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