Keyboard Instrument with 4 octaves of bells
Keyboard Instrument with 4 octaves of bells (Carillon)
This keyboard instrument with four octaves of bells is a type of carillon, a keyboard musical instrument consisting of 23 (or more) bronze bells in a chromatic scale (twelve-stone scale) and tuned to play in harmony. Originally invented in the sixteenth century in the Flanders area, due to their size (the standard carillon has over 50 bells with some of the biggest ones having up to 90) carillons were usually housed in bell towers with the bells housed inside the tower or outside the building and played through wooden levels and pedals wired to clappers. This carillon, however, is unique. The bells are housed inside the carillon cabinet transforming it into a portable instrument. Unlike traditional carillons, which were played with both hands and feet, this instrument is only played with the hands.
Details
- Category:
- Acoustics
- Object Number:
- 1976-59
- Materials:
- wood (unidentified), metal (unknown) and textile
- Measurements:
-
overall (lid closed): 955 mm x 900 mm x 430 mm,
weight (estimated): 50 kg
- type:
- keyboard instrument
- credit:
- Sunley, J.