Bell restoration/tuning

[nigelsdtaylor]

The code of practice states that if a bell or bells are listed, are out of tune, or are of poor tone, then a case must be made to justify tuning.
The fact is that preparing a case and a tuning spec. for listed bells is increasingly becoming an irrelevance. The "no tuning" recommendation from the CBC -and some diocesan bells advisors- applies to listed bells, be they only a few herz out or a semitone! As I have said before, there is no compromise.
David Knight is an organ specialist who also represents the CBC on bell related matters. The CBC has no bell specialists. His main objection to tuning listed bells is that the process is irreversible, unlike other musical instruments. Not so. Many historic organs have had the tops of their pipes sawn off to raise the pitch and in order to fit tuning slides; often with no record being made of the original pitch and tuning. We do at least always record the as received pitches of all bells being tuned.

Nigel