Netherlands Carillon
Netherlands Carillon | |
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bell casting, 1952–53) | |
Renovating team | |
Renovating firm | Petit & Fritsen (bell casting, 1995, 2020) |
Website | |
home |
The Netherlands Carillon is a 127-foot (39-m) tall
The carillon is situated on a ridge overlooking the Potomac River and Washington, D.C., and it provides expansive views of the National Mall, West Potomac Park (its original, temporary location), and Arlington National Cemetery. Its adjacency to the Marine Corps War Memorial to the north and Arlington National Cemetery to the south draws 1.2 million visitors annually, including recreational visitors from Rosslyn's residential areas. Throughout the day, the carillon automatically plays the Westminster Quarters. On significant days of the year in Dutch and American culture, it plays automated concerts, and from June to August, the director-carillonist Edward Nassor hosts a concert series whereby visiting carillonists perform weekly concerts on the instrument.
History
In late 1951, Govert L. Verheul, press officer of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs in
To achieve real harmony, justice should be done also to the small and tiny voices, which are not supported by the might of their weight. Mankind could learn from this. So many voices in our troubled world are still unheard. Let that be an incentive for all of us when we hear the bells ringing.[3]
Two years later, 49 bells arrived and were installed in
A tulip garden was planted in a circular bed immediately to the east of the plaza in 1964, also a gift from the Netherlands. A small successional woodland to the southwest forms the backdrop to the carillon as a result of the 1960s National Capital Parks Planting Plan. Additional landscaped beds in the form of musical notes were planted in 1967 and 1972 as part of Lady Bird Johnson's Beautification Program, with a variety of annuals and perennials, in addition to tulips.[4] The program also planted the horseshoe of trees for the campanile's backdrop.[1]
After its dedication in 1960, the carillon was seldom played. It only performed for Easter Sunday services sponsored by the Arlington Ministerial Association. The few performances were by Frank Péchin Law. He assumed the position of director-carillonist after his instrumental involvement in establishing the "Summer Series of Recitals on the Netherlands Carillon" in July 1963, sponsored by the US Department of the Interior. Every Saturday from July through August, the carillon is played by a guest carillonist, invited by the director-carillonist.
In the years before the fiftieth anniversary of Dutch Liberation Day in 1995, a group of prominent Dutch businessmen established a foundation to assist in the refurbishment of the carillon and tower, which had not seen major care since 1970. They were motivated by the significance of the meaning behind the Netherlands Carillon to lead this effort. By teaming up with the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce in the United States, the
As we move forward to meet the challenges of this new century, it is fitting that we and our Dutch friends will be reminded of the common cause we shared fifty years ago by the sound of this beautiful new bell. May it also be sounding fifty years from now and even beyond.[7]
The Netherlands Carillon found itself in bad shape again less than twenty years later. Due to severe rusting and fears of structural instability, the tower was closed to the public in the early 2010s. In 2016, the National Park Service and Royal Netherlands Embassy launched a campaign to fundraise money for a $5,800,000 (equivalent to $7,400,000 in 2023
The first carillon at the Arlington National Cemetery was installed by
Design and symbolism
Carillon
In the early 1950s, there were three major Dutch bell founders: Van Bergen,
Note (pre–2020)
|
Pitch (note post-2020) | Dedication | Verse inscription (in English) | |
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1 | B♭ | G | Netherlands Antilles |
|
2 | C | A | South Holland |
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3 | D | B | North Holland |
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4 | D♯ | C | Overyssel
|
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5 | E | C♯ | Gelderland |
|
6 | F | D | North Brabant |
|
7 | F♯ | D♯ | Groningen |
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8 | G | E | Utrecht |
|
9 | G♯ | F | Limburg |
|
10 | A | F♯ | Friesland
|
|
11 | A♯ | G | Zealand |
|
12 | B | G♯ | Drenthe |
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13 | C | A | Mining industry |
|
14 | C♯ | A♯ | Commerce |
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15 | D | B | Industry |
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16 | D♯ | C | Merchant marine |
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17 | E | C♯ | Finance industry |
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18 | F | D | Aviation industry |
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19 | F♯ | D♯ | Royal Netherlands Navy |
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20 | G | E | Royal Netherlands Army |
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21 | G♯ | F | Royal Netherlands Air Force |
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22 | A | F♯ | Civil servants |
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23 | A♯ | G | Women's organizations |
|
24 | B | G♯ | Roosteren |
|
25 | C | A | Transportation industry |
|
26 | C♯ | A♯ | Middle class |
|
27 | D | B | Trades |
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28 | D♯ | C | Communication industry |
|
29 | E | C♯ | Fishing industry |
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30 | F | D | Farming industry |
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31 | F♯ | D♯ | Horticulture | |
32 | G | E | Arts |
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33 | G♯ | F | Sciences |
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34 | A | F♯ | Education |
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35 | A♯ | G | Commercial arts |
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36 | B | G♯ | Sport |
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37 | C | A | Students |
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38 | C♯ | A♯ | Youth |
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39 | D | B | Youth |
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40 | D♯ | C | Youth |
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41 | E | C♯ | Youth |
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42 | F | D | Youth |
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43 | F♯ | D♯ | Youth |
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44 | G | E | Youth |
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45 | G♯ | F | Youth |
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46 | A | F♯ | Youth |
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47 | A♯ | G | Youth |
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48 | B | G♯ | Youth |
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49 | C | A | Youth |
|
A fiftieth bell, cast by Royal Eijsbouts, was added following Dutch- and American-sponsored renovations in 1995, and dedicated on May 5, the 50th anniversary of the
The 2019–21 renovation increased the size of the carillon to 53 bells, all cast by Royal Eijsbouts, and converted the instrument to
Namesake inscription | Pitch[16] | Weight | Diameter | Additional inscriptions |
---|---|---|---|---|
General George C. Marshall
|
B♭0 | 7,595 lb (3,445 kg) | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | Classic Dutch imagery and coat of arms on upper rim; "75 Years of Freedom" logo |
Martin Luther King Jr. | B♭4 | 37.5 lb (17.0 kg) | 9.25 in (23.5 cm) | Dutch coat of arms, the year "2020" |
Eleanor Roosevelt | C5 | 26.5 lb (12.0 kg) | 8.25 in (21.0 cm) | Dutch coat of arms, the year "2020" |
Tower
The carillon's bells hang dead in a tower approximately 127 feet (39 m) high, 36 feet (11 m) long, and 25 feet (7.6 m) wide. The original plans had called for the structure to be 270 feet (82 m) tall, but was then reduced after receiving concerns about its height in relationship to the Lincoln Memorial from the Commission of Fine Arts.[1] The tower is an open steel structure reinforced by steel plates and a bronze baked-enamel finish. It was designed by renowned Dutch architect Joost W. C. Boks (1904–1986) and constructed in 1960. At the base of the tower, a rectangular staircase leads to an observation deck 60 feet (18 m) off the ground. From there, a spiral staircase winds further upward to a second observatory 83 feet (25 m) off the ground. The playing cabin sits in the center of the upper observation deck. At the base of the tower, a large inscription reads "From the People of the Netherlands to the People of the United States of America."[3] The interconnecting lines and rectangles of the structure's frame echo the work of Dutch abstract painter Piet Mondrian. The tower's design also reflects the rejection of classical European architecture, which, in the years immediately following World War II, was associated with fascist regimes.[17] The Netherlands Carillon is the first modernist steel memorial associated with the otherwise classical stone architecture found on the National Mall.[18]
Grounds
The Netherlands Carillon stands on a 93 square feet (8.6 m2) quartzite plaza and is enclosed by a low lava stone wall. Two bronze lions, which represent the Dutch royal family,[19] guard the entrance to the plaza. They were designed by Dutch sculptor Paul Philip Koning. The Netherlands Carillon is located just north of Arlington National Cemetery and south of the Marine Corps War Memorial. It is administered by the National Park Service as part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway complex in Arlington Ridge Park.[3]
A
Concerts
The Netherlands Carillon keeps time throughout the day by playing the Westminster Quarters on the hours and quarters. The carillon plays several automated concerts each day and on significant days in Dutch and American culture:[20]
- Mondays through Saturdays at noon and 6:00 PM
- Medley of armed forces anthems
- Stars and Stripes Forever
- Sundays at noon
- Star-Spangled Banner
- Wilhelmus (the Dutch national anthem)
- Stars and Stripes Forever
- Sundays at 6:00 PM
- Star-Spangled Banner
- America the Beautiful
- Eternal Father, Strong To Save (the Navy Hymn)
- May 5 (Dutch Liberation Day) at noon and 6:00 PM
- Star-Spangled Banner
- Wilhelmus (the Dutch national anthem)
- September 2 at 9:04 AM (The time at which the Japanese Instrument of Surrender was signed aboard the USS Missouri in 1945.)
- Star-Spangled Banner
- America the Beautiful
- Eternal Father, Strong To Save
- Thanksgiving Day at noon and 6:00 PM
- December 31 at 6:00 PM
During the months of June, July, and August, director-carillonist Edward Nassor organizes weekly concerts and recitals on Saturday afternoons. Carillonists from across the world are invited to play various styles of music each week. A schedule of concerts and visiting carillonists is published on the National Park Service's website in the months before the season begins.
See also
- Netherlands–United States relations
- Other war memorial carillons
- List of carillons in the United States
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Inthavong, Diana; Oeschger, Jennifer; Milnarik, Elizabeth (2019). The Netherlands Carillon: Historic Structure Report (PDF) (Report). US Department of the Interior. p. 1–30. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 28, 2020. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
- ^ ISBN 9789024433810.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Netherlands Carillon". National Park Service. June 5, 2018. Retrieved November 12, 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b c "Rehabilitate Netherlands Carillon to Improve Safety and Visitor Experience" (PDF). National Park Service. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 25, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
- ^ a b Kelly, John (March 29, 2017). "Let's Promise to Take Care of Our New Canal Barge and Renovated Carillon". Washington Post. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
- ^ a b 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ "The President's News Conference With Prime Minister Wim Kok of The Netherlands" (February 28, 1995) [textual record]. Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book I), pp. 276–281. U.S. Government Publishing Office.
- ^ Sullivan, Patricia (December 22, 2016). "Netherlands Carillon Supporters Seek Money for Repairs, Restoration". Washington Post. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
- ^ a b "New Carillon Bells Dedicated to Three Americans". NL in the USA. Embassy of the Netherlands. April 18, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
- ^ "Historische klokken terug in Nederland voor opknapbeurt" (in Dutch).
- ^ Kelly, John (May 4, 2020). "Big bell Theory: The Netherlands Carillon is Getting a Musical Upgrade". Washington Post. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
- ^ "Memorial Carillons". AMVETS National Headquarters. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
- ^ "Arlington, The Netherlands Carillon (Virginia, USA)". War Memorial and Peace Carillons. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
- ^ a b The Birth of Three Bells for the Netherlands Carillon. NLintheUSA. August 2, 2017. Archived from the original (YouTube video) on 2020-11-13. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
- ^ "Netherlands Carillon". Tower Bells. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
- ^ Ellis, Laura (November 2020), "New Bells for Netherlands Carillon" (PDF), Carillon News, The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America, retrieved November 24, 2020
- ^ a b "Arlington Ridge Park". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. April 1, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
- ^ Modern Liberation (Plaque on carillon grounds). Arlington Ridge Park: National Park Service. 2020.
- ^ a b Harmony of Friendship (Plaque on carillon grounds). Arlington Ridge Park: National Park Service. 2020.
- ^ "Netherlands Carillon Concerts". National Park Service. July 6, 2015. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
External links
- National Park Service official site
- President Truman's full remarks on accepting the Netherlands Carillon, April 4, 1952
- Correspondence between President Eisenhower and Queen Juliana upon the finished campanile, May 5, 1960
- Flickr album of the 2019–21 renovation of the Netherlands Carillon
- Flickr album of the 2016 Dutch Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Netherlands Carillon