Carillon

A carillon is a massive pitched percussion instrument.

It consists of a set of at least 23 bronze bells. These bells are hung in a fixed suspension. They are tuned in chromatic order to ensure they sound harmoniously together. Because of their immense size, carillons are among the world's heaviest musical instruments. Most weigh between 5 and 40 tons. The heaviest carillon, the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Carillon, weighs over 125 tons.

Carillons are often housed in bell towers. These towers may belong to churches, universities, or municipalities. They can be free-standing or connected to a larger building.

Playing the carillon requires a unique physical technique.

The performer, called a carillonneur or carillonist, uses a special console. This console features a manual keyboard made of rounded wooden batons. Unlike a piano, the player strikes these batons with a closed fist. The manual includes chromatic keys, which are short keys raised about 10 millimeters above the diatonic keys. The player also uses a pedal keyboard to play the lowest one-and-a-half to two-and-a-half octaves. This connection is direct, meaning the pedal pulls the corresponding manual key down.

This physical interaction allows for a wide dynamic range. A performer can express many different volumes through variation of touch.

Each baton is linked to a bell via a transmission system. This system usually uses wires made of stainless steel. When a player depresses a key, the wire pulls a metal clapper. The clapper swings toward the inner wall of the bell to create sound. To prevent unwanted extra strikes, small bells use springs to pull clappers back immediately. Large bells do not need these springs because their clappers are heavy enough. Performers can use wire adjusters called turnbuckles to manage wire length. These adjustments are often necessary due to temperature fluctuations.

The bells themselves are complex pieces of engineering. They are cast from bell bronze, a specialized copper-tin alloy. This alloy provides high rigidity and resonance. The weight and profile of each bell determine its specific note. Because casting is not perfectly precise, bellfounders must shave metal off with a lathe to tune them. They focus on five principal tones, especially the minor third overtone known as the tierce. This specific tone gives the carillon its unique sound.

While older European carillons used meantone temperament, modern instruments often use equal temperament.

Carillons are categorized by the number of bells they contain. To be a true carillon, the instrument must have at least 23 bells. If it has fewer, it is called a chime. Instruments with 23 to 27 bells are two-octave carillons. Those with 35 to 39 bells are three-octave carillons. A standard "concert" carillon typically has 45 to 50 bells, providing a four-octave range. Instruments with more than 50 bells are called "great" or "grand" carillons.

The range is often limited by the funds available to cast expensive large bells.

The history of the carillon is tied to the Low Countries.

This region includes present-day Belgium, the Netherlands, and the French Netherlands. The modern carillon was invented in 1644 by Jacob van Eyck and the Hemony brothers. The instrument peaked until the late 18th century but declined during the French Revolution. It saw further declines during the two World Wars. However, a second revival occurred after those conflicts. Today, UNESCO recognizes the carillon culture of Belgium as an intangible cultural heritage.

Many carillons include automatic playing mechanisms.

In Europe, this often involves a playing drum. This is a large metal cylinder connected to a clock mechanism. Metal pegs are screwed onto the drum's exterior. As the drum rotates, the pegs catch levers that strike the bells with hammers. This allows the instrument to play simple tunes or the Westminster Quarters at specific times. In North America, carillons more commonly use pneumatic systems for automatic play. There are about 700 carillons worldwide, with nearly 200 located in North America.