Mead carillon music rings out over campus

Author: Molly Dwyer

As we sat in my Gifford single, the carol of the Mead Chapel bells flooded through my open windows. My parents' eyes widened with delight as they were inundated by the Middlebury College carillon for the first time. The carillon music, to which I had become immune, suddenly appeared to me as a stunning aspect of our campus. Then my dad posed the question, "I wonder who rings those bells?"

Embarrassingly enough, I suggested that the music we were hearing was probably produced by some sort of recording or CD. Although many schools simply press play on a CD player, the Middlebury College Carillonneurs produce genuine carillon music from the College's state-of-the art carillon.

"An important distinction is to be made between a carillon of real cast bells and various electronic imitations, which are considerably cheaper to install and do not require a skilled player," said Áollege carillonneur George Matthew. "Many of them are just amplified CDs." Rather than a CD recording, Ben Hundley '07.5, Greg Larsen '10 and Tim Murray '11, led by Matthew and Susan Mason are responsible for providing the Middlebury Community with carillon music from the Mead Chapel bell tower every day.

Those of us who have taken this music for granted might not recognize its rarity.

"I know of only five university carillons in the rest of the world," said Matthew. "There are about 180 carillons in the USA and about 600 in the world. Middlebury is one of 75 institutions of higher learning in this country which have carillons."

A carillon is set up like a keyboard, with black and white keys and foot pedals that can help produce different kinds of sound. Each key is connected by wire to a bell clapper so different bells are rung depending on which key is struck. The Middlebury Carillon was reassembled, retuned and added to in 1985 at Paccard-Fonderie des Cloches in Annecy, France. Twenty-one bells were retuned, 15 were recast, and 12 new bells were added to complete Middlebury's new carillon. The enhanced carillon was presented as a gift from the Chairman of the Board of Trustees when it was reinstalled in 1986.

Larsen '10 remarked about the impressive quality of Middlebury's particular carillon. "I started playing bells in my high school, where they had a chime with fewer bells that were in rather poor repair," said Larsen. "When I came here and saw our instrument, with its expansive range and great condition, I decided to keep playing and learn more on this carillon." Larsen is aware that his music can sometimes be lost in the hustle and bustle of a busy campus, especially since the bells are rung at mealtimes. He takes his behind-the-scenes job seriously, though.

"It is pretty fun to get up there and play such a big instrument, but I do get a little nervous," said Larsen. Even though most of the people wandering around don't listen carefully to the music I play, it's daunting to know that any mistake I make will ring out across campus."

Many students, however, who have shared my father's curiosity, have begun to question the origin of this music that has accompanied them to the dining hall every day. In fact, students take advantage of the fact that the bell tower is always open to visitors whenever the bells are ringing. Murray '11 found this music particularly compelling during his orientation at Middlebury.

"It was pure chance how I got involved," he said. "It was the first time I ever heard them and I asked an upperclassman if the bells rang like that everyday. He told me that the bells are actually played by people and that it wasn't a computerized machine, so I went up to see who was playing the bells. When I got to the top, I met Mr. Matthew and asked him if I could learn to play the carillon too, and he agreed to give me lessons."

Next time you are walking to lunch or dinner, try to take a minute to not just hear, but to listen to the bells from Mead Chapel. You might just find a stronger appreciation for the talented artists and the rare facility that provides our campus with music every day.