Music
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Carillon Music
The carillon evolved as a folk instrument, played automatically as a clock chime, and by a performer for market days and holidays. Surviving music from the first "golden age" is mostly arrangements of folk tunes, dance pieces, and popular music of the period, although there are some original compositions for the carillon. Like piano music, carillon music is written on two staves: music on the treble or upper staff is played with the hands, while that on the bass or bottom staff is played with the feet.
Early in this century, the ability to arrange music from other sources and to improvise on the carillon were necessary skills for the carillonneur. The growth of the carillon art in modern times has resulted in a rich repertoire with a wide variety of regional styles.
Care must be taken when composing or transcribing music for the carillon. One feature that sets the carillon off from other instruments is the fact that once a bell is struck, it continues to ring until the vibrations die out naturally. All of the musical expression of which the carillon is capable is controlled by how the performer strikes the bell. There is no way to stop or alter the sound of a struck bell. Dampers are ineffective because they just deaden the sound without stopping it, making it unmusical.
Another feature of carillon music derives from a prominent minor third in the bell's overtone structure, requiring care in formation of chords. Most musical instruments produce sounds with major third in their overtone structure.
Lastly, the rich tonal structure of a bell means that sounding a large number of bells together is unnecessary. A rich sound can be obtained from just a few bells.
Created by: Amy Allport
Date Created: 5 October 2007
Date Modified: 31 January 2008
Expires: 1 September 2008