The Bells of Summer, 1932: a photoessay

[Fletch]

The 1920s and '30s were, among other things, an era of giants. Buildings, airplanes, and much else vied to be the BIGGEST...or at least the biggest practicable and useful, at the hands of outsize governments or men fond of the grand gesture.

No man was fonder of them than mild-mannered, even sober-sided John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Personally worth the then-inconceivable sum of $140 billion, and overseer of the family foundation, he had already begun a program of philanthropic giving that may never be equaled.

In view of that, one might forgive him a few gifts toward his nearest and dearest. John Jr.'s mother, Laura Spelman Rockefeller, had died in 1915. A deeply religious woman and abolitionist (Spelman College is named for her), she also dearly loved the sound of bells. So it was that in the early 1930s, after years of planning, that Rockefeller sponsored the building of not one, but two of the world's largest musical instruments dedicated in her memory.

Carillons, simply put, are bell organs: two chromatic octaves or more of bronze bells, struck by a keyboard and pedal system that allows expressive control. Originating in the 17th century in the Low Countries of Europe, the first such instruments in North America appeared after 1900, typically given by well-heeled families or individuals to churches or universities.

The biggest carillons up till then had been found in the cathedrals of Flanders, the home region of the art. Adding bells over three or even four centuries, these might span four or even five octaves, with individual bells of anywhere from 10 pounds to 10 tons. It was in the 1920s that the English firm of Gillett & Johnston, bellfounders and clockmakers, teamed with wealthy individuals and institutions to push the limits. America and Canada would become home to the awesome instrument known as the grand carillon.

To this day, the heaviest grand carillons by weight - and the greatest in range, at six full octaves - are the two instruments dedicated to Laura Rockefeller: the first at Riverside Church, New York, finished in 1931, and the second at the University of Chicago's Rockefeller Chapel, completed in 1932. It is this second carillon - and particularly its largest bells - that are the subject of some seldom seen photographs taken before and during their installation, which are now part of the University's online photo archive.

Credit for all photos: Archival Photographic Files, Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library.

July 26, 1932. The carillon arrives in New York aboard the steamship American Trader. Here are shown its nine largest bells.

The Great Bourdon is the largest, lowest, and by tradition, dedicatory bell of every carillon. Chicago's Bourdon, here being hoisted ashore by crane, weighs 36,990 pounds, about equal to a fully loaded city bus. It is 9'9" across the soundbow. To this day it remains the second largest bell ever tuned, sounding the second C# below middle C. Only Riverside Church has a bigger Bourdon, a C natural two tons heavier.

August 16, 1932. The carillon superstructure, pre-built and -tested by Gillett & Johnston to precise dimensions, is now installed inside the 207' bell tower in Chicago.

August 19, 1932. After shipment to Chicago by rail, the bells arrive at the chapel in Hyde Park, where an enthralled crowd awaits them.

After being pulled on a sledge to the base of the tower, the Bourdon is ready to be hoisted up. To the far right are frames for the five biggest bells, which allow them to be mechanically swung in a great peal.

Almost home.

The Bourdon in place.

Some smaller bells with their clapper mechanisms.

 

[dhermann1]

I spent my early childhood within hearing range of Riverside Church, my family attended there. The tower of the church is a fun destination. You can go all the way to the top of the tower, which is about 28 stories high. Plus, since the building sits on a bluff overlooking the Hudson, the view is spectacular. The bells can often be heard in the Columbia University/Riverside Drive neighborhood. Sometimes the wind disperses the sound so it's only fragmentary, which is cool in its own way.
The embarrassing fact, however, was that a good number of Riverside's bells were just a little out of tune. They clanged a little clankily.
In the 1990's many of the bells were removed and recast to remedy this. You would often see a bunch of various sized bells sitting in the lobby area of the church, coming or going. During that time the tower was inaccessible to the public.
Anyway the project is all done now, and presumable the bells sound great. Haven't heard them lately myself.
The other interesting aspect of this is that a small church in Harlem has a magnificent carillon that was never out of tune, and generally considered a finer instrument. The church is St. Martin's. Here's a story form the Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/07/n...ened-bells-of-st-martin-s.html?pagewanted=all
I've heard these bells play also, and they are exquisite.

 

[Fletch]

I was up the tower at Riverside myself once, ten years ago. (I've been up 5 or 6 carillons, and even briefly played two of them.) It was one of the greatest experiences of my years in New York.

I happened to be up there when 2 o'clock came and the great C bell rang twice. Strange to say, it was not at all loud or bone-rattling, but a huge, gentle, soul-filling note. It was like standing on God's shoulder and hearing him whisper hello.

Sadly, I lost all the pictures I took in a system crash.

Sadder still, I don't think Riverside allows visitors up at all anymore. AIUI, something about the new arrangement of the bells makes it too dangerous.

The restoration was much needed. Besides the tuning - all done with forks in the 30s of course, and redone with little success in the '50s - the clappers got smaller in exact ratio to the bells, which made the trebles very hard to hear.

I remember sitting in Sakura Park, just next block north, and straining to catch the melodies. Something is wrong when a 100-ton carillon can be drowned out by a passing Mister Softee truck.

Here are pictures taken inside the Riverside carillon, apparently around 1960.

Funny thing about the grand carillons. There were so few built that very little music was ever scored to take advantage of their full range. So in a way they are as useless as they are magnificent.