Bells and Bell Tones

Extract

I have chosen this subject for consideration to-night because there is much to say from the musician's point of view, and because comparatively nothing of importance has been written on the harmonics of bells (I prefer to call them bell tones) and the way they should be tuned so as to produce the purest musical sound. I do not wish to pose as an expert on the manufacture of bells, but would prefer that my remarks, other than the statements of historic fact, should be looked upon as observations of a musician on the various characteristics and peculiarities of bells, from which I shall strive to lay down certain conditions with reference to the perfecting of the tone of bells, rather than the consideration as to how such results are to be obtained. This is undoubtedly the business of the bell-founder, and for the present must be left with him. For the sake of completeness, I shall give as concisely as possible a history of church bells, with some explanation of their construction, before dealing with the matter of bell tones.