Saturday, January 23, 2010

Fact File - Bells Over Belgium


Belgium, the “Land of Singing Towers,” has had bells as a means of expression in its community life for many centuries. The historical background and development from single bells into the mighty bell-instruments called carillons is a true story of human interest and fascination, because bells have always been closely connected with the people in their struggle for freedom and happiness.


Carillon music has also played a large part in the many traditional observances of which Belgium, probably more than any other country of its size, has such a great and varied number. They take the form of processions, pilgrimages, medieval pageants and historical celebrations and the carillon is still the finest interpreter of the old and traditional folksongs which accompany them.

Art and literature have often found their inspiration in the soft music of the bells, especially after their musical quality and purity in town had been perfected through the artistic efforts and accomplished of numerous bell founders. Bells have run in historical events, rejoiced with the rejoicing, mourned with the grieving, chanted with the praying of the people, inspired architecture, enriched literature in prose and verse. Nathaniel Hawthorne once described their workings in these felicious terms: “The accents of the bells’ iron tongue have a strange influence over human sympathies: or rather, they chime in with every bone of sentiment, and make religion more venerable, grief more tender and joy more gladsome.”

Source: Lefevere, Kamiel. Bells Over Belgium. New York: Belgian Government Information Center.

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