Summer Sounds: A Brief History of Middlebury’s Carillon

About Our Carillon

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. It is a 75-step climb up to Middlebury’s bell tower, atop Middlebury Chapel. The Middlebury Carillon is considered a traditional carillon of 48 bells. The pitch of Middlebury’s heaviest bell is E in the middle octave. It is a 2,300-pound bell; roughly the same weight as the Liberty Bell. In 1915, the instrument was begun with eleven bells by the Meneely bellfoundry in Watervliet, New York. Nine bells remain from that work. In 1986, the instrument was enlarged to its present size with bells made by Paccard-Fonderie des Cloches in Annecy, France. The enhanced carillon was presented as a gift from then Chairman of the Board of Trustees Allen Dragone ‘50 (and his wife Jane) in 1986. 27 bells remain from that work. In 2001, 12 bells were recast or replaced in 2001 by Meeks & Watson of Georgetown, Ohio.

In 1918, the family of former governor John Mead gave Mead Chapel a chime of 11 bells made by the Meneely Company of West Troy, New York (a chime is defined as six to 22 bells. A carillon comprises 23 or more bells.) A note about the chapel name. The Meneely family of that time was the 8th or 9th generation descendants of Paul Revere (a bell cast by Paul Revere is in the tower of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Middlebury). In 1985, through the kindness of donor Allen Dragone, then President of the Board of Trustees of the College, the chime was expanded to a full carillon of 48 bells by the firm Paccard et Fils of Annecy le-Vieux of France. Middlebury’s carillon is one of 183 carillons in the United States (71 of them in colleges or universities) and about 750 in the world.

George Matthew, Jr., has been the College Carillonneur since 1985, and teaches Middlebury College students the art of this unique musical form. 

Daily Carillon Performances by George Matthew Jr., College Carillonneur 

12:30 to 1:30 pm, unless otherwise announced

 

Saturday, February 1 – Feb Graduation, Festival selections approximately 11 am

 

Sunday, February 2 

Lute Suite III – J. S. Bach

Traditional Ukrainian Melodies

Traditional Afghanistan Melodies

Traditional Mexican Folksongs

Traditional Spirituals

 

Monday and Tuesday, February 3-4 – No carillon

 

Wednesday, February 5 – Approximately 4 pm, Festival selections preceding Orientation

 

Thursday, February 6 – No carillon

 

Friday, February 7 

Fantasias I, II and III – George Phillip Telemann

Mini Shabbat:

  • Six Settings of “Adon Olam”
  • (East European, Dagestan, 18th century German, Two Yemenite, and Traditional)
  • My Father’s Nigun
  • Four Sephardic Settings of “Tzur Mishelo”

Traditional Ukrainian Melodies

Traditional Afghanistan Melodies

Traditional Mexican Folksongs

Traditional Spirituals

 

Saturday, February 8

Toccata – José Antonio Carlos de Sexias

Concerto in G – Antonio Vivaldi

Fantasias IV, V, VI – George Phillip Telemann

Traditional Ukrainian Melodies

Traditional Afghanistan Melodies

Traditional Mexican Folksongs

Traditional Spirituals

 

Sunday, February 9

Passacaglia and Fugue in c minor – J. S. Bach

Pastorale – J. S. Bach

Traditional Ukrainian Melodies

Traditional Afghanistan Melodies

Traditional Mexican Folksongs

Traditional Spirituals

 

Monday, February 10

Toccatas VII, VIII, IX – George Phillip Telemann

Four Dances in Old Style – Jacques A. Maassen

National anthems of our students: Chile, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, 

Ecuador, Faroe Islands, Finland

 

Tuesday, February 11

Toccatas X, XI, XII – George Phillip Telemann

Variations on a German Folksong – J. F. Volkerick

Variations on a theme of Gretry – J. F. Volkerick

National anthems of our students: France, Georgia, Germany, 

Greece, Hong Kong, India, Iran

 

Wednesday, February 12

Five Capricettos from the 18th century Gronigen carillon collection

“Peace and Freedom” – Felix Mendelssohn

Venus, Bringer of Peace (from “The Planets”) – Gustav Holst

National anthems of our students: Iraq, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, 

Korea, Lebanon, Mauritius, Mexico

 

Thursday, February 13 – Celebration of Tu Bishvat (New Year of the Trees)

Rosh Hashanah Loilonos – Sam Englander

Aytz Chayim (Tree of Life) – Traditional

The Treehouse – Mathieu Polack

In Memory of Trees – Enya

The Sacredness of Trees – Ellen Lindquist ‘93

Weeping Willow Rag – Scott Joplin

National anthems of our students: Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Netherlands, Poland

 

Friday, February 14 and Saturday, February 15 – Winter Carnival; no carillon

 

Sunday, February 16

Partita II for violin solo – J. S. Bach

Traditional Ukrainian Melodies

Traditional Afghanistan Melodies

Traditional Mexican Folksongs

Traditional Spirituals

 

Monday, February 17 – A program of music by American women composers

Reflections from the Tower – Emma Lou Diemer

Prior to Landing – Chin Chin Chen

The Bells of Cuzco – Alice Gomez

Spirals – Katherine Mischell

Toccata, Jubilate Deo – Sister Joyce Evans

National anthems of our students: Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Paraguay, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Russia

 

Tuesday, February 18 – More American Composers

Allegro from Harp Sonata – Alan Hovhaness

Suite for Carillon – Samuel Barber

Suite for Carillon – Hilton J. Rufty

Suite for Carillon – Nino J. Rota

National anthems of our students: Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Somalia

 

Wednesday, February 19 

Selections from the 17th century Brussels carillon book

Selections from the 19th century Antwerp carillon book

National anthems of our students: Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania

 

Thursday, February 20

Fantasia and Fugue – Jacques A. Maassen

Scherzo – Jacques A. Maassen

Prelude and Fugue – Jacques A. Maassen

National anthems of our students: Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, United Arab Republic, Ukraine, Uruguay

 

Friday, February 21

Selections for a Musical Clock – F. J. Haydn

Medley of Maori Folksongs - Traditional

Mini Shabbat:

  • Kiever Bulgar – Traditional
  • Yitsmach Shalom – Oriental folksong
  • Ets Harimon – Persian melody
  • Adon Olam – Jerusalem tune and traditional tune
  • Mizmor l’David – Traditional
  • Sabbath Meditation – Jacob Beimal

National anthems of our students: Irish Republic, Macedonia, USA, UK, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

 

Saturday, February 22

El Raturha – René Pisters

Puppet Show – Bohuslav Martinu

Raatjes March – Frank Steijns

Traditional Ukrainian Melodies

Traditional Afghanistan Melodies

Traditional Mexican Folksongs

Traditional Spirituals

 

Sunday, February 23

Selections of choral preludes and excerpts from the Well-Tempered Clavier – J. S. Bach

Traditional Ukrainian Melodies

Traditional Afghanistan Melodies

Traditional Mexican Folksongs

Traditional Spirituals

 

Monday, February 24

Viennese Sonatas I and II – W. A. Mozart

Three Polish Polkas – Traditional

Prelude V – Mathias Van den Gheyn

The Jovial Clarinet – Karl Berghuis

Three 17th century Pavanes – Anonymous

National anthems of our students:  Afghanistan, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus

 

Tuesday, February 25

Viennese Sonata III and IV – W. A. Mozart

Three Fiddle Tunes from Prince Edward Island – Traditional

Prelude VIII – Mathias Van den Gheyn

“Va Pensiero” from Nabucco – Guiseppe Verdi

Prelude VI – Mathias Van den Gheyn

National anthems of our students: Belgium (two melodies), Bolivia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Barundi, Cambodia, Canada

 

Wednesday, February 26

Viennese Sonata V – W. A. Mozart

Selections from Die Zauberflöte – W. A. Mozart

Medley of Scottish folksongs – Traditional

Medley of Irish folksongs – Traditional

Two Traditional songs from Tuscany 

National anthems of our students: Chile, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, 

Ecuador, Faroe Islands, Finland

 

Thursday, February 27

Viennese Sonata VI – W. A. Mozart

Sonata for Violin and Piano – Johannes Brahms 

Medley of Scottish folksongs – Traditional

Ragupati Ra Gam Ragah Ram – Traditional

Four Children’s songs for the Veena – K. Subramanian

National anthems of our students: France, Georgia, Germany, 

Greece, Hong Kong, India, Iran

 

Friday, February 28

Six short pieces – W. A. Mozart

Three Kegelduetten – W. A. Mozart

Selections from “El Bustan” (Syrian folksongs)

“Let us break their bonds asunder” – from Handel’s Messiah

Mini Shabbat:

  • Tzur ya El – Sephardic prayer song
  • Three Sephardic settings of Tzur mishelo
  • Oseh Shalom – Traditional

National anthems of our students: Iraq, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, 

Korea, Lebanon, Mauritius, Mexico