Real bells actually played from the Bell Tower last month for the first time since 1989. Not from the top, but from the speakers.
The University acquired the current grand symphony carillon in 1986, which uses 246 bells along with digital “hornbills,” Chris Gould, associate dean for the Department of Physics, said.
Out of order since 1989, the carillon’s bells have recently been restored by Gould and others—and students may soon be able to play them.
The carillon is played like an organ. When keys are hit, a bell is struck by a piece of metal and the sound is relayed both mechanically and electronically, according to Gould.
The bells of the University’s carillon are not perched upon the top of the famous tower, however, but reside in Holladay Hall.
“A traditional carillon would actually be physical bells with a rope on them,” Gould said. “You need a huge tower to support a large number of bells.”
Duke Chapel stands at approximately 210 feet with a carillon that plays inside with 50 bells. At N.C . State, the Memorial Bell Tower stands at 115 feet but plays with nearly five times the amount of bells as Duke, through speakers.
The lack of bells in the tower has been a point of discussion for several years, but Tom Stafford, vice chancellor of student affairs, said students seem to have put the issue aside for now.
The senior class of 2010 raised over $50,000 to place one bell in the tower. However, this was only a fraction of the money it would take to put in a full set of bells.
“To put a full complement of bells, it would run between $750,000 and $1 million,” Stafford said.
Since the area at the bottom of the tower has begun deteriorating, Stafford said, the cost of repairs along with purchasing additional bells may prove too much for the time being.
“Since [$50,000 was raised], the effort to raise additional money has fallen to the wayside,” Stafford said.
Elizabeth Russell, a sophomore in human biology, believes the recently-fixed carillon is a good match for the University.
“The carillon is appropriate to our university because of its precise mechanical structure,” Russell said. “This is a great technical university. It makes sense that the tower would have an advanced piece of mechanics and electronics playing.”
Until 1989, the carillon was played on a daily basis at 5 p.m ., when students from the music department would come to Holladay Hall to play songs on the instrument. Stafford and Gould did not indicate why the daily event ceased. The carillon has been out of working condition since then.
After hard work by Gould and several people from the physical plant, the carillon was fixed and Alex Miller, a leader for University arts programs, became the first to play the carillon in over 20 years.
Both Gould and Miller played the instrument soon after it was resurrected, and students near the bell tower heard the sound of its bells for the first time since most undergraduates were born.
Stafford said plans are in the works for another playing session soon, and the goal is to see students playing the carillon regularly again.
