AMSTERDAM - WK : NETHERLANDS

*Location:

   Westerkerk
   Prinsengracht at Westermarkt
   Amsterdam, Noord Holland, Netherlands
   LL: N 52.37461, E 4.88361

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*Player:

   Boudewijn Zwart   (A)
   Oude Haven 26
   2871 DJ  Schoonhoven
   E: boudewijnzwart /@/ planet DOTnl,
      info/@/bellmoods DOTcom

*Contact:

   Westerkerk
   Prinsengracht 281
   T: +31206247766

*Schedule:

   Tuesday 1200-1300

*Remarks:

   F.Hemony carillon replaced a 1643
   instrument by J.A.Leeghwater.
   The Hemony trebles removed in 1959 are
   hung silent in the tower openings;
   The Hemony console (with organ-type
   pedals) remains in the tower.
   Includes one bell by C.Fremy (1700).
   Mean-tone tuning.
   Hour bell (not part of carillon) cast
   by Assueris Koster, 1636 - the
   heaviest bell in the city (7500kg).

*Technical data:

   Traditional carillon of 51 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell is B  in the bass octave
   Transposition is up  1 semitone(s)
   Keyboard range:     A#D   /    ----  
   There are two missing bass semitones
   The instrument was enlarged in 1991
     with bells made by Eijsbouts   
   Prior history:
     In 1959, the instrument was enlarged to 47 bells
       by Eijsbouts   
     In 1658, the instrument was begun with 32 bells
       by Hemony      
       (14 bells remain from that work.)
   Year of latest technical information source is 1991

Additional information on the technical history of this instrument can be found in a database printout.

*Links:

The church Website (English page) has a photo of the tower as the background of the Dutch-language menu in the left margin.

An article about the church mentions that it has the heaviest bell in the city.

Boudewijn Zwart's extensively-illustrated page (in Dutch) about this carillon.
His own Website (in Dutch/English) has a description (and sometimes also a photo) of each of the carillons which he plays (see Towers).

Where the initial phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Hemony bellfoundries, in this region and in the world.
Where the second phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Eijsbouts bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the final phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Eijsbouts bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.

Ranking among all Netherlands traditional carillons by pitch (weight).
Ranking among all Netherlands traditional carillons by size (number of bells).
Ranking among all Netherlands traditional carillons by year of completion.

Index to all traditional carillons in Netherlands.

Index to all tower bell instruments in NL.Noord-Holland.

*Status:

   This page was built from the database on 16-Apr-09
   based on textual data last updated on 2009/04/13
   and on technical data last updated on 2009/04/13

Explanations of page format and keyboard range are available.

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