MERCERSBURG : USA - PA

   The Henry Bucher Swoope Carillon

*Location:

   Barker Tower
   Chapel
   Mercersburg Academy
   Rutledge Road at Sycamore Avenue
   Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, USA
   LL: N 39.82466, W 77.89972

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*Player:

   James Winston Smith   (C)
   Mercersburg Academy
   Mercersburg, PA  17236-1551
   H: (717)328-3895   W: (717)328-6143
   F: (717)328-6314
   E: Jim_Smith@Mercersburg.edu

*Contact:

   Mercersburg Academy
   300 East Seminary Street
   Mercersburg, PA  17236-1551
   T: (717)328-6173  -or-  (800)588-2550
   F: (717)328-6211

*Schedule:

   Sunday at 3pm during school terms.

*Remarks:

   Added bells and new playing keyboard
   (1996) by Meeks & Watson.
   Newly-acquired practice keyboard by
   Taylor, 1973,  - Z 54: G C / G C 29
   M&W replaced an octave of G&J trebles
   (preserved in the tower) as well as
   all clappers not previously replaced;
   the largest four were completed in
   Spring 2004, along with replacement of
   F#5; in Spring 2006 the F5 (ordered in
   Fall 2004) was replaced.
   Fall 2007: bass C# cast by Whitechapel
   to G&J heavy profile, with fittings
   and installation by Meeks, Watson & Co.

*Technical data:

   Traditional carillon of 50 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell is A# in the bass octave
   Transposition is nil (concert pitch)
   Keyboard range:     A#C   /    A#C 26
   There is one missing bass semitone
   There is a non-identical practice console
   The instrument was enlarged in 2007
     with bells made by Whitechapel 
   Prior history:
     In 2006,  2 bells were recast or replaced
       with bells made by Meeks,Watson
       (2 bells were added in and/or remain from that work.)
     In 2003, 12 bells were recast or replaced
       with bells made by Meeks,Watson
       (12 bells were added in and/or remain from that work.)
     In 1996, the instrument was enlarged to its present size
       with bells made by Meeks,Watson
       (6 bells remain from that work.)
     In 1926, the instrument was begun with 43 bells
       by Gillett & Johnston
       (29 bells remain from that work.)
   Year of latest technical information source is 2007

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

*Links:

The Academy Website displays properly only if you have style sheets enabled, and is very slow to load on some browsers. There is a page about the carillon. A large photo of the chapel is here.

Where the initial phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Gillett & Johnston bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the second phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Meeks & Watson bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the third phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Meeks & Watson bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the fourth phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Meeks & Watson bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the final phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Whitechapel bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.

Ranking among all North American traditional carillons by weight.
Ranking among all North American traditional carillons by size (number of bells).
Ranking among all North American concert class carillons by age.

Index to all traditional carillons in PA.

Index to all tower bell instruments in PA.

*Status:

   This page was built from the database on  5-Nov-07
   based on textual data last updated on 2007/09/12
   and on technical data last updated on 2007/11/01

Explanations of page format and keyboard range are available.

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