MIDDLEBURY : USA - VT

*Location:

   Mead Memorial Chapel
   Middlebury College
   75 Hepburn Road
   Middlebury, Vermont, USA
   LL: N 44.0089, W 73.1789

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*Player:

   George Matthew, Jr.,   (C)
     College Carillonneur
   22 Pearl Street
   Brandon, VT  05733-1020
   H: (802)247-9873 
   E: GMatthew@middlebury.edu

*Contact:

   Chaplain Laurel M. Jordan
   Middlebury College
   Middlebury, VT  05753
   T: (802)443-5626
   E: ljordan@middlebury.edu
   - or -
   Music Department
   T: (802)443-5221
   E: music@middlebury.edu
   - or -
   T: (802)443-5000  [general information]

*Schedule:

   Every evening (students);
   4pm Friday in summer (guests)

      The latest summer schedule of recitals and recitalists

*Remarks:

   In the 1986 expansion, 8 of the
   original bells were heavily retuned;
   the vanBergen bells, cast in 1959 for
   Atlantic Methodist Church, North
   Quincy, MA, were reported as also
   retuned, but that was not the case;
   the Paccard bells were cast in 1985;
   the practice and playing consoles from
   Atlantic Methodist Church, along with
   the original chimestand, are in this
   tower as museum pieces; present
   playing and practice consoles by
   Paccard.  In 2001, Meeks & Watson
   replaced the 12 vanBergen bells with M&W
   bells, retuned 3 of the Meneely basses
   (including the bourdon), tweaked the
   tuning of a few of the Paccard trebles,
   and re-worked the existing action.

*Technical data:

   Traditional carillon of 48 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell is E  in the middle octave
   Transposition is up  4 semitone(s)
   Keyboard range:     C C   /    C C   
   There is one missing bass semitone
   There is an identical practice console
   12 bells were recast or replaced in 2001
     by Meeks,Watson
   Prior history:
     In 1986, the instrument was enlarged to its present size
       with bells made by Paccard     
       (27 bells remain from that work.)
     Included in the 1986 enlargement were 12 bells
       by vanBergen   
       (0 bells remain from that work.)
     In 1915, the instrument was begun with 11 bells
       by Meneely/Wvlt
       (9 bells remain from that work.)
   Year of latest technical information source is 2002

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

*Links:

A distant view of the Chapel tower sometimes appears on Middlebury's home page.  Among the various campus maps offered, the excellent Google Maps customized version offers better overhead photography than is otherwise available, along with a photo of the chapel and a brief description.  (But some Web browsers don't work with Google Maps; if the map remains blank, try a different browser.  Firefox works well on all platforms.)

The Middlebury Carillonneurs have their own Website, which has a lot of good photos and other information.  Curiously, you can't find it through Middlebury's main Website, even via the search engine.

George Matthew's own Website has recital schedules, photos and other information.

Where the initial phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Meneely (Watervliet) bellfoundry.
Where the second phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the vanBergen bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the third phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Paccard bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the final phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Meeks & Watson 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 year of completion.

Index to all traditional carillons in VT.

Index to all tower bell instruments in VT.

*Status:

   This page was built from the database on  5-Nov-07
   based on textual data last updated on 2007/08/03
   and on technical data last updated on 2007/11/01

Explanations of page format and keyboard range are available.

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