Carillon my wayward son

August 20, 2019 8:01 PM

A behind-the-scenes and above-the-dome tour of the University of Chicago carillon, second largest in the world, with Rob Scallon and carillonneur Joey Brink. Come for the fascinating history and trivia (there are 600 of them), stay for the improvised minor-key jam.

Previous Mefi carillon posts: 1, 2, 3

posted by mudpuppie (14 comments total)

Carillon my wayward son
Expect an extra kitten in your pay envelope this month.
posted by thelonius at 8:35 PM on August 20, 2019 [20 favorites]

What a stellar piece!
posted by mightshould at 10:12 PM on August 20, 2019

I just skipped straight to the jam, plus Joey Brink playing Rob Scallon's piece. That was fantastic. Felt like church bells playing gamelan. Going to watch the rest now!
posted by biogeo at 10:21 PM on August 20, 2019

I went on a first date from OKcupid that involved a trip up those spiral steps to the carillon at Rockefeller Chapel. After the trivia, manually tapping some bells with my fists, and a demonstration of a couple songs she said, "go ahead. Play something." I froze up at the console. I couldn't come to grips with the idea of noodling around or trying to plunk out a melody on an instrument that can be heard in a 3-5 block radius.


Reader, I married her.
posted by onehalfjunco at 10:24 PM on August 20, 2019 [8 favorites]

It's a beautiful instrument, if you ever have a chance definitely check out the recitals they give. It's a magical experience to be on the grass listening to the bells fill the space and hearing the echos off the stone behind you (depending on where you sit). It was closed for a few years while they were renovating it, a job that I can imagine was quite involved, but when it reopened it sounded better than ever.
posted by Carillon at 10:31 PM on August 20, 2019 [2 favorites]

What fun! Wonder if that would fit in my Christmas stocking. Santa??
posted by Cranberry at 12:36 AM on August 21, 2019 [1 favorite]

For more Carillion goodness here is Wintergatan (of Marble Machine fame) visiting the one in Utrecht.
posted by PenDevil at 4:07 AM on August 21, 2019 [1 favorite]

It's a beautiful instrument, if you ever have a chance definitely check out the recitals they give ...
posted by Carillon

... Eponysterical?

Am I doing it right?
posted by myotahapea at 4:54 AM on August 21, 2019 [4 favorites]

onehalfjunco: "go ahead. Play something." I froze up at the console. I couldn't come to grips with the idea of noodling around or trying to plunk out a melody on an instrument that can be heard in a 3-5 block radius.

I have been in the Rockefeller carillon and this was my reaction too. I briefly thought about learning how to play it properly but the thought that the entire campus would know if I played it poorly was too sobering. I was not on a hot date, though, just touring the carillon with its caretakers. I met Quasimodo the cat!
posted by capricorn at 5:11 AM on August 21, 2019 [5 favorites]

Carillon is lovely until it is 15 feet outside your office window during convocation week. Ask me how joyful, joyful that is.
posted by wellred at 6:15 AM on August 21, 2019 [3 favorites]

I came in just to praise your title but this video is delightful.
posted by LobsterMitten at 7:37 AM on August 21, 2019

Rob Scallon also did episodes featuring a colossal Pipe Organ and a Theremin (played masterfully by Carolina Eyck and not-so-masterfully by Rob)
posted by rocket88 at 1:11 PM on August 21, 2019

One of the things that wowed me about seeing this Carillon played was that the bells ring at a significant delay after you hit the keys. So you have to keep track of that in addition to everything.
posted by mai at 5:01 AM on August 22, 2019

Also is that the Harry Potter theme?
posted by mai at 5:05 AM on August 22, 2019