CARILLON BELLS.

Waikato Times, Volume 111, Issue 18625, 3 May 1932, Page 5

CARILLON BELLS.

IN ABSOLUTE TUNE. EXPERT OPINIONS. VIBRATIONS AND OVERTONES. Many people, almost all of them entirely unused to carillon music, have formed the opinion that some of the bells of the new Wellington carillon are out of tune (says the Wellington Dominion). One critic, bolder than the rest, has declared publicly that one hell is a quarter Of a tone flat, and several others are sharp. This is not borne out by expert opinion. The Carillon Society took the very greatest care possible to secure perfect tuning, even going to the extent of paying a special fee of £IOO to the late Dr. Stamer to examine the bells of the carillon as to pitch (tune), and, not content with that, Mr Sidney Nicholson, the organist of Westminster Abbey, was asked to officiate in a like capacity. There were no higher authorities to be obtained in all England, and their reports are to the effect that the tuning of the bells is perfect, Mr Nicholson saying as much in addition to a eulogy upon their musical quality (a factor apart from true pitch). Mr Clifford Ball, questioned upon the matter of the bells being in tune, confirms the other authorities that the bells are in absolute tune. Many critics of the bells have rushed to a hasty conclusion, without taking into account the puzzling effects of overtones which the bells create, the varying strength of tone of the bells, the varying strength of the air currents that are for ever playing round the IGOft tower, and the fact that their own hearing may not be infallible. Tho Truth of the Belle. ■ At the conclusion of a recent recital Mr Ball expressed himself particularly delighted with the carillon, and mentioned factors which' contributed to his delight, the comparative ease of the action, the truth of the bells, and the capacity to hear at the console the effect of one’s own playing (which is not always the case). The illusion that the bells, or some of them, are not in tune may exist for a time, but it is stated that when one is used to such music the real beauty of carillon music becomes apparent. A feature of carillon playing which has puzzled a number of people is the action of the player when sustaining a high pitched note. This is done by striking the note several times instead of just the once. The reason for this is easily explained. The sound vibrations from a small bell extend for less time on the air than do those from the larger hells. Where, say, a minim note lias to be played on a high note and a low one at the same time, it would only be necessary to play the low note once, while in order to sustain the sound of a small bell for as long as the big one it might be necessary to play it four times; otherwise only the lower note would be heard. So when both have to he heard for the same length of time the big one would tee given the minim’s length while the smaller one would be played as though four quavers were written for it. This is the only way to get sustained notes on the lighter hells. So far the carillon has not been played automatically. The apparatus for such playing is not yet complete, and it may he some little time before the carillon is mechanically played.

CARILLON AND CAMPANILE. QUESTION OF PRONUNCIATION. WELLINGTON BODY’S DECISION. Carillon is a French word derived from the Low-Latin quadrilio, a variant of the classical Latin quatuor, which means four. The old-time carillon was literally a “fourer,” because only four bells were used. The French pronunciation of carillon is approximately ‘‘car—ee-yon," but in the anglicised pronunciation the “1” sound is made distinctly. The Wellington War Memorial Carillon Society (states the Post), following the example of the Sydney University, adopted “car-rill-yon,'" which rhymes with “pavilion,” and with accentuation on the second syllable as the proper pronunciation of the word. When the Wellington hells were first played in Hyde Park, London, and were so successfully broadcast to millions of listeners-in throughout the British Isles, a spirited controvcry arose over the proper pronunciation of the word, “car-il-lon," with accent on the first syllable, being strongly objected to. The Advisory Committee on Spoken English of the British Broadcasting Corporation settled the matter by adopting the “carrillyon” pronunciation, which has now been generally accepted, thus confirming, though quite independently, the Sydney and Wellington pronunciations.

In support of this it is interesting to note that the Advisory Committee on Spoken English of the British Broadcasting Corporation includes such authorities as the Poet Laureate (Itobert Bridges), the editor of the Oxford Dictionary (Mr C. T. Onions), Sir Johnstone Forbes-Robertson, Mr George Bernard Shaw, Mr A. Lloyd James, Professor Daniel Jones, and Mr Logan Pearsall Smith. Professor Ernest Baker, of London University, in ids edition of Cassell’s New English Dictionary, confirms this pronunciation.

Similarly for the French words "carilloncur" and “carllloncuse," representing the player on the bells, the Wellington Society lias followed the example of the Sydney University by adopting the term “carillonist" and pronouncing it "carillyonisl,” the accentuation being on the first, second and last syllables. Campanile is an Ilalian word derived from [lie Low-Latin campain (a bell). The term campanile in Italy has been applied specially to detached buildings erected for Die purpose of containing bells. The usual pronunciation of campanile in English-speak-ing rounlrios is approximately “cam-pa-nec-lc,” with I lie accent on the “nee.” This is Die pronunciation adopted by the Wellington Society, hut there is another recognised version. which has less dignity—"eani-pa-nilc." with the accent on Die "caniaiid the ”nile” Y jsuuudciL Jii a.-J'hymo ,\XiUi "ejuilsV’