The "Bells of Old South College" became the Wesleyan Carillon in
2005. Eight new bells were installed to upgrade Wesleyan's chime (10-22
bells) of sixteen bells to a carillon (23 or more bells) of twenty-four
bells. This is the eleventh carillon in Connecticut, tying the state with
Pennsylvania for the second most carillons in one state with Texas in leading
with fourteen carillons.
The eight new bells give Wesleyan a range of two octaves (plus one note) and fills in some of the missing accidentals. The new pitches (G-sharp, D-sharp, G-sharp, A, B-flat, B, C, D) allow ringers to play the alma mater correctly among other tunes.
The largest bell (the low C) is 2,700 pounds with a 48-inch diameter. The largest new bell is the sixth largest bell in the tower (the G-sharp) and weighs 693 pounds. All of the bells are composed of bronze alloy of about 78% copper and 22% tin.
The eight new bells were cast in Holland by Petit & Frisen, the Royal
Dutch Bell Foundry and then shipped by sea to New Orleans and then by barge to
Cincinnati where they were fine-tuned by the Verdin Bell Company. In
September, Tina and Bruce Harkness and Don Swem of the Verdin Bell Company
installed the eight new bells over the course of three weeks.
The bells, clappers, keyboard and other equipment were hoisted by crane in a
dramatic event on a beautiful blue sky day in September 2005. In days
following the steel framework inside the belfry was installed and then the bells
were moved inside using winches and bell hooks and manpower. Once inside,
each bell was hung onto the frame by attaching it with the clapper and then
tightening all the bolts. After all of the new bells were mounted and new
clappers were installed on all of the old bells, the umbrella rack that holds
the wires to connect the clappers to the keyboard below was installed.
Careful measurements and precision was necessary for everything to line up with
the instrument below so tools such as lasers aided the workers in the task.
Click here for more information about the DVD featuring a a
film about the installation of the carillon.
The eight new bells and the expanded practice keyboard were given to the university through the generous donations of the following:
In Honor of Peter & Laurie Frenzel
Donated by Their Friends
In Memory of David E. Engel '49
Donated by Water Engel '46 & Clitheroe H. Engel
In Honor of the Woodhouse Family
Donated by John '53 & Lyn Woodhouse and John Woodhouse II '79 &
Deborah Pearson-Woodhouse '79
In Memory of Joy Mooney Jenkins
Donated by David Jenkins '53
In Honor of Peter Harvey '03
Donated by Susan & Peter Harvey P'03
In Honor of the Bruner Family
Donated by Clark E. Bruner '36, Dr. William E. Bruner II '71 & Susan F.
Bruner P'02, P'04, and Amanda L. Bruner '02 and Andrew E. Bruner '04
In Honor of the Broker Family
Donated by Thomas O. Broker '36 & Evelyn F. Broker P'66, P'69 and Dr.
Thomas R. Broker '66 & Dr. Louise Tsi Chow and Stephen P. Broker '69 and
Linda K. Broker MAT '71
In Memory of Jane Nye Andrus and Maurene Morton Neville
Donated by James D. Andrus '66
Additional Support
Joshua P. Stevens '95
Armar A. Archbold
Keyboard Restoration through the Generosity of
Friends of Joan W. Miller MALS '79
The Wesleyan University Carillon was dedicated on November 5, 2005 at 4:30pm as part of Homecoming/Family Weekend. The celebration will honor the donors and honorees of the eight newly added bells as well as a previous addition of five new bells installed in fall 1966 donated by Victor L. Butterfield in the last year of his presidency. Two music pieces were composed for the occasion by Wesleyan music Professors Neely Bruce ("Twenty Four Bells") and Richard Winslow '40 ("Happy Birthday"). Click here for more information about a DVD including a video of the ceremony.
Sunday Afternoons with Les Grande Bells
Wesleyan's first-ever Carillon Concert Series
Three Sundays at 3 pm Spring 2006
April 23 - Bell & Scroll, Guild of Wesleyan Student Ringers
April 30 - David Maker, Carillonneur at UConn, Storrs CT
May 7 - Daniel Kehoe, Carillonneur at Trinity College, Hartford CT