Yale Memorial Carillon

This Carillon is a transposing instrument pitched in B. Its 54 bells are chromatically arranged from the G (1.5 octaves below middle-C) to the C (3 octaves above middle-C) for a total of 4.5 octaves. The lowest bell is an F# concert pitch, and weighs 13,400 pounds. {Link without Title}

Origins as a chime

Its original 10 bells (qualifying the instrument as a Chime - the ''Harkness Memorial Chime'' - rather than a carillon) were cast by the John Taylor Bellfounders of Loughborough , England , in 1921 . They were installed in Harkness Tower in 1922 and were first rung, by John Taylor, on June 9 . The chimes were rung regularly by the university organist, Samuel H. Smith, until 1946 when this duty was assumed by a student, Elliot H. Kone. On his graduation in 1949 , Kone formed a student organization, the ''Guild of Yale Bellringers,'' to continue with four rings per day.

Expansion from chime to carillon

In 1966 , the instrument was expanded by the installation of an additional 44 bells, also cast by the John Taylor Bellfounders, becoming a 4.5 Octave carillon, at which point the Guild renamed itself the ''Yale University Guild of Carillonneurs''.

Until the additional bells were installed, Harkness Tower was the tallest free-standing stone structure in the world. However the weight of the additional bells necessitated the reinforcement of the tower with a steel frame structure to carry the additional weight.

Current use

The instrument is currently rung by Guild members twice a day when classes are in session, and occasionally at other times of the year. Weekday rings occur at 12:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., times chosen to avoid disturbing university classes.

Every fall semester, a number of Yale undergraduate students who wish to learn how to play the carillon can audition for a place in the Yale University Guild Of Carilloneurs . After attending an introductory meeting, these students receive nine weeks of basic instruction on how to play the carillon. During these nine weeks they have access to the practice carillon (an instrument with a keyboard identical to that of the large carillon, but whose small bells are not audible outside the tower) to prepare two audition pieces, which are performed for judges (current Guild members). Each year about four to eight auditioners ("heelers") are admitted to the Guild and allowed - after further practice - to perform on the carillon.

EXTERNAL LINKS

Yale University Guild of Carillonneurs

Yale University official web site

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Yale Memorial Carillon