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 Carillon Performances
All programs will be at 12:30 to 1:30 pm unless otherwise announced.
Performed by George Matthew Jr., college carillonneur
Tuesday, February 10
Sonata in C Giovanni Pescetti
Sonata for violin and continuo Archangelo Corelli
Menuetto del Signor Fortinello Italiano Anonymous
Le Rosignol vainqueur Francois Couperin
Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani and Spanish music and spirituals
Wednesday, February 11
Impressions Anna Roelamska Musialczyk
Reflections Magdelana Cynk
“They shall beat their swords into plowshares” Andrew S. Allen
“Let all things now living” Traditional
Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani and Spanish music and spirituals
Thursday, February 12
The Peace through Justice March Jan J. K. Rosmalas
Minuet and Trio for Carillon Staf Nees
Selections from the Rodenbach Suite Ghislain Pouseele
Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani and Spanish music and spirituals
Friday, February 13
The Alfred Suite Kamiel Lefevre
Commemorate N. Los-Laros
Fanfare for Middlebury College Charles Semowich
Mini Shabbat:
- Hiney El Yeshouti Traditional Hassidic
- Yismechu Traditional Hassidic
Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani and Spanish music and spirituals
Saturday, February 14
Configurations Aimé Lombaert
Prelude for Carillon Edward Denyn
Three Pieces Noel Reynders
Ballade Romance Ode
Klokkendansje Staf Nees
Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani and Spanish music and spirituals
Sunday, February 15
Selected Chorale Preludes J.S. Bach
Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani and Spanish music and spirituals
No carillon on Monday, February 16
Tuesday, February 17 In observance of the Lunar New Year
Ngày tét quê em Tu Huy
Nie Er (The Golden Snake Dance) Traditional
Belfry Reflections Liling Hwang
Reflections of Mount Ali Liling Hwang
Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani and Spanish music and spirituals
Wednesday, February 18
Selected Choral Preludes J. S. Bach
Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani and Spanish music and spirituals
Thursday, February 19
Caller Herren Traditional
Passacaglia Edmund De Vos
Chime Tunes: Norfolk, Fisk and Luray Arranged by Johann Franco
Improvisation Edmund De Vos
Walking on Clouds Geert D’Hollander
Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani and Spanish music and spirituals
Friday, February 20
Våsterös Sonata Johann Adriaenssen
Mini Shabbat
- Contemplation Mario Castelnuevo-Tedesco
- Psalm Prelude Herbert Fromm
- Pastorale Herbert Fromm
Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani and Spanish music and spirituals
Saturday, February 21
Canon in D Johann Pachelbel
Fugue for Bells James B. Angell
Prelude in Hirajoshi mode George Matthew Jr.
The Jovial Clarinet Karel Borghuis
Olé Guapa! A. Malando
Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani and Spanish music and spirituals
Sunday, February 22 J. S. Bach
Larghetto from Keyboard Concerto BWV 1055
Siciliano from Violin Sonata I BWV 1021
Choral Prelude: “Liebster Jesu” BWV 633
“Bereite dich Zion” (from the Christmas Oratorio) BWV 248
Agnus Dei from the Mass in b minor BWV 232
Choral Prelude “Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein” BWV 616
Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani and Spanish music and spirituals
No carillon on Monday, February 23
Tuesday, February 24
Suite for carillon (1951) Staf Nees
Allegro from Sonata for harp Alan Hovhaness
Arbeid (“work”) from Calland Suite Gerard Boedijn
Fantasia Arthur Bigelow
Hallelujah! Hilton J. Rufty
Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani and Spanish music and spirituals
Wednesday, February 25
Kegelduetten W. A. Mozart
Impromptu for two-octave carillon Melvin C. Corbett
Chaconne Johann Valentin Mader
Marcia di Gala Eugene Uten
Polonez in a minor Johann Gottlieb Goldberg
Fantasia in three parts Paul Sifert
Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani and Spanish music and spirituals
Thursday, February 26 Women Composers
Andante Lullaby Chantey Jean Miller
Carillon Fantasia in G Alinda B. Couper
Fantasia in g minor Alinda B. Couper
Carillon Fantasia in F Alinda B. Couper
Belfry Reflections Emma Lou Diemer
Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani and Spanish music and spirituals
Friday, February 27
Klockkenhymn P. V. D. Broucke
Torenspel voor Beiaard Willem de Vries Robbé
Mini Shabbat:
- Six settings of “Adon Olam”
- Spanish/Portuguese Two Israeli Tunes Mizrahi Spanish/Portuguese Traditional
- Two settings of Ya Ribon
- Spanish/Portuguese Iraqi
- “A Klangspiel in Klezmer Style” Naomi 3. Hoffman
Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani and Spanish music and spirituals
Saturday, February 28
Variations on “Morning Has Broken” George Matthew Jr.
“Homeland” George Matthew Sr. (1940)
Selections from the opera “Rip van Winkle” Edward B. Manning
“Die Konigen” Peter Cornelius
“Oft in the Stilly Night” Irish folksong
Prelude in C BWV 939 J. S. Bach
Traditional Ukrainian, Afghani and Spanish music and spirituals