MELODY OF BELLS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 150, 29 June 1929, Page 14

MELODY OF BELLS

WELLINGTON CARILLON

INAUGURATION BY PRINCE

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 18th May. The "Wellington Carillon is one of tliu chief attractions of the Newcastle Exhibition. The- proprietors of the '.'Newcastle Chronicle" have provided a fine campanile to house it. This campanile or tower is 70ft high, and "occupies a commanding position on the edge of a lake in the Exhibition grounds. When it was known that the Prince of Wales would visit the bell tower on the opening day, an enormous concourse of people, numbering probably 20,000 assembled in a vast semi-circle on the heights above the lake, from which a wonderful view of the proceedings was obtained. A desire to hear the music of the carillon was everywhere evinced. The tower was approached by a flight of steps leading from the lake-side terrace. At the base, forming a miniature guard of honour, were sixteen "Evening Chronicle" boy messengers, in their smart uniforms of scarlet and goll. The Prince and his entourage approached the tower from the Palace of Arts. He was received by Mr. Edward Tebbutt, managing director of Newcastle Chronicle, Ltd., and director of Allied Newspapers, Ltd., and Mr. V Ewarf Berry, director of Newcastle Chronicle, Ltd., with whom were His. Ewart Berry and Miss Theodora Tebbutt. . Following presentations by the Lord Mayor, Mr. Tebbutt requested the Prince to press a small electric button, set in the fabric of the tower. This sot in motion the pianola apparatus which is sometimes used to actuate the bells. The next moment the melody of the bells informed the waiting thousands that the carillon had been royally inaugurated. This brought forth cheers from the thousands of people. As the bells were pealing the Prince stopped to listen attentively, and then expressed high praise of the tone to Sir James Parr. Sir James Parr told the Prince of the history and meaning of the carillon, and tho Prince was obviously impressed when he knew that this was New ; Zealand's War Memorial. ana that it was being played here by permission of the New Zealand authorities before being sent away to its home in the farthermost Dominion. NEW ZEALAND DAY. Yesterday, when Sir James Parr had opened the New Zealand section of the Exhibition, the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress, the High Commissioner and his party proceeded to the carillon tower. Mrs. Lambert (the Lady Mayoress) is an accomplished musician and she was very interested in tho instrument. After she had had some conversation with Mr. Clifford E. Ball, Britain's chief carilloneur—whose services were obtained by the kind permission of the .Bournville Trust—she asked if she might play. The Lady Mayoress then took her seat, and without any further instruction from Mr. Ball,- began to play. First Mrs. Lambert played "Land of Hope and Glory," and then, at the Lord Mayor's own request, the impressive hymn, "Now the Day is Over." She. finished with "The Song of Northumberland," which she has just composed, and which is now in the hands of the publisher. The Lord Mayor and Sir James Panboth warmly congratulated her on her playing. \Mr. Ball was very impressed. "I have never heard the carillon played so well at a first attempt," he declared. •« . The. Lord Mayor was also very enthusiastic about the bells, saying, "I think they aro one of the greatest attractions in the Exhibition. The idea of having a carillon as a war memorial is splendid. I wish now Newcastle could have something like this, for its tunes always make the people remember those who gave their lives in the Great War." Mr. Ball played several tunps. First the carillon thundered out the impressive dignity of "Land of Hope ana Glory," and then "Men of Harlech," and Mr. Ball displayed the amazing musical qualities of the bells by contrasting these martial airs with "Oh, for the Wings of a Dove." Every, day during the course of tho Exhibition a carillon programme will be given by Mr. Ball, and Sunday recitals will also bo given.