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Carillon News

January 25, 2003
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Historical Carillon Recording

 

Historische Beiaardopnamen - Volume 1 - 1925-1950. Vlaamse Beiaardvereniging, 2000.

The Flemish Carillon Guild has begun a compact disc series featuring historical carillon recordings. The first CD documents the carillon art in Flanders during the period between 1925 and 1950. The recordings, taken from the archives of the Flemish Radio & Television and from the archives of the Royal Carillon School "Jef Denyn," are invaluable sources of information.

Several carillons are heard in conditions which no longer exist: either they were completely retuned (Ghent), completely or partially destroyed during World War II (Nivelles), or recently replaced by new instruments (Oudenaarde). These recordings are our only link to the former sound of these instruments. They demonstrate that some carillons had a surprisingly warm timbre, but that the majority were quite out of tune.

Another revealing aspect of the CD is the interpretation of the performers:  Jef Denyn, founding director of the Belgian Carillon School, his celebrated colleagues Staf Nees and Léon Henry, as well as seven less well known carillonneurs. Their manner of playing often reveals the technical condition of the instrument:  a stiff connection between the keys and clappers was inherent to nearly every carillon. That they succeeded nonetheless in virtuosic and finely nuanced performances is a testament to the talent of carillonneurs such as Jef Denyn.  His legendary musicality is substantiated, for example, in the sublime interpretation of his own Prelude in B-flat--and this at age 76!

The CD is divided into two parts.  The first features Jef Denyn and Staf Nees, the first two directors of the Belgian Carillon School, performing primarily their own compositions. Additional tracks include Jef Denyn speaking about the Carillon School, and an interview of Staf Nees by Karel Albert Goris (Marnix Gijsen) which includes comments on the influence of Jef Denyn.  The second part is a series of sound documents in which the focus is on the sound of the instrument itself rather than the interpretation. This part includes the Hemony carillon of Ghent and the Du Mery carillon of Brugge before they were retuned. One piece is played on the Mechelen World Exposition carillon (1938) which was installed at Stanford University in 1941.

The cover photo shows the playing console in the St. Rombout's Tower in Mechelen--a vivid example of a bygone era. For a genuine impression of the state of affairs during the period in question, this CD is indispensable. Any filtering which would have altered the timbre and adversely affected the authenticity of the recordings was avoided in the editing process. The primitive recording equipment with which the original recordings were made provides for a nostalgic character such as it would have sounded on an old phonograph.

One track features Jef Denyn speaking in 1937 (translated from Flemish):  "The Carillon School was founded in Mechelen in August, 1922, in commemoration of my 35 years as carillonneur.  Its purpose is to train excellent carillonneurs to play the instrument artistically and sensitively. The curriculum consists of playing both manual and pedal; secondly:  the automatic carillon, theory, adapting accompaniments, knowledge of the notes and names. Applied:  arranging music, programming the automatic carillon, carillon construction."

Interview of Staf Nees by Karel Albert Goris (Marnix Gijsen)

Mr. Nees, what do you think was the significance of your great predecessor?

Above all I believe that Jef Denyn is the one who revived the carillon art which in general had waned by the end of the previous century. I must say, however, that Mechelen kept the tradition going, a tradition that Denyn perpetuated by founding the Carillon School in 1922.

The work of our great master carillonneur is significant in that, beginning in Mechelen, he resurrected the carillon art by renovating neglected or poorly installed carillons, by building new instruments, by having other cities organize evening concerts in the Mechelen tradition, and last but not least by creating and promoting a carillon repertory that had been virtually nonexistent and is now known both here and abroad.

 

And of course I must ask you Mr. Nees, how many carillonneurs has the school in Mechelen trained so far?

Well, we can't say exactly, but there have been approximately 250, and note that these were students from fifteen different countries. The best of these students are now working not just in Belgium but all over the world. Under Mechelen's impulse, a new carillon school has been established in The Netherlands that helps to promote the carillon art. Our former students are also active in countries such as France, England, Ireland, Denmark, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, etc.

 

So you're saying that it is thanks to Jef Denyn that the carillon art is thriving once again?

Absolutely. We owe everything to Jef Denyn and the traditions maintained in Mechelen. His influence continues to have an impact and to grow. Take for example the ever increasing number of new carillons here and elsewhere. In this respect, we can easily compare our time with the carillon art's most flourishing period in the 17th century.

 

Even a layman such as myself can tell that Mechelen is without rival as the center of the carillon art.

Of course! Let me add that not only does our carillon school continue to thrive, it is held in high regard all over the world as the central source of carillon art. Former students eagerly return to Mechelen to reunite in their efforts to spread the Mechelen tradition abroad. So you see, it is above all Mechelen that plays a guiding role for carillonneurs throughout the world.

Good music for the carillon is either music written specifically for the instrument or good arrangements of existing music. Our primary concern is that it is simple and clear, not too complex harmonically or contrapuntally. Excellent pieces for the carillon repertory can be drawn from the music of the early Flemish harpsichordists: Fiocco, Krafft, Boutmy, Vanden Gheyn--who was an exceptional organist and carillonneur and wrote several excellent works for carillon--and composers from earlier times such as Couperin, Rameau, Purcell and others.

Works written specifically for carillon are especially important. We heartily urge all composers--especially our own Flemish composers--to take an interest in our instrument. We encourage them to consult with a proficient carillonneur and by all means to take inspiration from our beautiful old Flemish songs that are so simple but sound uncommonly good on the carillon.

 

 

With this CD, Historical Carillon Recordings I (1925-1950), the Flemish Carillon Guild is making a significant contribution to the preservation of our cultural heritage.  The Guild hopes to present the second volume (1950-1975) in the near future.

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