Customer Reviews

Carillon Bells of Britain

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A delightful carillon recording, although I think I would have enjoyed it more if I knew some of the British folk tunes played. The CD is made interesting by including five different British carillons and five carillonneurs, the best being Trevor Workman. Also included is a track of domestic clocks playing the familiar "Westminster" chimes, and the very unfamiliar "Cambridge" chimes, plus a cuckoo clock!

This recording is an interesting document. In the first place, recordings of the carillon are pretty rare, and these particular carillons are certainly "individual" instruments. There are few carillonneurs (players of the carillon) in Great Britain, so most of these people are largely self-taught. The quality of the instruments varies greatly. The playing is OK, but the instrument doesn't really come off all that well. The Bournville carillon is musically a much more successful instrument, most of the bells being mid-1930s Gillett & Johnston. By that time, G&J had truly "arrived," and though the company went out of business in the 1950s, their carillons are still highly revered by carillonneurs internationally. The Bournville carillon is in a very open tower, however, so despite the fine bells, the sound is rather "raw." Trevor Workman is the best player of the lot. The finest set of bells, without a doubt, is the carillon of Saint Nicholas Church in Aberdeen, Scotland. This was the last G&J carillon, from 1952-54. (The second-to-last, at Culver Academies in Indiana - 1951 - is represented on four CDs I have recorded, and that are sold through Amazon.) These British recordings are re-masterings of analog LPs, and the sound is nothing stellar, but as a document of the instruments, it's worth having. There are better recordings, more representative of what a carillon can do, available, though.

OK, first of let me explain that a carillon is a very large musical instrument that is usually housed in a church tower or belfry, and consists of at least 23 bells. The carillon is played on a large keyboard and footboard, and makes tunes through the ringing of the bells. This interesting album is a collection of tunes played on various carillons found throughout Great Britain, including one in Aberdeen Scotland.

Overall, I found this to be a very interesting album. The bell music is quite interesting, and each of the tunes is excellently done. An excellent counterpoint to the carillon music is the track Oranges and Lemons that includes the chiming of a number of clocks, including a cuckoo clock! This is a very interesting and very different album, and I highly recommend it.

A nice opportunity to listen to something not everyone has a chance to hear "live" -- carillon bells. The selections are pleasant and played well.

Recordings of this instrument are not as plentiful as "main stream" music. I was very happy to be able to purchase this set of recordings.

Exactly what I was looking for. Good quality reproduction, which isn't always possible. Some content I wasn't looking for, but generally good selections.

Title is simply "Carillon Bells of Britain". Performers are "Aldington, Gebruers, Leith, Stratfold, Workman"