Bolognese bell ringing art
Encyclopedia
The Bolognese bell ringing system took shape during the Middle Ages
, and was perfected in the 19th century.
and Bologna
. At that time the Basilica of San Petronio in Bologna was still under construction, and was intended to be greater than St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Both cities were part of the Papal States
, and both were considered capital cities of art and music.
There was also competition between two teams of bell ringers; from Bologna's Basilica of San Petronio and from Rome's Santa Cecilia's Church
. Eager to prove their skills, the Bolognese bell ringers devised a regular and accurate method of ringing: each bell would have to ring once per rotation. This method soon spread through the city and its many bell towers, and reached nearby cities such as Ferrara
, Modena
and Faenza
.
The bells are never counterbalanced. They are mounted on a wooden structure called the castle, and flanked by a wooden support called the goat. The bells are not very heavy, as the rotation has to be fast. Generally, every bell that weighs less than 800 kg (16 cwt) is rung by one person. The heaviest bell used with this system is in Bologna Cathedral
, and is called la Nonna ("the Granny") and weighs 3.3 tonnes. Thirteen people are needed to ring a scappata or a calata with it.
In this method, the bell ringers have to be at the top of the bell tower, in contact with the bells. Mechanical devices are not allowed.
Bell ringers can ring in two different positions:
There is also another type of peal Tirata bassa ("low pull"), which is rung entirely as a single scappata. The clapper must be pulled and pushed to play in the right order.
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, and was perfected in the 19th century.
History
During the 16th century there was a competitive spirit between RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
. At that time the Basilica of San Petronio in Bologna was still under construction, and was intended to be greater than St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Both cities were part of the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
, and both were considered capital cities of art and music.
There was also competition between two teams of bell ringers; from Bologna's Basilica of San Petronio and from Rome's Santa Cecilia's Church
Santa Cecilia in Trastevere
Santa Cecilia in Trastevere is a 5th century church in Rome, Italy, devoted to Saint Cecilia, in the Trastevere rione.-History:The first church on this site was founded probably in the 3rd century, by Pope Urban I; it was devoted to the Roman martyr Cecilia, martyred it is said under Marcus...
. Eager to prove their skills, the Bolognese bell ringers devised a regular and accurate method of ringing: each bell would have to ring once per rotation. This method soon spread through the city and its many bell towers, and reached nearby cities such as Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
, Modena
Modena
Modena is a city and comune on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy....
and Faenza
Faenza
Faenza is an Italian city and comune, in the province of Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, situated 50 km southeast of Bologna.Faenza is noted for its manufacture of majolica ware glazed earthenware pottery, known from the name of the town as "faience"....
.
Description
This bell ringing system was originally designed for an ensemble of four or five bells. Nowadays it is also sometimes used for a set of six bells.The bells are never counterbalanced. They are mounted on a wooden structure called the castle, and flanked by a wooden support called the goat. The bells are not very heavy, as the rotation has to be fast. Generally, every bell that weighs less than 800 kg (16 cwt) is rung by one person. The heaviest bell used with this system is in Bologna Cathedral
Bologna Cathedral
Bologna Cathedral , dedicated to Saint Peter, is the cathedral of Bologna in Italy, and the seat and the metropolitan cathedral of the Archbishop of Bologna...
, and is called la Nonna ("the Granny") and weighs 3.3 tonnes. Thirteen people are needed to ring a scappata or a calata with it.
In this method, the bell ringers have to be at the top of the bell tower, in contact with the bells. Mechanical devices are not allowed.
Bell ringers can ring in two different positions:
- within the castle (in front of the bells), pulling the ropes and controllng the clapper
- above the castle, where they can help to raise the bell with their feet and then move it by pulling and pushing the goat. These ringers are called travaroli, because they stand on travi, girders.
Techniques
A classical doppio alla bolognese is a peal composed of three parts:- Scappata ("run"). This is the start of every doppio. The bells, which are in resting position (mouth downward) are pulled with ropes tied to the goat. The clapper may be pushed away or pulled to ring the bell when the rotation is not sufficient. This phase ends when all the bell ringers can rotate their bell through 360 degrees, stop it with the bell's mouth upward and continue changing direction after every rotation.
- Pezzo in piedi ("standing piece"). This is the natural continuation of the scappata, but during this phase the ringers can control every rotation of the bells, and thus also change the order in which they play. This order determines the tune which is rung. In this phase the bells reach their maximum rotation and speed, and so protective measureds are required for safety reasons: to prevent unexpected violent pulls, the bell ringer has their left shoulder under an espalier, which is part of the castle.
- Calata ("descent"). This is the conclusion of the peal, and is very similar to the scappata. During this phase the bells have to be brought down by reducing their rotation while ringing.
There is also another type of peal Tirata bassa ("low pull"), which is rung entirely as a single scappata. The clapper must be pulled and pushed to play in the right order.
See also
- BellBell (instrument)A bell is a simple sound-making device. The bell is a percussion instrument and an idiophone. Its form is usually a hollow, cup-shaped object, which resonates upon being struck...
- Church bellChurch bellA church bell is a bell which is rung in a church either to signify the hour or the time for worshippers to go to church, perhaps to attend a wedding, funeral, or other service...
- CampanologyCampanologyCampanology is the study of bells. It encompasses the physical realities of bells — how they are cast, tuned and sounded — as well as the various methods devised to perform bell-ringing....
- Bell towerBell towerA bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
- CampanileCampanileCampanile is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" . The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a larger building or free-standing, although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.The most famous campanile is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
External links
- Video of a simple concert in Bologna's Cathedral, with the greatest bell playable in this way
- Video of a nice "scappata" in the Cathedral of Ferrara
- This is how one bell is played with ropes Maurizio Barilli's good explanation of the "Bolognese bell ringing art" The "Bolognese bell ringing art" explained by campanologia.org The Official Site of the "Unione Campanari Bolognesi"