[Bell Historians] Major third bells

[Carl S Zimmerman]

At 10:11 +0100 06/10/16, Susan & Christopher Dalton wrote:
>... they can certainly be achieved without bulging midriffs. But are they
>desirable?


This question was addressed by the carillon world shortly after 
Eijsbouts produced their "bulging midriff" bells.  I believe the 
Dutch carillon guild took a formal position against them.  The North 
American guild didn't do that.  But informally we concluded that 
carillons made of major third bells are distinctly different 
instruments from those to which we are more accustomed.  The great 
majority of music written or arranged for minor-third carillons 
simply doesn't sound very good on a major-third carillon, so one must 
almost start from scratch to build a new repertoire for this new 
instrument.

In the change-ringing world, the concept of "music" is vastly 
different.  Also, there are many old rings which were not tuned to 
modern standards, and thus have what might be called "variable" 
thirds.  So it appears to be quite practical for a band to ring just 
as well on major-third bells as on minor-third bells.  How the 
resulting sound might compare with the traditional sound is a 
question I'm not prepared to address yet.

Are there any rings of major third bells?  If so, where?

Carl