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The BulletinVolume 61, 2012

A CARILLON is a musical instrument consisting of at least two octaves of carillon bells arranged in chromatic series and played from a keyboard permitting control of expression through variation of touch. A carillon bell is a cast bronze cup-shaped bell whose partial tones are in such harmonious relationship to each other as to permit many such bells to be sounded together in varied chords with harmonious and concordant effect.

from the Articles of Incorporation of The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America

Published occasionally by The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America

Editor:John Bordley, 735 University Ave., Sewanee, Tennessee 37383-1000

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Editor and do not necessarily have the endorsement of The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America.

Back issues may be obtained by contacting the Editor, John Bordley.Starting with Volume 56, 2007, PDF files of the Bulletin are available

in the Members’ Section of the Guild’s website: www.gcna.org

Copyright ©2012 by The Guild of Carillonneurs in North AmericaPrinted in September 2012 by Print Services, Sewanee: The University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee

 

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Honorary MembersCharles K. Arter †William H. Barger

Ronald M. Barnes †Arthur Baxter †

Olive Langton Beddoe †William D. BiggsNellie Lee Bok †

Bertram H. Borden †Beverly B. Buchanan

Keith and Joan BunnelLee A. Carter

Jerry and Evelyn Hemmings Chambers †Marilyn Clark †

Jane Bancroft CookJohn Courter †

Florence S. Marcy Crofut †Mary Mesquita Dahlmer †

Julia Noyes DeForest †Emilie deHellebranth †

William De TurkAlan R. Dragone †

Dr. Charles W. Drury †Janet S. Dundore †

Dr. Christiaan Engels†Morris J. Evinger †

Charles W. L. and Margaret H. Foreman†Roy Fruehauf †

W. Dudley Gale III †Richard Gegner

Albert C. GerkenKenneth M. Gettelman †

Lucille Freeman Glasscock †Frank Cecil Godfrey †

William T. and Kathryn M. GossettThe Most Rev. T. J. Grady †

Katherine Northcott Graves †Charlotte Nichols Greene †

William H. Greer, Jr.George GregoryMargo HalstedLeen ‘t Hart †

Jo HaazenThomas Hogan, Jr. †

Arthur H. Houghton †Frank M. HubbardJean Butz James

The Rev. John H. Johnson †Roy Hamlin JohnsonWilliam Verne Joy †

Otto Kaap †C. Ellison Kaumeyer †

Raymond A. Keldermans †Margaret Stanton Kirshman †

Peter LangbergJacques Lannoy

William D. Lawson IIIDr. Kamiel Lefévere †

Charles J. Livingood †Ann Lurie

Jacques MaassenSir Ernest MacMillan †

Sonia S. Maguire †Dr. Joseph Marsh †

Frederick C. Mayer †Dr. Carl McFarland †Drayton McLane, Jr.

Elizabeth Wallace McLeanJohn Talmadge McMillan †

The Hon. Thomas B. McQueston †John S. Middleton

Dr. Earl V. Moore †Alice Elliot Moses†Milford H. Myhre

Staf Nees †Grace Miller Niederlander †

Lester A. Nordan †Pearl Nugent Nordan †

Major Harry M. Nornabell †Arthur H. Pickford, Jr.

Sally Pigford †Albert D. Pittis

Bertram H. Pittis †Walter F. PittisRufus Porter

The Presser FoundationF. Percival Price †

Charles V. Rainwater III †William Gorham Rice, Jr. †

Dr. Luther A. RichmanH. Beale Rollins † and Mary Rollins †

William J. Rushton II †Theophil Rusterholz †

Parker David Sanders †Shirley Wallace Sarver †

The Very Rev. Francis B. Sayre, Jr.Henry P. Schneider †

Ira Schroeder †Chuck Seidel

Buford Scott † Hamer and Phyllis ShaferLarry and Kathryn Smith

Edgar W. Stanton †Stanley Daniel Stearns, Jr.

Floyd B. TaylorWalter F. Tilton †

Piet van den Broek †Gary K. Walker

Richard and Mary Ann WallaceSally Slade Warner †

Alicia Porter Washam †Carl M. Williams

Honorary PresidentWilliam Gorham Rice †

† deceased (as of 2012)

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Contents

Honorary Members 2

Group Photographs of Attendees at the 70th GCNA Congress 4

The 2012 GCNA Congress, Clemson, South Carolina 7by Caroline Poon

Cast in Bronze 14by Frank DellaPenna

An American in Leuven: Arthur Bigelow’s Years in Belgium 25by Luc Rombouts

The Editor’s Page

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70th Congress of the GCNA, Clemson, South Carolina

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(1-8): Linda Dzuris, Sue Bergren, Julianne Vanden Wyngaard, John Widmann, Laura Ellis, Tim Sleep, David Hunsberger, David Johnson

(9-19): Helen Hawley, Joy Banks, Linda Pointer, Carol Anne Taylor, Wylie Crawford, Sally Harwood, Andrea McCrady, Phyllis Webb, Katherine Zhou, Vera Wünsche, Lynnli Wang

(20-36): Margo Halsted, Ferdinand Pointer, Amanda Rutherford, Shannon Richards, Nick Huang, John Bordley, Kathy Sleep, Jessica Hsieh, John Gouwens, Michael Solotke, Kevin Zhang, Caroline Poon, Joey Brink, Carla Staffaroni, Geert D’hollander, Mary Kennedy, George Gregory

(37-51): Jennifer Beam, Jim Fackenthal, Richard Giszczak, Mark Geary, Lynnette Geary, Jeremy Domingo, Ellen Dickinson, Roy Lee, Sue Jones, Jeremy Chesman, Erica Ho, Jenni Xia, Mary McFarland, Carl Zimmerman, Marjorie Zimmerman

(52-65): Rick White, Tabithe White, Thomas Lee, Stephen Hall, Larry Brandenburg, Marlene Payne, Chelsea Vaught, Mitchell Stecker, Judy Ogden, Thomas Bond, Paula Kubik, Harry van Bergen, Kathy Miller, Rick Watson

(66-84): Barrett Smith, Richard Gegner, Mark Bergren, Peter Olejar, Bill McHarris, Frances Newell, Ray McLellan, Carlo Van Ulft, Milford Myhre, Carol Lens, Jacques Maassen, Buck Lyon-Vaiden, Stephen Knight, Elsa Slater, Sam Hammond, Gordon Slater, Gerald Martindale, Tom Collins, Eddy Marien

Not pictured: Philippe Paccard, Bart Richards, Claire Tse, Bob Verdin, TimVerdin

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The 2012 GCNA Congress, Clemson, South CarolinaBy Caroline Poon

Tillman Hall and the Clemson Memorial Carillon

Over a brilliantly sunny week in South Carolina, Clemson University welcomed the 70th Congress

of the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America, 18–22 June 2012. Linda Dzuris hosted the congress, which celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Clemson Memorial Carillon. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Clemson University is a spirited community that clearly takes pride in its carillon. The forty-seven-bell Paccard carillon was dedicated on 18 October 1987, an expansion of the six-bell peal installed in 1985.The congress began on the evening of 18 June with a reception and two recitals. Mary McFarland played the opening recital, a quietly elegant beginning for an elegant campus. J. Samuel Hammond followed with an energetic response, and the contrast provided by the two recitals prepared the attendees for all the listening and learning that was to come.

Linda Dzuris

Mary McFarlandSinfonia for Carillon from Saul ..............................George Frideric Handel

arr. Ronald Barnes

Petite Suite Française ........................ Albert de KlerkI. PreludeII. MenuetIII. Gigue

Four Scottish Folksong Preludes .............. John KnoxJock O’ Hazeldean arr. BarnesJohn Anderson, My Jo, JohnO Gin I Were Where Gadie RinsThe Laird O’ Drum

Carillon at Twilight, Op. 17 ................John Gouwens

Kôjyô no Tsuki (The moon over the ruins of a castle) ...............................Rentaro Taki

arr. Yoko Takabe

Sonata Harnésta ......................................A. van OoikToccatineIntermezzoFuga

J. Samuel HammondPreludes on Australian Christmas Carols ..................................................Ronald Barnes

Noel TimeChristmas Bush for His AdorningChristmas Night

Variations on There was a Snow-White Bird ..............Albert Gerken

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Oudenaarade 1510: Variations on Salve Regina ................................... Peter Paul Olejar

Mélodie traditionelle de Picardie ................................Roy Hamlin Johnson

A Gregorian Suite .....................John J. H. HammondSt. Anthony’s PreludeSt. Thomas’s FugueSt. George’s Chaconne

The Interrupted Dance from Three Dream Dances ...................................... Barnes

J. Samuel Hammond and Mary McFarland

This year’s first-time attendee orientation by Carol Anne Taylor included congress survival kits with items such as sponges “to help absorb everything.” For return attendees, the day began with the first business meeting, with greetings from absent friends, dates of future congresses, and the announcement by committee chair Margo Halsted of two successful candidates of the new associate carillonneur examination: Ethan Schwartz and Janet Vong of the University of California Santa Barbara. President Dave Johnson reported that the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America has established a formal relationship between the GCNA and Bok Tower for the ongoing preservation and organization of the guild’s archives. Bok Tower archivist Joy Banks will oversee the process.

Joy Banks

Morning presentations included the MELT method for preventing shoulder and lower back tension by Lian-Marie Holmes, and a host performance of Jan Verheyen’s Rocky het Klokkie, translated for an ensemble of Clemson students, faculty, and staff into Billy the Bell. Billy the Bell taught us that even the smallest of us, be we bell or bell-player, has a place where he is needed and belongs. He might search the world over for this place, but sometimes it was there all along, right at home in his own tower.

Part of the cast of Billy the Bell

In the afternoon, Vera Wünsche and Katherine Zhou presented the first two candidate recitals. The examination committee recommended both candidates for membership, and both were approved as carillonneur members at a subsequent business meeting. Candidate #1Vera WünscheStudent of Ellen Dickinson

Chanson Triste from Suite No. 4 ............John Courter

Walking on Clouds ........................ Geert D’hollander

Tempo di Borea ...........................................J. S. Bach arr. Albert Gerken

Suite in Popular Style from Ballade ......John Courter

On the San Antonio River ................... Robert Byrnes

Reflexies ......................................... Jacques Maassen

Candidate #2Katherine ZhouStudent of Ellen Dickinson

Chanson Triste from Suite No. 4 ............John Courter

Menuet en Trio voor Beiaard ...................... Staf Nees

Carillon at Twilight .............................John Gouwens

Fantasie over een Russisch Volksliedje ............................. Frank Steijns

Jan de Mulder Suite .......................... Jos D’hollander

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After the examination recitals, Sallie McKenzie, director of marketing and communications for the Brooks Center for the Performing Arts spoke about creating effective marketing messages. Then Laura Ellis gave a talk on Bert Gerken’s arrangements and original compositions, with examples and formal structures. The presentation and subsequent discussion were full of fascinating insights and details informed by the kinds of personal knowledge that newer carillonneurs hunger to hear. One example was the tale of how 18 Variations on “Chopsticks” came to be written. This presentation was paired with Helen Hawley’s recital of Gerken’s music, giving attendees the opportunity to apply what they had just learned to their listening.

Our noble president

Helen HawleyAll music arranged or composed by

Albert GerkenLeyenda .................................................Isaac Albéniz

The Ural Rowan Tree from Three Russian Folksongs ......................... E. Rodygin

Toccata .................................................Albert Gerken

Pastel in Bronze ..............................................Gerken

Gavotte en Rondeau from Partita III for Solo Violin ...................................................J. S. Bach

Prelude and Fugue ..........................................Gerken

Prelude from Suite I for Unaccompanied Cello ................................J. S. Bach

18 Variations on Chopsticks ............................Gerken

The first full day of the Congress ended with a pizza party at the President’s Box at Clemson Memorial Stadium sponsored by the Verdin Company and the Royal Bellfoundry Petit & Fritsen.In the morning, Jessica Hsieh presented a third examination recital. The examination committee recommended her for membership, and she was approved as a carillonneur member at the afternoon business meeting.Candidate #3Jessica HsiehStudent of Ellen Dickinson

Image No. 2 ........................................Emilien Allard

Sicilienne from Serenade I..................Ronald Barnes

Gaudi’s Chimneys ..................................John CourterI. The Undulating Chimneys of Casa BattlóII. The Mushroom Chimneys of Park Güell

Tempo di Borea ...........................................J. S. Bach arr. Albert Gerken

First Venetian Gondola Song, Op. 11, No. 6 .....................Felix Mendelssohn arr. Don Cook

Toccata Festevole from Suite No. 1 for Carillon ................................. Courter

Following the examination recital, there was a recital of duet music by Julianne Vanden Wyngaard and George Gregory. After assembling for the congress photo, attendees ate a box lunch while listening to the recital of new music. As always, the recital served as a means for attendees to know what new publications to shop for at the music sales tables.Julianne Vanden Wyngaard and George Gregory

Classical Country Dances ...................Ronald BarnesNo. 1 AllegrettoNo. 3 AllegroNo. 6 Finale, Allegro

Andante Cantabile .......................................... Barnes

From A Summer Serenade ............ Geert D’hollanderPromenadeSiciliana

Sarabande ........................................................ Barnes

From Folk Songs ............................................. BarnesBarb’ra AllenBilly Boy

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New Music RecitalWhen I Was A Lad from H. M. S. Pinafore ..........Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan arr. Gordon Slater

Carillon Impromptu on The Little Old Sod Shanty ................................. Slater

The Pirate King’s Song from The Pirates of Penzance ............................... Sullivan arr. Slater

Gordon Slater

Toccata and Fugue in D Minor ...................J. S. Bach arr. Chesman

Girl with the Flaxen Hair ................. Claude Debussy arr. Samuel Spilman

Jeremy Chesman

Adelita ............................................Francisco Tarrega

Mazurca ......................................................... Tarrega

Pavana ............................................................ Tarrega

Trish Trash Polka ........................... Johann Strauss Jr.Arrangements by the performer

Carlo van Ulft

Kortjakje (Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star) ..............................................John Courter

Shengshui Lament .................................Linda DzurisTim Sleep

The Parade of the Tin Soldiers .................Léon Jessel arr. William De Turk

George Gregory and Julianne Vanden Wyngaard

Rag of the Bells ............................ William McHarrisWilliam McHarris

Shalom Haverim and S’Vivon from Jewish Songbook .......................................Traditional arr. Richard Giszczak

Sunrise, Sunset and Sabbath Prayer from Fiddler on the Roof ..................................................... Jerry Bock arr. Giszczak

Richard Giszczak

Tilllman Tower and the Clemson Memorial Carillon

The three examinees were presented at the second business meeting, which took place after lunch. Election results were announced: Linda Dzuris and Laura Ellis were elected to their second terms on the board, and Thomas Lee was elected as a new board member. Officers for 2012-2013 will be Dave Johnson (president), Tim Sleep (vice president), Dianne Heard (recording secretary), Shannon Richards (corresponding secretary), and David Hunsberger (treasurer). There was also a discussion of copyright, a continuing topic of interest to members. Finally, the new committee on heritage carillon music, chaired by Andrea McCrady, presented its mission and project of cataloguing the personal carillon music collections of distinguished carillonneurs. The committee seeks to preserve this music by tracking the location of sheet music, especially

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rare and unpublished pieces. The pilot of this project is taking place at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Cohasset, where Carla Staffaroni is cataloguing the collection of Sally Slade Warner.

New carillonneur members (l-r):Vera Wünsche, Katherine Zhou, Jessica Hsieh

The afternoon saw a multimedia presentation by Jacques Maasen of carillon performances with other instruments, from the traditional brass band, into world music through sitar, to hip collaborations with pop bands and DJs that had audiences dancing in the streets. This author would like to suggest eight-bit chiptunes and carillon as the next combination! Attendees were then entertained with a made-to-order recital of bell-themed carols, art song, opera, and musical theater numbers by vocal trio The Blonde, the Brunette, and the Redhead.Vocal Recital The Blonde, the Brunette, and the Redhead Fabio Parrini, piano, and Maria Parrini, cello

If I Were a BellCarol of the Bells .......................Mykola Leontovych

Ding Dong Merrily on High ................... Dance Tune

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day .......................... John Baptiste Calkin

Silver Bells ..........................................Jay Livingston

Schlagende Herzen ........................... Richard Strauss

Das Zügenglöcklein ........................... Franz Schubert

Kling ................................................. Richard Strauss

“Ebben? Ne andrò lontana” from La Wally ..................................Alfredo Catalani

“Oh! quante volte” from I Capuleti e i Montecchi ..................Vincenzo Bellini

Ridonami la calma! ................. Francesco Paolo Tosti

La cloche ....................................Camille Saint-Saëns

D’une Prison ......................................Reynaldo Hahn

Bells in the Rain ........................................ John Duke

The Trolley Song from Meet Me in St. Louis .... Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin

“Till There Was You” from The Music Man .............................. Meredith Willson

“Ring Them Bells” from Liza with a Z ..... John Kander

“If I Were a Bell” from Guys and Dolls ....................................Frank Loesser

The Blonde, the Brunette, and the Redhead (Respectively: Leigha Pace, Carhy Siarris, and Lisa

Sain Odom) Fabio Parrini, piano, and Maria Parrini, cello

Back at Tillman Hall, Roy Lee gave a Canadian-themed recital, and after dinner the attendees returned for a recital by John Gouwens, accompanied by informative program notes. This recital included a number of premieres not performed in the new music recital. The evening make-your-own ice cream sundae social, sponsored by Meeks, Watson & Company, took place in the Carillon Garden, one of the open spaces surrounding Tillman Hall that makes a delightful listening spot for carillon performances.Roy Lee

Schilling Prelude ..................................... Leen ’t Hart

Three Folk TunesCommentaire folklorique: Mon merle ....................................... Emilien AllardCommentaire folklorique: A la claire fontaine .......................................AllardCarillon Impromptu on Ye Maidens of Ontario ..................... Gordon Slater

Andante from Sonata for 47 Bells ....... Percival Price

Notule No. 1 ..................................................... Allard

L’Envol (Soaring) ................................ Claude Aubin

Chorale Partita for Carillon: Ach, wie fluchtig, ach, wie nichtig ....... John R. Knox

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Invention Metropolitan ......................James B. Slater

Three More Folk TunesCarillon Impromptu on The Little Old Sod Shanty ..............................Slater“Ah! Qui me passera le bois?” .........Percival PriceCommentaire folklorique: Vive la Canadienne ........................ Emilien Allard

John GouwensSuite No. 3, Op. 30 .............................John Gouwens

FanfareAriaGigue

*Three Dances, Op. 24 ..........Olivia Margaret OntkoHabañeraBallerina’s WaltzSouthern Polka

Toccata Giocosa, Op. 25 ............................. Gouwens

*Journey of the Monarch Butterfly ....Frances Newell

*Fantasy No. 3, Op. 29 ............................... Gouwens*Premiere Performance

Thursday opened with the third business meeting. Margo Halsted read a prepared statement on the use of the terms carillonneur and carillonist; discussion followed. In the morning, Carl Zimmerman gave a presentation on the recent history of the carillon as seen through the lens of personal history and the fifty-five years of learning about carillons and bells that has led to his thorough and invaluable carillon tower directory. Carlo van Ulft then talked about techniques and strategies for adapting popular music to carillon, which he then illustrated in a lively demonstration.

Carlo van Ulft

Demonstration Concert: Carlo van UlftAdaptation of Pop Music to Carillon

Some Enchanted Evening ..................Richard Rogers

Everyday (I have the Blues) ...............Peter Chatman

Suicide is Painless ..............................Johnny Mandel

I Will Survive ....................................... Freddie Peren

That’s What Friends Are For ....... Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager

My Way .............................................Jacques Revaux

Funky Town (arranged for the city Centralia, IL) ..................................Steven Greenberg

Listeners

In the afternoon, 2010 Barnes Scholar Carol Anne Taylor presented her collection The Spanish Liturgical Year for Carillon and spoke about what she had learned in the course of her scholarship project, both about arranging for carillon and about the liturgical music of a culture perhaps less familiar to many carillonneurs. Questions from the audience included when and where would be most appropriate to play the various hymns. Tim Sleep’s afternoon presentation turned out to be about how the proliferation of new media technologies influences the dissemination of information, trends carillonneurs should be aware of when seeking to disseminate accurate information about the carillon. After these presentations Jacques Maassen gave a diverse recital with a satisfying balance of carillon compositions and arrangements of folksongs, art music, and popular music.

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Clemson Memorial Carillon 25th Anniversary Recital: Jacques Maassen

Spirels ....................................................John Courter

Fantasy on Dutch folksongs .................Wim FrankenSnow–white bird (Daar was een sneeuwwit vogeltje)Lord Jesus’ garden (Heer Jezus heeft een hofke)

*Andaluza (Spanish Dance 5) .......Enrique Granados

Phrase and Paraphrase: Introduction and Variations on a Gregorian Hymn Tune ............ Jacques Maassen

*Suite from Carmina Burana ......................Carl OrffO FortunaChramerReieChume Geselle minWere Diu Werlt

Fanfare 2000 .................................................Maassen

*Gravy Waltz ..................................... Oscar Peterson

*Mackie Messer/Mack the Knife ...............Kurt Weill*Arranged for carillon by the performer

Jacques Maassen

The congress banquet, sponsored in part by Royal Eijsbouts, took place at the Madren Conference Center on the shore of Clemson’s Lake Hartwell. Carillonneurs wined and dined, accompanied by the guitar stylings of David Stevenson, and although there was no full Barnes auction this year, there was a mini-auction of two bottles of special Canadian wine.

On the final day of the 70th congress, two members of the Class of 2011, Chelsea Vaught and Joey Brink, showed that they had continued to learn and grow as carillonneurs in the last year by presenting an impressive recital. Carol Anne Taylor then gave a recital of pieces from her collection, including the piece that had been distributed to attendees the previous afternoon, Amémonos de Corazón. As she had described in her presentation, it was the melodies and the sense of song that were most important to these arrangements. A last presentation by Paul Buyer encouraged carillonneurs to strive for excellence in their work as musicians, at whatever level. Some had already begun to strive for excellence over the course of the week by reading the book included with the registration packets. At the final business meeting, Dave Johnson presented an overview of the next congress to be held at House of Hope Presbyterian Church, St. Paul, Minnesota, 18-21 June 2013.GCNA Class of 2011

Three Dances ......................................Ronald BarnesBallade from Serenade IIMilonga from Serenade IFlamenco from Serenade II

Chelsea Vaught

Poéme pour Arlington .........................Emilien Allard

A Swinging Suite .......................... Geert D’hollanderA Sweet Soft SambaIrish Air A Crazy RitornelloTriumphant March

Joey Brink

Barnes Scholar Recital: Carol Anne TaylorExcerpts from The Spanish Liturgical Year for Carillon

(El Año Español de Litúrgico Para El Carillón)All arrangements by Carol Anne Taylor

Adviento (Advent)Ven, Señor, a Nuestra Vida (Come, Lord, into Our Lives) ........Antonio AlcadeLevántate (Rise Up) ................... Cesáreo Gabaráin

Navidad (Christmas)Este Ramito de Flores (This Little Bouquet of Flowers) ............Skinner Chávez-Melo

Cuaresma (Lent)Con Estas Cenizas, Señor (With These Ashes) ......... Lourdes C. MontgomeryLas Aguas de Siloé (The Water of Siloam) ..Alfredo A. Morales, F.C.S.

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Pascua (Easter)Resucito (He is Risen) ............. Francisco Arguello

Discipulado (General)Pescador de Hombres(Lord, You Have Come) ............. Cesáreo GabaráinVen y Sigueme(Come and Follow) ................. Santiago FernandezAmemonos de Corazon (Let Us Truly Love One Another) .........TradícionalYo Canto Amor (I Sing of Your Love) ................... Coralia Busquets

As it was at the beginning of the conference, so it was at the end. The afternoon recitalists again demonstrated the range of styles and moods available to the carillonneur. Lynette Geary played a thoughtful recital of favorites, and Stephen Knight followed with a rousing send-off. The diversity of carillon performances demonstrated by these and all the carillonneurs throughout the conference is one of the great values of gathering together to listen to and learn from each other, whether seasoned members bringing stories, wisdom and the benefit of experience, or fresh attendees flush with ideas and the excitement of discovery. Lynnette Geary

Prelude on Sweet Nightingale .............Ronald Barnes

Evocation ...............................................John Courter

Lament and Alleluia .............................. Alice Gomez

Variations on There Was a Snow-White Bird .............Albert Gerken

Three Hymn Tunes ................... arr. Peter Paul OlejarHeavenly Armour ..........................William WalkerDrop, Drop Slow Tears ............... Orlando GibbonsIdumea .......................................Ananias Davisson

A Sweet Soft Samba from A Swinging Suite ........................... Geert D’hollander

Stephen KnightAir in F Major ....................George Frederick Handel

Three Selections from Beiaardboek (Antwerp, 1746) ...................... Johannes de Gruytters

Minuet in G Major .............................. de GruyttersAndante in C Major .................. Francois CouperinBells of Dunkirk ................................... Traditional

Adagio for Glass Harmonica in C Major .............................................W. A. Mozart arr. Kamiel Lefèvre

Andante from Sonatine No. 1 .........Seth van Balkum

Three Improvisations by Stephen KnightAll Hail the Power of Jesus’ NameJoyful, Joyful, We Adore TheePraise to the Lord

Five Selections from the Delft Carillon Archives .............................Johann Berghuis

Minuet in C MajorAire in G MajorDrum & Fife in D MajorMinuet in G MajorGigue in C Major

As the final business meeting drew to a close on the afternoon of 22 July, and the official bell began its journey to its next home, the attendees gave their fond farewells, full of the reinvigoration that comes of the annual congress.

Caroline K. Poon received an MMus degree from the University of Michigan in carillon performance and will soon receive an MSI for information policy. She studied with Steven Ball, Marilyn Mason, and Edward Parmentier and plays both the Lurie and Baird Carillons on a weekly basis as well as for special events. She was a graduate student instructor in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology. She received a BA in music and in cognitive science, concentrating in philosophy, from Wellesley College, where she studied the carillon with Margaret Angelini.

All photographs by John Bordley.

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Cast in Bronze By Frank DellaPenna

Introduction

Alice Cooper and family with the carillon

So here is the story of how Cast in Bronze came to exist: my thought process, the planning and developing of the product, the costuming ideas, and the recording projects that have come to fruition. When I began, everyone told me that Cast in Bronze would never work, that the carillon couldn’t be played with other instruments, that I would never get booked, and that no one would buy recordings. I did what every rational, logical thinking person would do — I ignored what everyone told me, quit my full time job, and went on the road dragging several tons of bells behind me.

1995 newspaper article

Carillon on stage

Several years ago George Gregory asked me to write a GCNA Bulletin article about my work with the traveling carillon. I decided to wait on that because I wasn’t sure that Cast in Bronze would succeed as an independent business venture. I had many ideas about how to make Cast in Bronze viable, but those ideas needed to be proven as successful. Now, after two decades of making my living exclusively by performing on a traveling carillon, I would like to share my thoughts because they may be of benefit to other carillonneurs and their respective carillons. The traveling carillon of Cast in Bronze may be the only carillon in history solely supported by listeners. It has no sponsor — and I am not independently wealthy — it survives only through bookings and merchandise sales. For the last two decades, Cast in Bronze has performed approximately 500 shows each year, has performed for Pope John Paul II, Disney World, and national TV, and has opened shows for famous rock stars. There has been steady work for Cast in Bronze at music, art, and renaissance festivals. Ten CDs have been produced as well as an award winning DVD. A two-hour musical entitled “The Bells” has been completed, and my hope is that it will one day be produced on stage. Even with these accomplishments, I feel I have fallen short of my lofty goal of promoting the carillon…the goal of exposing new audiences to the carillon and piquing their interest in this unique instrument.

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My thought processMy thought process started with a review of where the carillon had come from and what had happened during the last 500 years. The carillon was originally created as an instrument to make life a little more pleasant for people during market days and festivals. Folk songs of the region or popular melodies of the time were often played. It was an instrument created for the people of the village. The carillonneur’s job was to entertain the people, which then might put them in a good mood. Then they might spend their money a little more freely with the merchants, haggle a little less over prices, or linger a little longer in the café and order another beer or two.As bell tuning improved and more bells were added, more complex music could be played. Carillon schools were created to train carillonneurs on these unique instruments. Eventually, folk songs were replaced by more serious music and carillon compositions. The carillon slowly transformed from a folk instrument for all people into a concert instrument for the esoteric listener. Over time, countries formed carillon guilds and organized meetings where all carillonneurs could unite and discuss various aspects of the instrument, including what should be played on the carillon.Today we have several carillon schools around the world, more proficient players, and better instruments. So why aren’t there 5,000 carillons in the world instead of 500? Why aren’t guild memberships increasing? How is it that some carillons are inactive? Why aren’t more people studying the carillon? More importantly, why aren’t more people aware of the carillon? Why don’t they even seem to like the carillon? My conclusion is that something has gone wrong. The answer to all of these questions is the same: we carillonneurs bear much of the blame for why these situations exist. So I decided to try to do something about it by bringing a traveling carillon to new listeners. I dreamed of playing the carillon with other instrumentalists and vocalists. Soon that dream manifested itself into reality as the traveling carillon became a part of my life. Here is a brief glimpse of what has taken place and what I believe are the reasons why Cast in Bronze still exists.

The planCreating a musical act that features the carillon was like starting up any other type of business. That means I worked on a mission statement, a business plan, and a marketing plan. After completing those basic elements, it was time to go to work on the fun and challenging part of developing my ideas on promoting the carillon as a traveling show of some kind.

In order for this to be a successful venture, Cast in Bronze needed more than just the carillon; it needed an act, an image, and music that can be heard no place else on earth. Cast in Bronze needed to be treated like a business product — and that product was/is NOT the carillon! The product includes the carillon, but it also includes the music that is specifically created for the show, and it includes the performance of the show. All are of equal importance when trying to sell the act. I had to create and develop the product that I was trying to sell, and if not successful, the traveling carillon would become nothing more than a lawn ornament on my property.

Visual appealPlaying on the ground in front of an audience is not the same as playing up in a tower. But when in front of an audience, the carillonneur is both a performer and an entertainer who becomes a part of the show. The people in the audience watch just as much as they listen. It is not enough to rely on the beauty and uniqueness of the carillon alone.

Musikfest at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 2011

Stage presence was something I needed to learn. Was the audience going to be interested in what they saw? Did I look like someone worth watching? Before I played a single note, did I appear uncomfortable or awkward in any way? Experience is a great teacher, and as a result, I learned that I had to rehearse how to enter the staging area, which is where the show begins — how to walk, how to look at people and greet them, how to approach the carillon bench, how to prepare for the performance — it’s all a part of the show. What mattered was that if I looked like a common ordinary person walking to the stage, I would be treated like a common ordinary person who simply plays an uncommon instrument. As a carillonneur performing in the traditional manner, I never had to worry about how

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I looked or moved while I played up in a tower. With an act on stage, I needed to develop a playing style that worked for me and for those watching me. But the goal was not to promote me; the goal was to promote the carillon. Stage presence was crucial to the success of Cast in Bronze as well as other aspects of the show.At the time I was developing the show, there were other traveling carillons, but no one had developed a stage show; I had no point of reference or other carillonneurs to help me. I had to learn everything the hard way, by trial and error. I had to remind myself that I was hired as an entertainer, not as a carillonneur. The objective as an entertainer is to fill the seats and maintain interest for the duration of the show. That is easier said than done. Many things can go wrong in a live performance that can ruin the show, so everything had to be rehearsed, tried, and tested until I found what worked.

Texas Renaissance Festival at Plantersville, Texas

I am not a “people pleaser” per se, but I had to learn to please the people by adapting Cast in Bronze to keep them interested. If someone said to me, “Wow, that really looks hard to play,” then the performance had missed the mark. Even if I played a good song well, I must not have been in command of the instrument somehow. How do I fix that? I learned that I had to memorize the music, not look at my feet, and barely look at the keyboard in order to give the illusion that I was just having fun and that the notes were going down almost by themselves. I wanted the performance to look artistic and graceful — like a dance. I like to reflect on what the Epcot Show Director at Disney World told me, “People listen to music with their eyes. That is why I booked you.”

Cast in Bronze live at Epcot

We musicians and entertainers ask a great deal of our audiences. We want them to give us their most precious gift — their time. If people are willing to give me their time, then I want to give them something that they cannot find anywhere else in the world. I need to make sure that what they see, hear, and feel is so unique that they will never forget it. I want to change their lives by sharing something wonderful and magical with them, to feel that attending a Cast in Bronze performance is not just a musical presentation but also a musical experience. To accomplish this I need to convey my love of the instrument in every second of the performance.

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Musical appeal Besides the business aspect and then the entertainment appeal of Cast in Bronze, there are several musical points to consider in this endeavor. What kind of repertoire? Classical? Folk songs? Traditional carillon recital music in general? New compositions? Do I add any instruments to the carillon — bass, guitar, drums, etc? Who is in the audience — are any of them musicians or critical listeners? Are they just out for recreation and enjoyment? How can I keep them interested? Does it look hard to do? Does it look exciting — “WOW, what IS this instrument? I just saw the COOLEST show!” It wasn’t until I was willing to become a servant to the audience, the instrument, and the music, that I began to succeed. My performance had to transcend the music to the point of becoming a unique and memorable experience both for me and for them. At that point, the performance becomes a show, and the show becomes like magic. I initially thought that I could just perform some carillon pieces, folk songs, and popular arrangements

— things that I had been playing for years. Then I could easily book the show, and people would flock to the performances. Well I was wrong on both counts. I discovered that I had to limit classical music in the show, and I had to ignore my carillon repertoire and create something new and different that the audience would accept and enjoy. The wisdom in making this decision had nothing to do with my own musical tastes; it lay solely on what was marketable in the entertainment world.

DellaPenna at the Arizona Renaissance Festival, Apache Junction, Arizona

There are many carillonneurs in the world who would disagree with me, but to hear a solo carillon concert consisting of nothing but the music of Bach, Mozart, and Handel brings no unique identity to the carillon.

Sometimes classical music works, but most of the time it doesn’t, because just inserting instrument “x” into a transcription doesn’t make people want to accept it as something exciting and wonderful.Many years ago I had this discussion with Ronald Barnes, who also felt strongly about the importance of bringing dignity to the carillon by creating music exclusively written for carillon and, more importantly, that it was listener friendly. He once told me that as long as carillonneurs continued to play transcriptions of classical music, the carillon would never be taken seriously or be accepted as a legitimate instrument. Whatever music had been played on the carillon for the last 500 years was not reaching enough listeners, not inspiring enough new players, not generating enough interest to reactivate carillons that had grown silent, or stimulate donors to provide more carillons in the world. I reasoned that if people could be convinced of the versatility of the instrument, it would provide another reason for people to consider a carillon for their city or university. In order for Cast in Bronze to be viable, it had to be special. Everything about it had to be special. I was not willing to sacrifice the uniqueness of the act by playing only arrangements of classical music. In order for the carillon to have dignity and to establish its own unique identity in the music world, I hoped to bring new life to the instrument, and one way to accomplish that was to create new compositions for the show. Legitimate musical instruments always have music written for them. I needed to prove to my audience that the carillon was a legitimate musical instrument by composing music specifically for the carillon. Then I started to add a few arrangements of existing music, but I was extremely selective, initially by playing something my audience would consider appropriate for the carillon. I added “Carol of the Bells” and wove together a medley of Mike Oldfield’s “Tubular Bells” with the theme from “Phantom of the Opera.” These pieces were enthusiastically received and have become staples of the show.I went through piles of music. When particular pieces did not work on my audience, I marked them “DPE” Don’t Play Ever!. I used to think the listeners were stupid and uneducated. It took years to learn that there are no stupid listeners, only a stupid musician playing the wrong music. If the audience walked away after a couple of songs, I knew I had failed as an entertainer and the fault was mine. I also knew that if they left the show, they might never want to listen to the carillon again. My job was to keep them entertained with an unusual act with an unusual instrument.

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Frank DellaPenna and the original Caribelle

Using additional instrumentsI am a trained solo carillon performer. Why would I want to combine the carillon with other instruments? Why not just play solo shows? The answer was really simple — I tried that and it didn’t work. And guess what? If the act didn’t work, it wouldn’t sell, and if it wouldn’t sell, I would be out of business.One reason for combining the carillon with other instruments was that it was exciting to consider the musical possibilities. I had no way of knowing how people would react to the carillon when performed with other instruments, or whether they would accept this new sound enough to support it. But then, that was exactly the point of doing it. If I was going to combine the carillon with other instruments, then each additional instrument had to be vital to the composition. And in this case, only the carillon could adequately give the quality of sound that was necessary. I tried to create music that sounded complete only when the carillon performs.I needed to overcome the obstacle of trying to convince a listening public that the sound of other instruments worked well when played with the carillon. Some worked, others didn’t. I had heard a few experimental concerts of carillon with synthesizer, brass, orchestra, and jazz band, and even once heard the carillon played with alpine horns, and once was enough! By listening to these concerts, I started to formulate what I liked and disliked about certain combinations of instruments when played with the carillon. What I liked best with the carillon was contrasting sounds. Whether or not my choices were correct would eventually be determined by how listeners reacted. When I found the combination of instruments that people accepted, (drums, keyboard, and bass guitar) I stayed with it. Having only four musicians also made the show practical and affordable to book at all sorts of festivals and events. The simplicity of a

small musical group, a powerful sound, and original music is what helped to land the contract with Disney World. I could have taken a different direction with the act. I could have used the carillon in a band and played Top 40 tunes, or I could have played only classical music with classical musicians. Neither of those scenarios would have brought a unique identity to the carillon or convinced the listeners that what they were hearing was special.

The challenge of bookingAfter working on development of the product, I had to be able to book the product. While the uniqueness of the carillon was the single most important reason why I could get booked, I learned that it was also the one thing that kept me from getting booked. I know that may seem strange, but here is how this plays out in the entertainment world. Entertainment people are just like anyone else: they want things that are easy, things that have worked before, and things that they understand. When the core of a proposed musical includes a four-ton carillon, there is confusion, resistance, and ultimately rejection. It is just human nature; people resist change and things they do not understand. Booking this musical act would require more work for them. It is far easier to hire a singer with a guitar who can walk on stage than to deal with the logistics of finding a spot for the carillon. Booking became a nightmare! Entertainment directors had never encountered an instrument like this before, so there was immediate resistance. Why would they want to take a chance on booking an unknown act on an unknown instrument? Then there were further obstacles to overcome like the size, weight, and volume of the carillon. As a result, I had to create a sales package or “press kit” as it is referred to in the entertainment world. The press kit includes a description of the act, photos, recordings or DVDs, and all vital information a potential client may need to know in order to book the act.

Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival 26 September 2010

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I sent out hundreds of press kits to all sorts of festivals and events and then followed up with phone calls. It was frustrating beyond belief, and the rejection letters piled up. I used to look at my rejection file every morning and instead of being depressed, it just made me mad. For some stupid reason, it seemed to inspire me. The more rejections I received, the more determined I seemed to become and the harder I worked. That file is now about a foot thick and still remains in my office as inspiration and constant reminder of just how much work it took, and still takes, to make Cast in Bronze my full time endeavor.

Costumes added to the showI mentioned earlier in the article that in performance, the carillonneur plays, traditionally, without being seen. I decided to use that anonymity in the show by taking it out of the tower and putting it on the ground. The only way to do that was to hide my identity. After all, the show is not about me; it’s about the carillon.I always wanted to play the show as a character. I proposed that to Disney World when they booked me for several years, but they rejected the idea. When my contract ended with them, I found myself nearly out of work and considered never playing the carillon again. However, I had one more engagement at a festival in Florida before going back home to Pennsylvania. Since the booking was a Renaissance Festival, I needed Renaissance clothing. So I bought a costume, put on a mask, and played. By the end of the festival I was booked for the rest of the year! Maybe the mask wasn’t such a stupid idea after all! Now I never perform without it.

The mask!

What the costume and mask did for the show was remarkable. Not only did it make the performer anonymous, it made the performer immortal. Furthermore, it made it possible for others to duplicate the show or someday, to take over for me, ensuring that Cast in Bronze will continue with or without me. This costume phase of the operation of Cast in Bronze was test marketed, thanks to Chimemaster Systems of Ohio, who purchased the Mobile Millennium Traveling Carillon. They have been gracious enough to allow me, on occasion, to use their carillon to do the Cast in Bronze show with other performers when I have been booked elsewhere. Initially I tested the show for seven weeks at a festival in North Carolina to determine if Cast in Bronze would have the same impact on the audience with another traveling carillon in another key. When I determined that the show worked on either instrument, it was time to put someone else in the costume and mask to do the show. To date, the Cast in Bronze show has been performed by Robin Austin, Wylie Crawford, Jonathan Lehrer, and Cyrus Rua. Each of them proved that the show could be just as effective on audiences without me. With this knowledge I took a leap of faith and decided to construct another traveling carillon to expand the mission of Cast in Bronze. The new carillon is complete and was inaugurated at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania in December of 2010 by Robin Austin, Lisa Lonie, Janet Tebbel, Doug Gefvert, and me.

The new travelling carillon

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Robin Austin and Frank DellaPenna

Recording projectsEighty percent of the Cast in Bronze income is derived from CD sales, not performance fees. If I had played only solo shows, and produced only solo recordings, Cast in Bronze would not have survived financially as a business. What this means is simple — the CD sales support the operation and keep the carillon on the road, allowing new people to experience it every week. I estimate that after having performed nearly 10,000 shows, several million people have discovered the carillon through Cast in Bronze. The success of each recording project has not been by chance. I never just wrote compositions and made recordings in hopes that they would sell. That process is not only a bad business decision but also musical suicide. Quality recordings are expensive to produce; too expensive to guess or assume what listeners might want to hear. A recording involving several musicians, vocalists, live strings, studio time, mixing, editing, mastering, pressing, artwork and packaging can cost $15,000 – $40,000 and more. That is a great deal of money to gamble on a recording project that has not been test marketed. New material was tested on live audiences to determine if they liked the music well

enough to want to purchase it. That is the only way to ensure the investment in the recording can be recouped. Therefore, the recordings on the CDs come only from music performed in the live Cast in Bronze show. If the people like it, some take the experience home with them in the form of a CD or DVD. That is why I never play music for the live show that is not on a recording unless I am test marking for a new recording project. And when I am test marketing, I only test one song per set and fill the rest of the set with music available on recordings. The Cast in Bronze 20th Anniversary was 2011. To celebrate, Cast in Bronze performers and Brother Entertainment combined to produce “Big Time,” an album of classic rock music. This recording was released in December of 2010, and in it the carillon became a part of the rhythm section of the rock band. The purpose of this recording was to introduce the sound of the carillon to the rock world and to further promote its use in new and different performance venues.

Cyrus Rua as the masked performer

EpilogueI have walked through my thought process, the plan, and developments of Cast in Bronze. But there is a little twist that you might be interested in. While I would truly like to take full credit for Cast in Bronze, it may surprise you to learn the truth about the source of encouragement for this venture. Shortly after I graduated from the French Carillon School, I was invited to play at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. I stayed at the home of Percival Price. I had grown very fond of Percival over the years and relished every moment I spent with him. During that particular visit, we talked into the wee hours one night when he asked me, “So Frank, what are you planning to do for the carillon?” He could have asked what I was planning to do with the carillon, but that was not his style. His question was deliberate, and it has haunted me every day of my life since then. If he had asked me what I was going to do with the carillon, it meant that the focus

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would have been on me as a performer. But by asking what I was going to do for the carillon, he meant that the focus would have to be on the carillon and not on the performer. At the time, I had formulated some initial ideas about Cast in Bronze and shared them with Percival. He was fascinated by the concept of making the carillon more visible and playing more modern music that might appeal to the masses. But he also cautioned me by telling me that though what I was proposing was absolutely necessary, it might not be accepted, and that I might be severely criticized by many of my colleagues. Then he smiled an evil smile and said, “But you should do it anyway.” I have learned a lot from Cast in Bronze and continue to do so. After twenty years and thousands of shows, it has turned into an act that really works. My hope is that Cast in Bronze will continue to evolve, and I must allow it to do so if I care about the carillon and the fans that support it. “What are you going to do for the carillon?” Each day I begin with the haunting question posed to me by the father of the carillon art in North America. Then I get to work and smile, imagining Percival laughing with delight about the curse he cast upon me.

We carillonneurs control the fate of the instrument. It is up to us to expose new listeners to the carillon and get them excited about it. I took a different path towards that goal and made some remarkable discoveries along the way. What I continue to learn from the Cast in Bronze experience is that the beauty of the carillon lies not in its sound, its music, or the virtuosity of the player, but in what it means to the listener. Have I succeeded in my goal of promoting the carillon? Twenty years of experience tells me that I have made progress towards it and for others after me. Am I done working on this goal? Absolutely not.

Frank DellaPenna began his carillon instruction with Frank P. Law at the Washington Memorial Chapel in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. He became a carillonneur member of the GCNA in 1973. A year later he enrolled in the French Carillon School and became the first master-carillonneur graduate of the School in 1976. Upon the death of Frank Law in 1985, DellaPenna became carillonneur of the Washington Memorial Chapel in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, where he remained until 1991 when he began Cast in Bronze.

DellaPenna performing

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The Editor’s PagesJohn Bordley

For the Editor’s pages in this issue, I am continuing to extract material from the issue of the Bulletin printed

fifty years ago. I am also including a paragraph about

Bulletin Vol 60 2011 Final

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