SE06 EP08 - The Sacramentality of Sound: Bells and Their Place in Catholic Life - with Fr. Christopher Gray and Carl Zimmerman
Apr 15, 2024
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Fr. Christopher Gray, a priest with expertise in the role of bells in Catholic life, and Carl Zimmerman delve into the historical and sacramental significance of bells in Christian worship, exploring their symbolism, rituals, and sound in Catholic life. They discuss the engineering and tradition of bell ringing in England, emphasizing the importance of quality craftsmanship and the profound impact of bells on sacred spaces.
Bell ringing symbolizes religious connection and teamwork through the practice of change ringing.
Bells hold a sacred quality, evoking divine presence and embodying a tangible expression of the divine.
Deep dives
Evolution of Bell Traditions
The tradition of bell ringing in England has been uniquely preserved, rooted in centuries of experimentation in finding the ideal materials and shapes for creating bells that produce harmonious sounds. The practice of change ringing, where a team of individuals ring bells causing the order of strikes to change each time, symbolizes a connection to religious life and teamwork. While in the past, the practice leaned towards sport rather than religious service, a belfry reform movement in the 19th century aimed to reestablish the religious significance of change ringing.
Bell Casting Engineering Advancements
The process of casting large bells involves utilizing a specific type of bronze known as bell metal, typically consisting of 80% copper and 20% tin, with occasional additions like lead for specific tuning requirements. The challenge lies in shaping the bell to produce favorable partial tones, with a key discovery being to shape bells to feature a minor third as the strongest partial tone, creating an appealing sound to the human ear. Engineering advancements in bell casting techniques originating from the low countries in the 16th and 17th centuries led to the development of carillons and the rediscovery of precise bell tuning principles in the late 19th century.
Influence of Bell Sounds
The sound of bells holds a profound significance beyond mere auditory stimulation, with vibrations evoking a sacred and resonant quality that parallels the divine essence. Large bells, with their prominent overtones, create a mesmerizing sound that surrounds the listener akin to the presence of God, transcending mere physical vibrations. Exploring the resonance and harmonics of bells reflects a deeper understanding of sound as a sacramental, embodying a tangible expression of the divine and invoking a spiritual aura, akin to the visual concept of the halo in art.
Innovations in Bell Foundries
The innovation in bell foundries evolved from extensive experimentation and advancements in tuning techniques to create bells with high-quality sound. The discovery of shaping bells to feature precise tonal characteristics and harmonic overtones led to the development of superior sounding bells, especially in carillons. Spread from the low countries to different foundries worldwide, these engineering advancements revolutionized bell casting approaches and shaped the rich tradition of bell music across cultures, enhancing the musical and religious experiences with their resonant tones.
Join us as we dive into the role that bells have played throughout the history of Christianity in warding off evil and storms, signaling significant temporal and spiritual moments, and the consecration of bells in the Pontificale Romanum. Learn about the manufacturing process and the engineering behind getting bells to sound beautiful, and discover how you might support the casting and hanging of new bells in your own church tower.
Our guests are Fr. Christopher Gray of St. Mary of the Assumption in Park City, Utah, and Carl Scott Zimmerman, a campanologist and author at the extremely helpful website towerbells.org.
Learn more about the Church's teachings on sacred music, and how to put them into practice, through the offerings of the Catholic Institute of Sacred Music. Sign up for an email list to stay up-to-date on our website: http://catholicinstituteofsacredmusic.org/
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