Remember the pore

Cohasset Carillon St. Stephen's Church
Vocor Stephanus 
ictus lapidibus pro Christo mortus 
ictus ferro laudes eius sono.
Inscription in Latin, on a carillon bell  dedicated to St. Stephen the first Christian martyr
I am called Stephen
Struck with stone I died for Christ
Struck with iron I sound his praise.
 
The Cohasset Carillon
The Cohasset Carillon is one of the few in the world with a range sufficient to permit the performance of every piece of music composed for carillon. 
Located in the Gothic stone tower of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, the instrument was originally cast as a 23 bell carillon in 1924 by Gillet & Johnston of Croydon, England. It was originally called the Bancroft Memorial Carillon, the gift of Mrs. Jane W. Bancroft in memory of her mother, Mrs Jessie M. Barron. In 1925 twenty  more bells were added, and in 1928 the eight lower bells were installed. In 1989-1990 the Carillon was renovated and enlarged to fifty-seven bells by the John Taylor Bell Foundry of Loughborough, England. It is now the largest Carillon (by bell count) in New England. ( The 54 bell carillon at Yale University is the largest by weight).

The bourdon or lowest bell weighs 11,280 pounds and sounds the note G; the smallest bell sounds the note E and weighs 29 pounds. 

Many of the new Taylor bells were donated in honor or in memory of family members and friends of St. Stephen's parishioners and other Cohasset townspeople, and bear inscriptions.

 

  
 
Carillon History
 Carillon building originated in the Low Countries of Europe in about the 15th century. The art of bell tuning was perfected there in the 17th century, lost during the next two centuries due to prolonged wars in which bell founders were forced to turn to the manufacture of cannon and statuary, then rediscovered in England in the late 1800's. Since that time there has been a renaissance of carillon building and playing which has spread from Europe across North America and in recent years into the Orient. 

 
Recitals
St. Stephen's claims the oldest continuing annual carillon recital series in North America, having started with the installation of the first bells in 1924. 

Recitals are given by the St. Stephen's carillonneurs and guest artists from all over the world. In the summer recitals are on Sundays at 6.00pm starting the last Sunday in June and ending the last Sunday in August.

On Sundays, as a prelude to the 10.00 am Sunday Eucharist, special arrangements of the hymns of the day and other pieces are played starting at about 9:40 am
 
Instruction
Instruction in carillon playing is available to interested persons having a background of 3 or 4 years of music study (preferably piano). If you are interested in learning to play this unique and enjoyable musical instrument contact St. Stephens Church office at 781 383 1083.
Teaching and practicing is done on a separate practice keyboard, matching the tower keyboard in size and configuration, and located in the parish house. The keys are connected to small hammers which strike metal tone bars. This device affords the carillonneur and students the necessary privacy required for mastery of this the most public of musical instruments.
 
Carillonneurs
Kamiel Lefevere 1924-30
Edward B. Gammons 1930-37
George Faxon 1937-38
Earl Chamberlain 1938-85
Sally Slade Warner - current
Mary Kennedy - current
 
 
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
16 Highland Ave., Cohasset MA 02025 USA
Tel: 781 383 - 1083
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