 XIV CONTENTS CHAPTER XVII North Holland and other provinces-Alkmaar-Cheese market-Amsterdam-Five singing towers-Cele­ bration of 25 years of Queen Wilhelmina's reign­ Nykerk-Amersfoort-Utrecht-Arnhem-Nyme- gen-Kampen-Groningen-Tower trumpeter 184 CHAPTER XVIII The singing tower in literature-Rossetti-Thackeray­ De Morgan-Van den Vondel-Chambers-Ben- nett-Dowden 194 CHAPTER XIX Other carillon poems and prose-Baudelaire-Roden­ bach-Macdonald-Browning-Van Dyke-Mey- nell 203 CHAPTER XX Music actually played-Folk-songs-Ballads-Dance­ forms - Preludes - Sonatas-Fantasias-Typical programme - Mozart - Mendelssohn-Schubert­ Van den Gheyn-Popular songs-"What shall the carillon play ?"-Comment of Richard C. Cabot- Instruction of American carillonneurs 213 CHAPTER XXI Tuning-Hemony-Five tones-Summary of W. W. Starmer-Seven tones-Definition and conclusions -F.