The people of the tower: The secret musicians of HPUMC

“It’s a very anonymous instrument,” said John Acker, one of HPUMC’s volunteer carillonneurs. “Rarely does the audience see the performer.”

That also means the dress code for playing the carillon is different. Since no one sees the performer, you can dress up as much as you want, or wear shorts and a t-shirt if that’s more comfortable.

To reach HPUMC’s carillon, it takes 67 total steps up a narrow, spiral staircase. And while you’ll be greeted by a friendly gargoyle figurine at the top, the journey to simply sit at the instrument may leave you out of breath.

How is the carillon played?

When you imagine someone creating music in a bell tower, what comes to mind? Perhaps Quasimodo, the famous, fictional bell-ringer of Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel, “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame,” forcefully pulling the bells in sequence. But this is far from how the carillon at HPUMC actually works.

John Acker shared some of these misconceptions at first. When a carillon was installed and dedicated at Wake Forest University in 1978, Acker heard the recital.

“I thought they must have 40 people up there pulling on ropes,” he said. “I was curious and started asking questions and was finally introduced to the person in charge of the carillon.”

Soon after, he got a chance to go up in the tower, where he saw there was a keyboard. His organ professor suggested Acker learn the instrument, which he eventually decided to try.

Here’s how it works: The performer (carillonneur) plays the instrument from a keyboard (clavier) located immediately below the belfry. The carillonneur strikes the keys with loosely clenched fists on baton-like keys and with both feet on the pedal keyboard. It takes incredible attention to detail, coordination, and stamina.

“It is more physical than other instruments,” said Acker, “and you do have to conquer the challenge of moving both hands and both feet in opposite directions at the same time.” However, he reckons that it’s not any more difficult to learn than any other instrument—just different.

The keys are connected to the bell’s clappers through a series of direct mechanical linkages. The volume is controlled by the force with which the carillonneur strikes the key, which sends the clapper toward the inside edge of the bell. The harder you strike, the louder the sound.

It’s somewhere between playing a piano and drum set at the same time.

“It’s a beautiful instrument,” said Gretchen Ryan, another one of HPUMC’s carillonneurs. She first realized that there was a carillon being played after reading the weekly Methodist newspaper years ago. “It mentioned that they would welcome new volunteers to play the carillon,” said Ryan, “so that’s how I got started.”

Carmen McMillan began playing the instrument after a bit of recruiting by Ryan. Like many others, she was completely unfamiliar with the carillon.

“I didn’t even know there was a carillon or what it did,” said McMillan. Along with the encouragement from another carillonneur, a milestone birthday also motivated McMillan to try her hand at the unique instrument.

“I realized that I was 50 years old when I started playing, and you were supposed to do something new at 50.”

Taking music to the next level

HPUMC’s bell tower has multiple levels. Climb up to the third floor and you’ll find the practice room. When batons are struck on the practice carillon, a digitally-recorded bell sounds from the speakers on the wall. You can get an idea of what your playing sounds like without the practice session being heard by everyone within earshot.

On the fourth floor of the tower is the performance level. The playing keyboard features a lower row of batons, corresponding with the white keys of a piano, and an upper row that corresponds with the black keys.

The pedals are linked to the batons and control the lower two octaves of bells. This allows for more notes to be played at one time and for the carillonneur to use leg strength to activate the heavier clappers of the bass bells.

Interestingly, because of the reverberation, the bells sound off-key when inside the tower. The carillonneur is positioned so close to the bells that they hear a very direct sound from the belfry, as well as a certain amount of noise from the keyboard action. By the time the sound travels four stories down to the ground, it has blended together and has a much mellower tone. The carillonneurs only hear this when someone else plays!

Above the performance level? The bells themselves. If you scaled the metal ladder and opened a closed hatch above, you’d be standing alongside our 48 cast bronze beauties. However, we don’t recommend it. Not only would it be extremely loud, but as the larger bells swing, they can hit a person and knock them to the ground.

To enjoy the best sound, you should stand outside the Sanctuary, in the Garden, and elsewhere outside HPUMC.

Work hard, play hard

HPUMC’s carillon is played regularly on Sundays before and after the 11 am service, sometimes during the week at midday, and occasionally at 5 pm. When requested, it’s also part of weddings, funerals, and special events at the church.

Selecting music can be a challenge as well because carillon bells are tuned with a minor third overtone rather than the major third found on most other musical instruments. This creates some limitations in music choice since the carillonneurs can’t simply place a hymnal in front of themselves and start to play.

It’s currently played by three dedicated volunteers, Acker, Ryan, and McMillan—all members of HPUMC—and occasionally by artists from other cities, states, and countries.

“Whenever you hear songs or hymns played on the carillon, it represents hours of practice by these dedicated musicians,” said Katie Scheetz, HPUMC Organist. “Their faithful presence ensures that our beautiful bells continue to ring ‘to the glory of God,’ as the Porter family intended.”

So, the next time you hear bells sounding around the church, we hope you’ll appreciate the music—and the people behind it—even more.