QUEZON CITY - UPD : PHILIPPINES

*Location:

   A.Bonifacio Centennial Carillon Tower
   University of the Philippines-Diliman
   Osmeña Avenue,
     between Theater and Film Center
   Diliman,
     Quezon City, Manila, Philippines
   LL: N 14.65661, E 121.06644

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*Player:

   (none)

   1953-55 Dr.Wesley Tabayoyong
   1950s   Prof.Flora Zarco Rivera
   1956-60 Crisostomo Gonzales
   1960-64 Prof.Jerry Dadap
   1965-68 Antonio Regalario
   1970s   Reynaldo Lauron
   1988-2007 (none; disused)

*Contact:

   UP Alumni Association
   Ang Bahay ng Alumni
   Ramon Magsaysay Avenue
   University of the Philippines Diliman
   Quezon City  1101
   T: (632)920-6871  or  (632)920-6868
   F: (632)920-6875
   E: info@upcarillon.org
   - or -
   Josefina A. Agravante, co-chair
     of restoration project
   E: jossieagravante@yahoo.com
   - or -
   Office of the Chancellor
   E: oc.upd@up.edu.ph  [whitelisted only]

*Schedule:

   (disused)

*Remarks:

   Original bells cast in 1950; original
   keyboard had space for addition of 7
   notes; 10-note chiming drum.
   Various repairs in 1977, 1982.
   Tower renamed in 1997, on centennial
   of the death of Andres Bonifacio.
   2007: After a silence of 18 years,
   this carillon was replaced with a new
   instrument; the old bells have been
   retired, but some may be re-used
   elsewhere.  New keyboard appears to
   have space for addition of an octave
   of trebles.

*Technical data:

   Traditional carillon of 36 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell is A  in the middle octave
   Transposition is up  9 semitone(s)
   Keyboard range:     C C   /    C --  
   There is one missing bass semitone
   The whole instrument was installed in 2007
     with bells made by Petit & Fritsen
   Prior history:
     In 1952, a complete instrument was installed
       with 46 bells made by vanBergen   
       (0 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 Website of the carillon restoration project has full details, including clickable photos of the deplorable condition of the instrument before restoration.  (The original plan, to retune the existing bells, was not carried out.)

Blogger's photo of the base of the tower during turnover ceremonies

A Weblog page on the rededication of the carillon includes two clickable pictures of the tower.

On a photographer's page, the third picture is the U.P. Carillon Bell Tower at night.

A TV news clip (in Filipino?) about the new bells includes keyboard photos.

Photo of six of the Vanbergen bells after removal from the tower

In a video photo album of the tower, the first portion (4:25) shows photos of the tower with the original bells in their frame (and its truly dreadful condition), but the audio track appears to be orchestral tubular chimes and percussion.  The last minute of that video shows the new bells in the frame, lower in belfry (but repeats the same audio track).  Another version of the same video (4:39) is a few seconds longer, possibly with some additional photos included.

A blogger's photo of the tower top (minus bells?)

Photo of the top of the tower, showing bells in place (presumably the new ones)

Local page with three photos of the old bells and the tower, all clickable for large and huge versions.
The same photographer posted elsewhere a better version of the photo of three Vanbergen bells after removal from the tower.

A blogger's page about climbing the tower of UP Diliman turns into a slideshow (with the right browser); the 36 photos include the manual keyboard (with space to add a treble octave), P&F nameplate, belfry access, bells in frame, etc.

A simple version of the campus map shows the location of the carillon tower.

Where the initial phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the vanBergen bellfoundries, in this region and in the world.
Where the final phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Petit & Fritsen bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.

Ranking among all Asian & Pacific Rim traditional carillons by pitch (weight).
Ranking among all Asian & Pacific Rim traditional carillons by size (number of bells).
Ranking among all Asian & Pacific Rim traditional carillons by year of completion.

Index to all traditional carillons in Philippines.

Index to all tower bell instruments in Philippines.

*Status:

   This page was built from the database on 11-Feb-08
   based on textual data last updated on 2008/01/09
   and on technical data last updated on 2007/12/17

Explanations of page format and keyboard range are available.

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