St Peter's and St Francis'

Sharing our Experience of God's Love

August 2023 Carillon Festival .

Utrecht is a beautiful old university city in the Netherlands about 30 miles south-east of Amsterdam. In August 2023 carillonists (carillon players) came from over 11 countries from all parts of the world to their triennial congress, held this time in Utrecht.  One evening we listened to the carillon of the Dom Tower . The bells wereDomtower played by the City Carillonist, Malgosia Fiebig, electronically combined with a solo recorder, played by Erik Bosgraaf at the foot of the tower in the Square (the Domplein). The sound designer/ composer/ engineer was Jorrit Tamminga. We heard two further concerts from the Dom Tower.

The Domkerk (cathedral of St Martin) is a cathedral built in the Gothic style. The Dom Tower, an iconic building, the west tower of the cathedral, was built between 1321 and 1384, and is now 112.5 metres high with 466 steps. Here it is covered in scaffolding for renovation, but is still open for guided tours. The red and white are the ‘Utrecht colours’.


Player from Poland


Imagine a tree lined square. A mobile carillon is parked. There is the hum of city traffic, and conversation in the bars surrounding the square, and from bystanders. It is  early evening in Jankerkhof Square, with grey skies and rain threatening. Each guild from the participating countries sent a carillonist to give a quarter hour recital.   




Click to hear a Polish Lady Playing the Carillon 


 Carillon Playing





Click to hear Michael Boyd playing 
an extract from Intermezzo No. 2 by Leen t' Hart. 

 

 Scott Orr

Click to hear Scott Orr playing the ending of Chromatica No 10 ('The Autumn Leaves), written by Jonathan Bradley.

Click to hear a French Guild Member playing the Carillon

Click to hear a Scandinavian Guild Member playing an extract from Finlandia by Jean Sibelius.

 
Unfortunately, the recordings of the players from France and Scandinavia are not of such good quality.

The group from the Carillon Society of Britain and Ireland beside the mobile carillon inCarillon Society of Britain and Ireland Jankerkhof Square, including Michael Boyd, Jonathan Bradley, Scott Orr, and the writer of this report, Tessa Fullwood with her husband John. The mobile carillon is from Douai in Northern France and was in Utrecht for the Festival.