CARILLON MUSIC.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 296, 14 December 1931, Page 9

CARILLON MUSIC.

Revival of Interest in an Old Art. WELLINGTON MEMORIAL. Miss Gladys Watkins, who will take charge of the Wellington War Memorial carillon when it is completed, is spending a few months in Christchurch. Miss Watkins has studied in Belgium, the home of bell music, and is the only British woman to hold the diploma in this branch of music. Miss Watkins gave a number of recitals when the Wellington carillon was hung temporarily in London. Arrangements for hanging the carillon in Hyde Park were made by one of the London daily newspapers. A large amount of red tape had to be unravelled before permission to use the carillon could be obtained. Finally a temporary tower was erected, at a cost of £IOOO, and concerts were given, to the delight of the Londoners, most of whom had not had an opportunity of hearing bell music. Interesting Time. “ That was an interesting time,” said Miss Watkins in an interview. “ Even in London they had never heard a carillon before. The fact that the bells were a New Zealand memorial and were played by a New Zealander was taken up by the newspapers. A number of recitals were given by different carillonists.” Bell music reached its zenith in the seventeenth centrry, when bell casting was at the height of its perfection. After that period the art declined, but during the past fifty years interest has revived, mainly owing to the activities of Jef Denyn, the most famous of the Belgian carillonists. Mr Denyn is head of the Belgian National School, where for fifteen months Miss Watkins studied. The revival of interest in carillon music has been parallelled by the revival of the skill of bellfounders in making bells. In Belgium and in other parts of the Continent there has been a growth of interest among casters, and England, with modern machinery, has lately become recognised as a serious rival of the Continental founders. Four Full Octaves. The Wellington carillon consists of forty-nine bells, giving four full octaves. It is possible to play fairly ambitious music on it, a chord of five notes being possible. It is not usual to play a chord of more than three notes because of the clash of overtones, especially in the lower notes. Old folk songs, traditional airs and even a Chopin nocturne are possible. The bells weigh from five tons down to nine pounds, and are played through a clavier which requires the operation of both the feet and the hands. All the music for carillon playing has to be specially written, as the technique is different from pianoforte technique. The tower which is to house the carillon in Wellington is nearing completion and it is hoped to have the bells in operation by next Anzac Day. The tower will be 160 feet high. In Malines Miss Watkins had to climb 409 steps to play the carillon in the 320 foot tower. “ I think they are giving me a lift in Wellington,” she said.