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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Well done. I'll attach your info to my records for
posterity.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>AAJB.</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=timothyhurd@paKYLC0bBNyF_9d6RSr5J8DlZBeUz312xZEqWQ9YpA5XBTfE7hHTQ_cUFb88qYeuSc6ThW2V26lhIipczt52v_2wdw.yahoo.invalid href="mailto:timothyhurd@MbcFKTBpRHg9FCyvDZszcUC4ePPZJ05Q1cko8XBlRyK1uTMpTt-FBxxL9Ly6zPK4KsR7afPsC9ThRuZJdw.yahoo.invalid">Timothy
Hurd</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com
href="mailto:bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com">bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, March 30, 2010 2:11
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Bell Historians] Riverside
(again & hopefully for the last time)</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><SPAN style="DISPLAY: none"> </SPAN>
<DIV id=ygrp-text>
<P>
<DIV
style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>Dear
All</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><O><STRONG><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma></FONT></STRONG></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>In
response to list-member interest shown (and certain opinions expressed)
recently in respect of the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Carillon at The
Riverside Church, New York, I thought I should get busy to set both the
record, and correspondents, straight on a number of points.
</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><O><STRONG><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma></FONT></STRONG></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>Assuming
that bell historians are still interested in such things as ‘facts’, you may
wish to consider the following:</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><O><STRONG><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma></FONT></STRONG></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>1. In
1956, Kamiel Lefevre (Riverside Carillonneur at the time) had the upper 56 of
the original 72 Gillett & Johnston bells removed and recast by van Bergen
of Heiligerlee, The Netherlands. Conventional wisdom has it that all 56
G&J bells were melted down by van Bergen in the re-cast. However, at least
two of the smaller original bells have ‘resurfaced’ in intervening years,
drawing this assumption into question. How many were ‘souvenired’ is anybody’s
guess. Van Bergen added two small trebles at the top of the range, bringing
the total to 74. By any musically-informed assessment, the van Bergen bells
were vastly inferior to the original G&Js, both in casting quality and
tuning.</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><O><STRONG><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma></FONT></STRONG></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><O><STRONG><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma></FONT></STRONG></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>2. In the
1999 carillon restoration, Olympic Carillon Inc. USA was contracted to do the
following:</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><O><STRONG><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma></FONT></STRONG></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>a)
Re-order the chaotic frame layout & change playing action from a ‘side’ to
a ‘central’ transmission arrangement.</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>b) Remove
the machine room and electro-pneumatic machinery to make space for a new
playing cabin. </FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>c) Remove
existing clavier room and underlying floor to open sound egress through the
upper belfry & to permit installation of a completely new treble
frame.</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>d) cut a
large rectangular hole through the 1ft-thick concrete E floor at the level of
the old machine room ‘lean-to’, to permit sound to get ‘down & out’ more
efficiently. The vast majority of the carillon’s 74 bells had previously been
sounding either onto solid floors or into the roof of the clavier or machine
rooms. </FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>e)
Reposition the C1 swinging bell & its ringing frame (all 17 tons of bell,
fittings & steelwork) up one level and to a different side of the tower.
This bell had previously been sounding hard against a solid brick/masonry
wall. The ‘big swingers’ are therefore no longer precisely in their original
1930 arrangement, as previously stated by another on-list
correspondent.</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>f)
Provide new 6-octave clavier & matching practice
clavier.</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>g)
Renovate clappers on the 16 original G&J bells & provide new clappers
for the WBF bells, with increased weights in the top 4.5 octaves to achieve
greater carrying power. The carillon is situated 25 stories above ground level
& Manhattan is a very noisy affair, 24-7-365
(!)</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>h) Supply
stainless steel, ball-bearing transmission system.</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><O><STRONG><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma></FONT></STRONG></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><O><STRONG><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma></FONT></STRONG></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>3. The
three principal objectives of the restoration were:</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><O><STRONG><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma></FONT></STRONG></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>a) to get
rid of the horrible van Bergen bells, once and for all. N.B: the van Bergen
bells were REPLACED outright (with new metal) and NOT RECAST for a second
time. TRC retained all 56 van Bergens removed during the renovation.
</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>b) in the
most musically-responsib<WBR>le manner possible, to replicate 1930 G&J
tuning and tonal complexion. </FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>c) for
the first time ever, to make the Carillon and Swinging Peal CLEARLY heard at
ground level. </FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><O><STRONG><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma></FONT></STRONG></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><O><STRONG><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma></FONT></STRONG></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><O><STRONG><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma></FONT></STRONG></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>4. As
regards the 58 new WBF bells:</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><O><STRONG><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma></FONT></STRONG></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>a) The
heaviest WBF bell is note F1, 45” diameter. The limiting factor on size of
largest bell replaced in 1956 (and again in 1999) was NOT the tower lift, but
rather the rectangular dimensions of the single ventilation shaft in the floor
of the lower belfry, this leading down to the lift motor room and thence,
through a much larger hatch, to the elevator lobby at Level
20.</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>b) The
first half-octave of new bells (F1-A#1) employ EXACT G&J cloned profiles,
thoroughly researched by myself & Nigel Taylor of Whitechapel Bellfoundry.
There is no question of either imprecision or ‘somebody’s guess’ on
this.</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>c)
Through the next half-octave (B1-E2), bell profiles change very slightly from
note to note, merging into WBF modern profile for remaining trebles (46 bells
upwards, from the beginning of the second new octave: F2). Upper octaves are,
like the G&J originals, lathe-cut on inner AND outer
profiles.</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2><FONT face=Tahoma>d)
Original G&J tuning records were accessed with kind assistance of Alan
Buswell. Following sound tests & digital analysis of partials on the
extant 16 G&J bells, the original measurements from 1930 were corrected
for errors, as required & a new equation of least variance calculated
(bearing in mind certain technical flaws in the original bells retained, as
these could neither be replaced nor retuned). B<SPAN style="COLOR: black">ell
design research also included documenting profiles on the lowest 16, making
comparisons with other G&J peal and carillon bells of the same period
& a precise analysis of bell metal composition using x-ray spectrography,
test samples of bronze having been reamed from head bolt holes on the A#0, B0
and E1 bells. </SPAN>The G&J ‘matching’ job in casting quality &
tuning achieved by Nigel Taylor of Whitechapel is nothing short of miraculous:
the renovated carillon sounds as an authentic ‘high third’ G&J instrument
of late 1920s/1930s (the whole point of the restoration,
right?)<O></O></FONT></FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2><FONT face=Tahoma>e)
The WBF trebles grow proportionally thicker in profile toward the top of the
range; however, it is a gross exaggeration to say that “<SPAN
style="COLOR: black">The trebles were almost solid - just a hole with a
shoulder up the middle for a bell bolt.” (quote from another list
correspondent)<WBR>. The WBF trebles are nowhere near as thick as some treble
designs by Continental founders; they are particularly free and resonant owing
to sensible scaling for a six-octave instrument AND to their increased tin
content, up to 24.5%.</SPAN><O></O></FONT></FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>f)
Heavier clappers installed now permit the Carillon to be heard distinctly,
with musical detail intact, within about a 10 city-block radius of the
tower.</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><O><STRONG><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma></FONT></STRONG></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><O><STRONG><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma></FONT></STRONG></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>5. As
regards the 16 original G&J bells:</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><O><STRONG><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma></FONT></STRONG></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>a) In the
lower belfry, only three bells belong to the swinging peal: C0, F0 & G0.
The D0 and D#0 bells on this level are stationary, operated from the clavier
only. The A0 swinger is located next story up at the same level as the new
clavier room. The C1 swinger (described previously) is now situated yet
another level up from there; moving the C1 has proven very successful in
letting the bell be heard more clearly at ground level & enhancing the
total ensemble of the <U>5</U>-bell peal. All five swinging bells still have
external hammers for clavier operation.</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>b) In
that the historicity of the G&J instrument was already lost in 1956 in the
ill-fated van Bergen re-cast, had access and available $$$ not been a problem
(which, of course, both were), it would also have been our recommendation in
1999 to replace certain of the remaining original 16 bells. Accurate tuning
& measurement of higher partials in such large bells was problematic back
in 1930; the secondary strike tones are particularly ferocious, masking the
fundamentals at attack. The Bourdon C0 still sounds pretty much like an ‘F0’,
even after Cyril Johnston’s three tries at producing such a Leviathan. The
musical usefulness of such big bells is certainly a matter of taste, but the
Church was adamant that the carillon transposition remain ‘as is’, i.e
downward by a perfect 4<SUP>th </SUP>(C plays G), and that the range should
remain at 74 bells, thus retaining the ‘world’s largest carillon’ distinction.
That TRC’s 74-bell range has now been equalled or surpassed in number by
several other carillons, the total weight of bell metal thus far remains
unchallenged. </FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>c) With
20-20 hindsight & the original tuning records in hand, it should be
mentioned that there was probably very little ‘wrong’ with the 1930 G&J
mid-range or treble bells. However, G&J carillons of the period tended to
employ one profile throughout, i.e. the small bells were just bigger bells
‘shrunk’ in 3-D, therefore proportionally very thin and weak in comparison to
the bass. It was their misfortunate, stratospheric placement in New York and
various physical blockages in belfry & frame design that prevented the
original trebles from being musically acceptable, or even audible, on the
ground.</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><O><STRONG><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma></FONT></STRONG></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><O><STRONG><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma></FONT></STRONG></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>6. Other
considerations:</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>a)
Subsequent to the renovation, work by other contractors has been undertaken on
the instrument, notably replacement of the Parsifal Chime/hour-strike
mechanism. On the C0 Bourdon, a new hour-strike motor was incorrectly attached
to the external hammer belonging to the carillon, making the clavier action
extremely heavy. This motor should be removed and installed correctly on the
dedicated hour-strike hammer, located on the opposite side of the
bell.</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>b) There
is plenty of adjustability in the existing arrangement of recalling springs,
counter springs & counterweights to permit the playing action to be
lightened, if the Church so wishes. </FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>c) The
new clavier room was not part of the Olympic contract. Olympic was only
responsible for ‘clearing the decks’ prior to its construction. Design &
fabrication of the room was handled as a completely separate project by the
Church architect. Several successive re-draws, a protracted tendering process
& difficulty in getting ANY contractor to ‘stick build’ such a room 25
stories up effectively delayed completion of the carillon restoration by about
two years. </FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>d) There
has, to my knowledge, been no further attempt to repair/renovate the hydraulic
roller door shutters on the tower sound openings. At last inspection, several
of these were still frozen in totally- or partially-closed position, making
for only about 60% of the total sound egress actually ‘open’. Imagine the
effect if these could be opened 100%...</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><O><STRONG><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma></FONT></STRONG></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><O><STRONG><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma></FONT></STRONG></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>Timothy
Hurd</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>Olympic
Carillon Inc</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><O><STRONG><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma></FONT></STRONG></O></SPAN></P></DIV></DIV><BR>
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