Campanology - USA Opportunities
  • StimsonInRehabStimsonInRehab
    Posts: 1,916
    I'll preface this by saying I'm currently reading Dorothy Sayers's The Nine Tailors, so you know where this conversation is going.

    Can someone tell me where would be a good place to start with change ringing in the States, as far as practice and theory?
  • JulieCollJulieColl
    Posts: 2,465
    Im guessing campanology has to with bells?
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    Great novel. It was a fun TV mystery too. Some of the Sayers novels were also adapted into radio dramas; I'm not sure about that one.

    Probably these folks are a source of information: http://www.nagcr.org/
    Thanked by 1JulieColl
  • StimsonInRehabStimsonInRehab
    Posts: 1,916
    Indeed, Julie. I've had experience with handbells; unfortunately, our country is bereft of the kind of bell-towers I'm looking for.
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    I think Duke U has a new ring of 10, also the Nat'l Cathedral, DC (I think they might have a 12 bell ring).
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    List of Change Ringing Towers

    My wife will be hearing the one at Sewanee, TN in the morning.
  • Liam
    Posts: 4,945
    The Nine Tailors was classically serialized for television on Masterpiece Theatre 40 years ago:

    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/archive/27/27.html
    Thanked by 1JulieColl
  • G
    Posts: 1,397
    I know nothing about change-ringing in this country, but glad you brought Sayers up. Thers a wonderful book of essays I picked up on a remainder table years ago, (yeah, I still read actual books, ) called The Whimsical Christian. Interesting thinker.

    (Save the Liturgy, Save the World)
    Thanked by 1StimsonInRehab
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,368
    Get in touch with Steve Collins, who is a member of this forum. He could tell you anything about change ringing in the US. Peals of bells are relatively hard to run across in this country, and are most likely to be found in Episcopal churches. In addition to Steve, you might contact the carilloneur (or carilloneuse) at the Cathedral of Ss Peter and Paul (the 'National Cathedral') in Washington. The cathedral has both a carillon and a peal of bells. Where are you located?

    You say that you have hand bell experience: you may or may not know that hand bells were invented to practice change ringing without going into the tower and practicing on the whole town - although most handbell groups play just about everything on them except changes.
    Thanked by 1StimsonInRehab
  • StimsonInRehabStimsonInRehab
    Posts: 1,916
    MJO - I'm in Indiana, where Methodism is the 'catholic' religion, so peals are pretty much impossible to find, although I think the Golden Dome may have one?
  • StimsonInRehabStimsonInRehab
    Posts: 1,916
    G - have you read Sayers's work "The Mind of the Maker"? A singer friend introduced it to me years ago; it's a brilliant explanation of how Incarnational theology is essentially artistic.
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    http://www.nagcr.org/towersearch.php?near=indiana
    Thanked by 1StimsonInRehab
  • ClergetKubiszClergetKubisz
    Posts: 1,912
    Stim, try BSU. They're very proud of their carillon tower and it can be played, and often is, by the organ and carillon teacher. BSU is Ball State University in Muncie btw.
    Thanked by 1StimsonInRehab
  • G
    Posts: 1,397
    G - have you read Sayers's work "The Mind of the Maker"? A singer friend introduced it to me years ago; it's a brilliant explanation of how Incarnational theology is essentially artistic.
    No, but thanks, I will look into it.
    She was quite a theologian, for a witty, novel-writing academic, wasn't she?

    (Save the Liturgy, Save the World)
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,368
    The Mind of the Maker is a brilliant work of 'popular theology' - it ranks easily with C.S. Lewis' contributions to our enlightenment, even some Chesterton.
  • BruceL
    Posts: 1,072
    Come see us in Birmingham: the cathedral has an 8 bell Whitechapel set. There are actually a fair number of bells all over the SE USA.
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