Details
Image(s)
TitleTurret Clock with Carillon
Creatorunknown
PlaceZierikzee
Year ca. 1550 - ca. 1600 1996 - 1998
Object number0891
Object categorymechanical instruments with bells, timepieces with musical movements
Object namecarillon, timepiece with bells
DescriptionThe concept of a cylinder programmed with pins heralded the beginning of mechanical music. This technology emerged as early as the 9th century in Baghdad, but the oldest surviving examples we know of today are found in the carillon. In the mechanical carillon, hammers are raised mechanically. When they subsequently fall back down under the force of their own weight, they strike the corresponding bells, producing sound. If you want the same note (one bell for each note) to repeat shortly after it is played, you need several hammers per bell.
Accompanying textsThe function of the music was to announce and draw attention to the striking of the hour. The cylinder is reprogrammable: by manually moving the pins to different places you can produce a different melody. The ability to vary the repertoire was thus built into the instrument from the very beginning. The number of holes in a cylinder into which the pins could be inserted could vary greatly, as could the size of the cylinder and the number of bells. These three details were and are decisive for the musical possibilities (in terms of level of complexity, for example). Although it was entirely possible to alter the music, it was not necessarily convenient. Changing the program takes a long time and, moreover, the carillon cannot be played while the cylinder is being repinned. Therefore, the assumption is that this probably did not happen very often.
This late-16th-century tower clock comes from Zierikzee. The carillon itself is new (added in1998), but was designed entirely according to historical principles to illustrate this early surviving example of mechanical music technology,
Initially, the carillon consisted of four bells: the French verb quadrillonner (to ring the fourths) has origins in the Latin quatrino (set of four). There is debate about the dating and location of the first tower carillons. Many carillons abroad are named after the Low Countries. Some examples: The Netherlands Carillon (Arlington, Virginia, USA) and Netherlands Centennial Carillon (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada). The Niederlander Carillon (Williamsville, New York, USA) Carillon Symphonica Huis Ten Bosch (Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan). In addition, the Netherlands has by far the most carillons, 182 compared to "only" 85 in Belgium and 56 in France.
This late-16th-century tower clock comes from Zierikzee. The carillon itself is new (added in1998), but was designed entirely according to historical principles to illustrate this early surviving example of mechanical music technology,
Initially, the carillon consisted of four bells: the French verb quadrillonner (to ring the fourths) has origins in the Latin quatrino (set of four). There is debate about the dating and location of the first tower carillons. Many carillons abroad are named after the Low Countries. Some examples: The Netherlands Carillon (Arlington, Virginia, USA) and Netherlands Centennial Carillon (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada). The Niederlander Carillon (Williamsville, New York, USA) Carillon Symphonica Huis Ten Bosch (Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan). In addition, the Netherlands has by far the most carillons, 182 compared to "only" 85 in Belgium and 56 in France.
Dimensions
geheel height: 130 cm
geheel width: 90 cm
geheel depth: 160 cm
geheel width: 90 cm
geheel depth: 160 cm
Digital references