Chapel 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 Performances
All programs will be at 12:30 to 1:30 pm unless otherwise announced.
Performed by George Matthew Jr., college carillonneur
Sunday, April 5 (Easter Sunday)
- Hallelujah Chorus – G. F. Handel
- Medley of Easter Hymns – Traditional
- Easter Morning Carillon – Phillip E. Baker
- I Know that my Redeemer Liveth – G.F. Handel (from the Messiah)
- Variations on O Filii et Filiae – George Matthew Jr.
- Medley of Ukrainian Easter Hymns – Traditional
- Variations on the Easter Hymn – Charles Semowich
- Medley of Polish Easter Hymns – Traditional
Monday, April 6
- Organ Concerto # 7 – G. F. Handel
- Sonata III – D. Cimarosa
- Pavana – Louis Milan
- Fugue in G - Johann Pachelbel
- Swedish Folk Dance – Traditional
- Les Trois Cloches – Janne Wellaert
- Fughetta for Carillon – Wendell Wescott
- Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani, Hispanic music and Spirituals
Tuesday, April 7
- Viennese Sonata II – W. A. Mozart
- Elegy – Staf Nees
- The Harmony of Zion – John Knox
- Contemplating a Japanese Garden – Ira Paul Schwartz
- Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani, Hispanic music and Spirituals
Wednesday, April 8
- Concerto in G – Antonio Vivaldi
- Sonata – G. Tartini
- Sarabande – Domenico Zipoli
- Gavotte – G. P. Telemann
- Air – Jeremiah Clarke
- Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani, Hispanic music and Spirituals
Thursday, April 9
- Chaconne – Louise Couperin
- Larghetto – Fernando Corelli
- Toccata in C – Antonio Carios de Seixas
- Little Cowherds – Chinese Folksong
- Maestoso – César Franck
- L’Empora, sardane – Eric Morira I Viora
- Andante from Organ Concerto – G. F. Handel
- Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani, Hispanic music and Spirituals
Friday, April 10
Mini Shabbat:
- Hassidic Wedding March – Ernest Bloch
- Hiney El Yeshuoti Evtach – Traditional
- Yismechu – Karen Tarlow
- Homage à Schoenberg – Menachim Avidom
- Fugue – Ruben Kosakov
- Prelude – Paul Ben-Chaim
- Prelude & Fugue – Robert Starer
- Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani, Hispanic music and Spirituals
Saturday, April 11
- “Kirken den er et Gammelt Hus” – Ulla Laage
- Christianus IV, King of Denmark, His Galliard – Traditional
- The Sacredness of Trees – Ellen Lindquist ‘93
- Dreams – Johann Adriaenssen
- Springar - Norwegian Dance
- Traditional Ukrainian, Iranian, Afghani and Hispanic music
Sunday, April 12
- Lute Suite III, BWV 995 – J. S. Bach
- Sheep May Safely Graze, BWV 283 – J. S. Bach
- Traditional Ukrainian, Iranian, Afghani and Hispanic music
Monday, April 13
- Ernelinde – Francois-André Danican Philidor
- Le Triomphe de l’Harmonie – Francois Granet
- Three Traditional Dances – J. A. Maassen
- Sarabande, Saltarello, Minuet
- Viennese Sonata IV – W. A. Mozart
- Legend and Allegro – Samuel Barber
- Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani, Hispanic music and Spirituals
Tuesday, April 14
- Suite for Carillon – Gian Carlo Menotti
- Allegro, Pastorale, Canzona, Etude
- Jazz Divertimento – Eugene Uten
- Allegro from Harp Sonata – Alan Hovhaness
- Fantasia on Gaudeamus Igitur – Jos Lerinckx
- Adagio from Sonata KV 280 – W. A. Mozart
- Aria “Bereite dich Zion” from the Christmas Oratorio, BWV 246 – J. S. Bach
- Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani, Hispanic music and Spirituals
Wednesday, April 15
- Prelude II – George Gershwin
- Red Peppers Rag – Imogene Giles
- Carillon Fantasia in G – Alinda B. Couper
- In Memory of Trees – Enya
- Rustic Dance – James Hook
- Variations on “Viena mia bella Biondina” – George Matthew Jr.
- Three short pieces for carillon – Jean Miller
- Air, Lullaby, Chantyann
- Air – Jeremiah Clarke
- Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani, Hispanic music and Spirituals
Thursday, April 16
- Pavane – Jean-Baptiste Lully
- Te Deum – Marc-Antoine Charpentier
- Sonata VI – W. A. Mozart
- Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani, Hispanic music and Spirituals
Friday, April 17
No carillon
Saturday, April 18
- Caller Herrin – Traditional
- Favorito – Dimedio Cato
- Canon in D – Johann Pachelbel
- Prelude IX – Mathias van den Gheyn
- Minuet in D – W. A. Mozart
- Adagio from Sonata in F – W. A. Mozart
- Selections from Die Zauberflöte – W. Mozart
- Traditional Ukrainian, Iranian, Afghani and Hispanic music
Sunday, April 19
- Passacaglia and Fugue in c minor, BWV 582 – J. S. Bach
- Organ Concerto in G, BWV 592– J. S. Bach
- Siciliano, BWV 1030 – J. S. Bach
- Sarabande, BWV 1007 – J. S. Bach
- Traditional Ukrainian, Iranian, Afghani and Hispanic music
Monday, April 20
- Ciacona – Dietrich Buxtehude
- Viennese Sonata II – W. A. Mozart
- Belfry Sketches – Liling Wang
- Variations on a Romanian Dance Song – George Matthew Jr.
- Spectrum – Prelude and Fugue – David Pearl
- Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani, Hispanic music and Spirituals
Tuesday, April 21
- Offertoire sur les Grands Jeux – Francois Couperin
- An Evening Hymn on a Ground – Henry Purcell
- Fugue for Bells – James B. Angell
- The Jovial Clarinet – Karel L. Borghuis
- Pastorale – George Matthew Jr.
- 11/4 Prelude – George Matthew Jr.
- Minuet from Symphony #104 – Joseph Hayden
- Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani, Hispanic music and Spirituals
Wednesday, April 22
- Viennese Sonata V – W. A. Mozart
- Le Tombau de Bertus van Lier – Johan Franco
- Passacaglia and Fugue in d – W. Laurence Curry
- Fantasia on “Morning Has Broken” – George Matthew Jr.
- Jacob’s Ladder – George Matthew Jr.
- Toccata for Carillon – George Matthew Jr.
- Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani, Hispanic music and Spirituals
Thursday, April 23
- Organ Sonata #7 – G. F. Handel
- Variations on a Flemish Song – Wendell Wescott
- Fantasia on a Flemish Song – Frederick Marriott
- Serenade – Henry Wesson
- Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani, Hispanic music and Spirituals
Friday, April 24
- Klokkenhymne – P. V. D. Broek
- Passepied – Willem Pijper
- Torenspel – Willem de Vries Robé
- Klangspiel in Klesmer Style – Nancy 3. Hoffman
- Sephardic Sabbath Selections – Traditional
- Traditional Ukrainian, Iranian, Afghani and Hispanic music
Saturday, April 25
- Partita #2 for Violin, BWV 1004 – J. S. Bach
- Partita #3 for Violin, BWV 2006 – J. S. Bach
- Traditional Ukrainian, Iranian, Afghani and Hispanic music
Sunday, April 26
- Lute Suite II, BWV 996 – J. S. Bach
- Toccata & Fugue in d minor, BWV 565 – J. S. Bach
- Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, BWV 356 – J. S. Bach
- Rejoice, O Zion (from the Christmas Oratorio), BWV 246 – J. S. Bach
- Traditional Ukrainian, Iranian, Afghani and Hispanic music
Monday, April 27
- Prelude, Fugue and Allegro, BWV 998 – J. S. Bach
- Sonata in e, BWV 1023 – J. S. Bach
- Sonata in G, BWV 1021 – J. S. Bach
- Traditional Ukrainian, Iranian, Afghani and Hispanic music