Summer Sounds: A Brief History of Middlebury’s Carillon

About Our Carillon

A carillon is set up like a keyboard, with black and white keys and foot pedals that can help produce different kinds of sound. Each key is connected by wire to a bell clapper so different bells are rung depending on which key is struck. It is a 75-step climb up to Middlebury’s bell tower, atop Middlebury Chapel. The Middlebury Carillon is considered a traditional carillon of 48 bells. The pitch of Middlebury’s heaviest bell is E in the middle octave. It is a 2,300-pound bell; roughly the same weight as the Liberty Bell. In 1915, the instrument was begun with eleven bells by the Meneely bellfoundry in Watervliet, New York. Nine bells remain from that work. In 1986, the instrument was enlarged to its present size with bells made by Paccard-Fonderie des Cloches in Annecy, France. The enhanced carillon was presented as a gift from then Chairman of the Board of Trustees Allen Dragone ‘50 (and his wife Jane) in 1986. 27 bells remain from that work. In 2001, 12 bells were recast or replaced in 2001 by Meeks & Watson of Georgetown, Ohio.

In 1918, the family of former governor John Mead gave Mead Chapel a chime of 11 bells made by the Meneely Company of West Troy, New York (a chime is defined as six to 22 bells. A carillon comprises 23 or more bells.) A note about the chapel name. The Meneely family of that time was the 8th or 9th generation descendants of Paul Revere (a bell cast by Paul Revere is in the tower of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Middlebury). In 1985, through the kindness of donor Allen Dragone, then President of the Board of Trustees of the College, the chime was expanded to a full carillon of 48 bells by the firm Paccard et Fils of Annecy le-Vieux of France. Middlebury’s carillon is one of 183 carillons in the United States (71 of them in colleges or universities) and about 750 in the world.

George Matthew, Jr., has been the College Carillonneur since 1985, and teaches Middlebury College students the art of this unique musical form. 

Daily Carillon Performances, 12:30 pm

All performances by Middlebury College Carillonneur George Matthew, Jr., unless otherwise noted. They are best enjoyed on the lawns surrounding the chapel.

Please note: With care for the entire college carillon audience, we are refraining from playing anything that could be provocative or harmful without proper context or explanation.

 

March 2024 performances

Friday, March 1

  • Prelude, Fugue and Allegro BWV 228     J. S. Bach
  • Prelude from cello suite III BWV 1027     J. S. Bach
  • Prelude and Fugue in c minor (organ) BWV 933     J. S. Bach
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Medley of Spirituals
Saturday, March 2

  • Sonata for violin and basso continuo BWV 1021      J. S. Bach
  • Sonatina from flute sonata BWV 1013     J. S. Bach
  • Sarabande from cello suite III BWV 1027     J. S. Bach
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Sunday, March 3

  • Prelude, Fugue and Allegro BWV 1023         J. S. Bach
  • Siciliano from flute sonata BWV 1039     J. S. Bach
  • Bereite dich Zion BWV 248     J. S. Bach
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Monday, MARCH FORTH!

  • Marche Romaine    Charles Gounod
  • Coronation March    G. Meyerbeer
  • March of the Priests from Athalia     F. Mendelssohn
  • Triumphal March from Aida            G. Verdi
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Tuesday, March 5

  • Suite for carillon       Hilton J. Rufty
  • Rondo for bells    Wilmot F. Pratt
  • Dance    Wilmot F. Pratt
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Wednesday, March 6

No carillon

 

Thursday, March 7

  • Six little preludes         J. S. Bach
  • BWV 933 – 938
  • Invention #11 BWV 797   J. S. Bach
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Friday, March 8

  • Organ concerto in G BWV 592      J. S. Bach
  • Trauerode BWV 23    J. S. Bach
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Saturday, March 9

  • Lute Suite III BWV 997   J. S. Bach
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Sunday, March 10

  • Lute Suite II BWV 996    J. S. Bach
  • Polish polkas         traditional
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Monday, March 11

  • Chaconne BWV 1004     J. S. Bach
  • Partita III BWV 1003     J. S. Bach
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Tuesday, March 12

  • Toccata & Fugue in d minor BWV 565      J. S. Bach
  • Adagio from orchestral suite II BWV 1042       J. S. Bach
  • Minuet and Trio from French suite 3 BWV 814    J. S. Bach
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Wednesday, March 13

  • Passacaglia and Fugue in c minor BWV 582     J. S. Bach
  • Larghetto from concerto for two violins BWV 1043    J. S. Bach
  • Adagio from toccata, adagio and fugue BWV 564    J. S. Bach
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Thursday, March 14

  • Sinfonia from cantata #169 BWV 169      J. S. Bach
  • Pedalexcercitium BWV 598     J. S. Bach
  • Prelude and Fugue in C BWV 531     J. S. Bach 
  • Prelude in C BWV 595  J. S. Bach
  • Pastorale BWV 598     J. S. Bach 
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Friday, March 15

  • Caprice      Arthur Lynds Bigelow 
  • Suite for carillon     Hilton J. Rufty
  • Minuet and trio     Sidney F. Giles
  • Prelude for carillon        Henry G. Wesson 
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Saturday, March 16:  Program of American Women Composers’ Carillon Music

  • Reflections from the Tower    Emma Lou Diemer, 1990
  • Prior to Landing    Chin Chin Chen, 2001
  • Spirals      Kathryn Mischell, 2000
  • The Sacredness of Trees      Ellen Lindquist ’93, 2019
  • Toccata: Jubilate Deo       Sister Joyce Evans, 1986
  • Red Peppers Rag     Imogene Giles, 1915
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Sunday, March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day Program

  • Traditional Irish Music
  • Top o’ the Morning to you! 
  • Monday, 3/18 – Music of American Composers
  • Prelude I    Percival Price
  • Suite for Carillon    Samuel Barber
  • Fanfare on BAEF   Margo Halsted
  • Dorian Prelude    George Matthew Jr.
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Tuesday, March 19 – SPRING!

  • Spring (from the Four Seasons)      Antonio Vivaldi
  • “De Winter is Vergangen”     Henk Herzog
  • Spring song     Felix Mendelssohn
  • Spring song      Anton Rubinstein
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Wednesday, March 20: Four Carillon Works of Jacques A. Maasen

  • Scherzo
  • Fantasia and fugue
  • Nocturne
  • Four old dances
  • (Sarabande, saltarello, pavane, minuet)
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Thursday, March 21 – BACH’S 339th BIRTHDAY!

  • Wachet auf ruf uns die Stimme BWV 645     J. S. Bach
  • Toccata and Fugue in d minor BWV 565    J. S. Bach
  • Partita III for violin BWV 1003     J. S. Bach
  • Jesu, joy of man’s desiring BWV 139     J. S. Bach
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Friday, March 22

  • Fantasia for carillon    Arthur L. Bigelow 
  • Suite for carillon     Edison Denisov
  • Sonata for harp      Alan Hovhaness
  • Prelude on “Ash Grove”      Geert D’Hollander
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Saturday, March 23

  • Five short Dorian pieces    Helleen van de Wiele
  • Purim selections         traditional
  • Quelques Riens         Giaccomo Rossini
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Sunday, March 24

  • Palm Sunday hymns
  • Polish and Ukrainian Lenten hymns
  • Drie Geistliche Gesänge (Anton Bruckner)
  •             Locus iste
  •             Christus factus est
  •             Vexilla Regis Prodeunt
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Monday, March 25

  • Cantata #169 BWV 169      J. S. Bach
  • (Arioso, Aria, Chorale)
  • Chorale “Ich ruf zu dir” BWV 639   J. S. Bach
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Tuesday, March 26

  • Selection of short piano works     J. S. Bach
  • Trauerode BWV 198    J. S. Bach
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Wednesday, March 27

  • Selections from the Mass in b minor BWV 232       J. S. Bach
  • Traditional Ukrainian Melodies
  • Traditional Afghanistan Melodies
  • Traditional Mexican Folksongs
  • Medley of Spirituals
 

Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 28-30

Carillon silent

 

Sunday, 3/31 – Easter

  • Easter carillon    Grace Ambrus
  • The Halleluiah Chorus (G. F. Handel)
  • Medley of Easter Hymns (traditional)
  • I know that my Redeemer liveth (G. F. Handel)
  • Medley of Polish Easter Hymns (traditional)
  • Medley of Ukrainian Easter Hymns (traditional)
  • Ukrainian National Anthem
  • Medley of Hispanic Easter Hymns (traditional)
  • Spirituals (traditional)
 

 

 

Charles P. Scott Center for Spiritual and Religious Life
46 South Street
Middlebury, VT 05753