Carillon, culture, and corona

It almost goes without saying that carillons play an active role in Flemish culture. After all, the carillon originated in Belgium, and the first carillon school in the world was founded here. But even after just two weeks of my studies, I've had so many new insights into the nuanced relationship between carillon and culture.

Firstly, I was thrilled to learn that the Royal Carillon School "Jef Denyn" was recognized by UNESCO in 2014 for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage. This establishes the role of the carillon school as legitimate and valuable in its effort to perpetuate the art of carillon playing. It also reminds me of the significance of this particular location in carillon history as the region where the carillon revival took place after a century of stagnation, leading to the school's founding in Mechelen in 1922.

So why are bells so important in Flanders? To begin with, carillons in Flemish towns (and in cities all over the Low Countries) have long been sources of pride and symbols of freedom for city-dwellers. (They also fueled a healthy amount of inter-city rivalry over whose bells were the best tuned and most sonorous.) Then, if we take into account the bells' frequent ringing with the passing of time (every 7 and a half minutes, as explained in a previous post), we see that bells and the carillon indeed constitute a substantial portion of a city's soundscape.

As director Koen Cosaert explained in our carillon history class, there's an important difference in how carillons are experienced by the public in Europe versus in the US. In the States, carillons are often found in botanical gardens, parks, or university campuses, where their music is enjoyed in a relatively quiet, peaceful setting. In contrast, most European instruments are located in the very heart of the city, where the cobblestones, facades, and alleyways function as a concert hall, reflecting the music and mixing it with the hustle and bustle of everyday life. I've even seen this difference proven in my own experience. At Bok Tower, which is surrounded by quiet gardens, I was advised to play gently since the carillon can be easily heard all around. In Mechelen, when I sat in on the city carillonneur's Saturday recital, he played quite forcefully in order to be heard in the busy morning market below. These small examples illustrate the larger point that even though carillons form a cultural link between the Low Countries and North America, the ways in which the carillon is experienced in these regions are distinct.

Of course, Covid-19 has greatly changed a lot about our normal way of life, and the carillon hasn't been immune. As an outdoor instrument, though, it has fared well since the public can listen safely while going about essential duties or spending socially-distanced time outside. In this context, the carillon's role as "the instrument of the people" becomes all the more important. Its music has always been accessible by all city-dwellers no matter their class or sophistication, and now it can provide solace during trying times.

The Mechelen city carillonneur and school faculty member Eddy Mariën appeared in a video series, "My Corona," to address this very topic. In Dutch, he explains a bit about his job, the legacy of the school founder Jef Denyn, and how he has adapted his work with a new repertoire to encourage folks through covid (think Let It Be, Bridge Over Troubled Water, etc.). One gets an idea of his overall meaning when he repeats the expression and song title "always look on the bright side of life."

Eddy's message has renewed meaning for us here in Belgium as we enter a period of increased restrictions and closures in an effort to curb the rise in cases. It's a bit of a bummer to not be able to travel or visit museums and such, but I really can't complain. I have a beautiful living arrangement, plenty of much-needed practice time, two friends to hang out with, and I'm still allowed outside. Woohoo!

Learn more about the carillon school here.