Wylie's Vision - A Caillon for Sarasota

Reader Note: Two articles in succession starting with the word "vision." Perhaps you're thinking that I've run out of original titles. Just a coincidence but in this case the use of the word "vision" is highly appropriate. Read on to see why.

Background:

Wylie Crawford is a friend from Chicago who also winters in Sarasota. He crewed with Tom Frakie on last year's May 1 run from Sarasota to Hingham. Just before we left Sarasota, Wylie and I attended the ballet and during the ride he shared with me his vision to build a carillon in Sarasota. Turns out he was having difficulty finding a venue to host the travelling carillon. Wylie felt that he could create excitement for the idea by exposing the local population to carillon music.

Background (compliments of Wikipedia): A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in the bell tower of a church. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to produce a melody, or sounded together to play a chord. The carillon is played by striking a keyboard with the fists, and by pressing the keys of a pedal keyboard with the feet. The keys mechanically activate levers and wires that connect to metal clappers that strike the inside of the bells, allowing the carillonneur to vary the intensity of the note according to the force applied to the key.

Naperville Illinois Carillon

Wylie served as the senior carilloneur at the University of Chicago's Rockerfeller Chapel in Chicago.  The chapel contains the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Carillon and tower, a gift from John D. Rockefeller, Jr. in 1932 in honor of his mother. This 72-bell carillon is the second-largest carillon in the world by mass, after the carillon at Riverside Church on the Upper West Side of New York City, which Rockefeller Jr. also donated in honor of his mother. 

Wylie at the keyboard of the University of Chicago carillon

Wylie retired from Rockerfeller Chapel on October 1, 2015. He was named Senior University Carillonneur in honor of his service of 42 years in the Rockefeller tower. He remains resident carillonneur for the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, IL. He was also the first city carillonneur for the Millennium Carillon in Naperville, IL. Since 2006, Crawford has served as president of the World Carillon Federation, a federation of international associations that organizes conferences in countries with a carillon culture.

Set up for Wylie's retirement party at Rockerfeller Chapel

Diana and I were invited to the retirement gala that the University of Chicago hosted at Rockerfeller Chapel in his honor.

Rockerfeller Chapel - Carillon bell tower to the right

Gift to Wylie from the University of Chicago. Photos of one of the bells being off loaded in 1932

Photo of the bell being installed in the tower.

Now to the traveling carillon. In the mid 1960's, 35 bronze bells were placed on a mobile carillon frame by a Dutch bell foundry and sent to America. For the first time in history, the rarely-seen European art of carillon playing could be brought to audiences. In 1991 this carillon was purchased by John Hall who ultimately placed it in the hands of Frank DellaPenna, a Master-Carillonneur and graduate of the French Carillon School. Frank DellaPenna brings carillon music to audiences all over the United States.

4 ton Cast in Bronze traveling carillon at the Sarasota Medieval Fair

DellaPenna also did something unique by combining the carillon with an orchestra. This had never been done as most carillons sit high in bell towers. Even the 4 ton "Cast in Bronze" traveling carillon is not portable enough to be brought into a concert hall. So DellaPenna brought the orchestra to the carillon and recorded the sound track both with and without the carillon. Audiences can listen to the carillon as part of an orchestra (hence the speakers in the photo above). Below are two links to DellaPenna's carillon performances.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGR4Lj8cpYs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N79hW4mmwn8

View of the keyboard

Frank DellaPenna as "Spirit of the Bells" with Wylie Crawford

Note: Wylie supports Frank and plays this carillon when Frank has other commitments. He even has a "Spirit of the Bells" costume.

Now to the Story:

The traveling carillon has been in Sarasota at the Medieval Faire for the last three weekends. I attended last Saturday and got to enjoy two concerts along with hundreds of others. 

Large crowd at DellaPenna's performance

What it looked like from the middle of the crowd.

Frank was willing to leave Cast in Bronze (i.e., the carillon) in Sarasota so Wylie could get the exposure needed to create excitement for the project. However, this requires a secure place to store the carillon when it is not being played (Note: Bronze is valued at $1.28 per pound and there is easily 3000 pound of bronze in the bells - too tempting). 

It turns out that there are two venues in Sarasota, Ringling and Selby Gardens, that could provide both the exposure and the security. Wylie was having difficulty reaching the right people at each. Enter Jim Lampl, the owner of WSRQ Talk Radio (98.3 FM, 106.9 FM and 1220 AM) . I placed a call to Jim last May and suggested he and Wylie get together. The results has been positive. Jim connected Wylie with the right people and things are starting to happen including a full page article in the Sarasota Observer. Below is a link to the aricle "Sarsota Resident seeks Home for the Carillon."

http://www.yourobserver.com/article/sarasota-resident-seeks-home-carillon

The carillon would be a great addition to Sarasota and would enhance the already rich culture. Sarsota is already home to Ringling Museum, Selby Gardens, Sailor Circus, The Sarasota Opera, The Sarasota Ballet The Sarasota Orchestra, Florida Studio Theatre and two movie theaters just to name a few. 

Once the idea takes hold then the next question is where to put the tower and bells.I think the perfect location is Bayfront Park located at the foot of Main Street. This location, which was created when Marina Jack was built, has green space, access to parking and is far enough from habitation not to disturb anyone. People could come to weekend concerts with the chairs and a picnic and listen to the wonderful sound of the carillon. Payne park would also work well but I think Bayfront is magical.

Bayfront Park

The cost of the bells and a small tower to house them is around $2,000,000, which would be raised from private donations. Stay tuned for updates as this project moves forward.

Written by Les.