I’ve got a couple of pics from the change ringers from St. Mary’s of Rawmarsh to share. There were tight quarters in the room, so I wasn’t able to get a picture with everyone at once. Those blurred ropes mean lots of movement! The whole tower gently shook as they rang the bells. They were […]
Author Archives: Kimberly Schafer
Bell Ringing Galore in Chicago
You’ve heard about the rare occurrence of planets lining up in the sky? There is a bell equivalent, which I’ll call “bell alignment,” in which you can hear two different sets of bells in a row from the same listening spot! And this Sunday, we will have the rare chance to hear a ring and […]
Ringing for Climate Change Action
Today’s Youth Climate Change Strike has captured the attention of the world, as well it should! My support goes out to them for real transformation at the national and global level to mitigate the environmental catastrophe awaiting us. And I’m pleased that faith communities from Cape Cod in Massachusetts will ring out their support of […]
“Let’s Ring Freedom Bells!”
It’s early (or late) to talk about Independence Day, but think of this as your hint of what’s coming up next year. On July 4, 1776, our first VP John Adams announced that our nation’s independence should be celebrated with the ringing of bells. For decades afterwards, bells were a source of celebratory sound on […]
Value of Bells: Connection to Histories
The fourth main value of bells I perceive is their connection to histories. The first history I mean is the particular history of Western Europe. Today we are familiar with one main use of tower bells that dates to the middle ages—to signal to faithful Christians. For example, tower bells would signal when to pray […]
Value of Bells: Public Sound Art
I have already touched on the third value of bells for us today—as public sound art. The sounds of tower bells are the aural equivalent to the visual arts on display in public. As public visual arts provide an aesthetic experience for the entire community, so the same goes for the sounds, and in particular […]
Value of Bells: Soundmark
R. Murray Schafer (no relation) coined the term soundmark, meaning a sound unique to an area, analogous to a landmark. Taking it a step further, Schafer argued that soundmarks should be preserved, since they define the acoustics of the surrounding community. And I agree! Tower bells fit this description. Bells are not so ubiquitous (at […]
Value of Bells: Serendipitous Beauty
For the next few days, I’ll post on the most important reasons for bells in our current time. I look forward to your responses in the comments! One reason I think tower bells are important today is the occasion they provide for serendipitous beauty. A passerby is walking along, minding her own business, when she […]
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Exit Strategy [Update]
Now that we’ve had a few days to examine the dress, the flowers, the fascinators, etc. of the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, let’s take a listen to their exit out of St. George’s Chapel in Windsor. I hear the guard announcing the couple, people cheering, a woman(?) screaming (really not sure […]
Two Chicago Bell Festivals in May
Friends, we have two bell festivals, one on change ringing and one on the carillon, coming up here in the month of May. First, the 6th Annual Illinois Tower Bell Bash will take place May 19-20. Ringers will gather to ring changes (what else?) at the Mitchell Tower at the University of Chicago on Saturday […]