WEIGHT OF BELLS

Taranaki Daily News, 23 April 1932, Page 3

WEIGHT OF BELLS

METAL FOR A CARILLON. . CHICAGO’S “E>IGHTEEN-TONiN®R.’’ 'The weight of metal in carillon -bells may be enormous,” said. Mr, Clifford Ball, the Bourneville carillonist, who has arrived in Wellington from England. .Recently he inspected some bells cast in England for the University of Chicago—a carillon of 72 bells, the heaviest of which weighed 18 tone. “Wellington’s heaviest bells weigh five tons,” Mr. Ball said. "One would think that such a bell would make a terrific sound, but when it was hit with the clapper it was as though it had been struck with a ball of velvet —a full, round, deep, rich bass tone which reverberated grandly, but not loudly. “’People must realise that-a carillon is a - delicate musical ‘instrument,’”, said Mr. Ball, “and when played by hand is capable of much expression. That is- why the Continental players do not favour the mechanical playing of carillon.”' Mr. Ball states that his duties at Bourneville consist of a recital of about an hour’s duration every Sunday evening and an occasional one on Saturday afternoons.