For more than six centuries, the voice of Dendermonde has sounded high above the Grote Markt. The belfry of the historic Town Hall houses the bells that have accompanied the city throughout its history: they told the time, called the population together and gradually developed into a fully-fledged musical instrument.
The automatic carillon plays the familiar sounds of the Ros Beiaard song over Dendermonde on the hour. A short melody is also played every quarter hour and on the half-hour. These melodies are changed monthly to reflect a particular theme, providing musical variety throughout the year. During special periods, such as Christmas and St Nicholas, appropriate festive songs can be heard.
The carillon is also a fully-fledged musical instrument, played during the summer months in carillon concerts by the city’s carillonneurs and guest carillonneurs from Belgium and abroad.
The carillon can also be heard and seen online. Concerts can be followed via livestreams, while Facebook, Instagram and YouTube share news, activities and images from the world of the Dendermonde carillon.
The First Bells
The Town Hall was built between 1336 and 1350. In 1377–1378, the belfry tower was added. The first bells were installed as early as 1378.
There were only two at the time. One bell was used to strike the hours. The other was a so-called draperieschelle: a bell that called together the workers in and around the Cloth Hall. The Town Hall had originally been built as a Cloth Hall. The two bells were cast by Jan de Leenknecht from Harelbeke. This marked the beginning of a history of bells that continues to this day.
In the medieval city, the bell played a particularly important role. It made the time audible to everyone and helped determine the rhythm of daily life. The first bells were also accompanied by a tower clock, made by Jan Van Dilft. As early as 1403, this clock was replaced by a new one made by Frederik van Beerne. In 1474, the clock faces were renewed by Hendrik de Boeck from Mechelen.
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From Hour Bells to a Carillon
In the 16th century, the number of bells increased and the belfry offered ever more musical possibilities. In 1524, plans were drawn up for a new clock with a striking mechanism. For this purpose, six bells were cast by the Waghevens firm from Mechelen. The bells were installed in the tower in 1526; the new clock was installed in 1529.
From then on, the sound of the striking hour was no longer the only feature. At every hour, a wooden figure also appeared, indicating the number of hours that had passed with its arm.
An important step followed in 1548. Christophe Ruckers, organist and clockmaker from Dendermonde, commissioned Pieter Inghels from Geraardsbergen to make a new tower clock to which a set of fifteen bells was connected. These bells were probably cast by Jacop Waghevens from Mechelen.
The new hour bell was particularly impressive. It weighed approximately 1,560 kilograms and bore the inscription: “Salvator ben ik gegoten van Jacop Wagevens Int jaer ons Heeren 1548.”
The Van den Gheyn Carillon
The 18th century marked the beginning of another important period. Between 1732 and 1740, Dendermonde acquired a carillon consisting of no fewer than 40 bells. The bells were cast by Peter VI Van den Gheyn, a member of the famous Mechelen bell-founding family.
The Van den Gheyn carillon was far more than simply a collection of bells. It was a carefully designed musical instrument in which the individual bells came together to form a harmonious musical whole.
Work on the instrument continued even after its original construction. Until 1790, repairs and recastings were carried out by Andreas Jozef Van den Gheyn, a cousin of Peter VI. In 1825, three more small bells were recast by Andreas Lodewijk Van den Gheyn, the son of Andreas Jozef. The history of the carillon was thus literally preserved in the bronze of several generations.
The Van den Gheyn carillon was equipped with an extensive automatic playing mechanism. 36 of the bells were connected to the drum. The drum was fitted with 54 hammers and contained 90 measures. In total, there were 4,860 holes into which the musical patterns could be inserted.
The City Fire of 1914
This long history came to an abrupt end in September 1914. During the First World War, Dendermonde was severely affected by bombardments and fires. The Town Hall was destroyed and around 90 percent of the city’s buildings went up in flames.
The carillon was also badly affected. During the bombardments of 18 September 1914, the entire carillon was almost completely destroyed. Only 16 bells survived. In 1918, the bass bell was also requisitioned by the German occupying forces. In the end, only 15 bells remained of the centuries-old series.
The war therefore destroyed not only a valuable musical instrument, but also an important part of the material history of the Dendermonde carillon.
The Reconstruction of the Carillon
After the war, Dendermonde wanted not only to rebuild its buildings, but also to regain its voice. The authorities initially considered a new carillon a luxury. The city council thought otherwise and pressed for a new instrument, partly because the carillon was considered necessary “for the moral recovery of our population and for regulating the time.”
In 1920, Jef Denyn proposed a carillon of 35 bells. This number was considered insufficient. Eventually, a carillon of 40 bells was chosen: the 15 surviving bells from the Van den Gheyn carillon were supplemented with 25 new bells by Michaux.
The history of this carillon, however, took a remarkable turn. The new bells proved to be musically inferior to what had been expected.
Jef Denyn’s harsh assessment during the inaugural concert became legendary. When the mayor asked him what he thought of the new carillon, he replied: “They are not bells, but kettles, Mr Mayor!” The Michaux carillon remained in the tower until 1950.
The Michiels Carillon
As early as 1934, efforts were made to find a solution to the problems with the Michaux carillon. After the Second World War, the project was taken up again. Rather than simply carrying out partial repairs to the existing bells, it was eventually decided to have a new carillon cast. The commission was awarded to the Michiels bell foundry in Tournai.
Most of the old bells were made available so that their bronze could be reused. Using approximately 3,857 kilograms of existing bell bronze, supplemented with new bronze, a carillon was eventually created consisting of 48 bells, with a total weight of approximately 5,614 kilograms.
Construction proved difficult. Several bells had to be recast or reworked, and delivery was delayed for several years. Eventually, the instrument was installed in the tower in September 1950. On 24 October 1950, the Michiels carillon was officially completed and handed over.
This carillon forms the historical foundation of the instrument that still sounds today from the Dendermonde belfry.
The Michiels Carillon and Its Restorations
In 1975, the Michiels carillon underwent a thorough restoration carried out by Jacques Sergeys from Leuven. The bells were cleaned and examined. Eight small treble bells were replaced, and a heavy bass bell weighing approximately 1,250 kilograms was added.
The instrument was also technically upgraded. It later became clear, however, that the combination of bells from different generations and the effects of corrosion were once again affecting the sound. As a result, preparations for a new restoration began in 2001.
One principle was central to the 2005 restoration: to preserve as many of the historic bells as possible. The bells were cleaned, examined and, where necessary, carefully tuned. Eight bells were recast according to the profile of the Michiels bells.
The return of the eight small Michiels bells, which had been kept in the Town Hall since 1975, was particularly important. Research showed that these original bells were still in good condition and were better suited to the sound of the historic Michiels carillon. They were therefore returned to their place in the carillon.
Six Centuries of Bells in a Single Tower
The present-day carillon bears the traces of a history dating back to 1378. Some bells were destroyed during wars, while others were recast, replaced or incorporated into the instrument once again.
This is precisely what gives the Dendermonde carillon its special value. It is not the result of a single building campaign, but the product of centuries of working with bells: bells that passed on their name, weight, sound and sometimes even their bronze to the next generation.
From Jan de Leenknecht and Jacop Waghevens to the Van den Gheyns, Michaux, Michiels, Sergeys and Eijsbouts, bell founders have repeatedly left their mark on Dendermonde’s history of sound.
The carillonneurs also form an unbroken thread throughout this history. From Jan Ruylensers in the sixteenth century to the carillonneurs of today, they have ensured that the bells could do more than simply ring: they could also make music.
