The Jean L. Rainwater Carillon

*Location:

   Chapel
   Principia College (Christian Science)
   Beltrees Road (Co.Hwy.23)
   Elsah, Illinois, USA
   LL: N 38.94753, W 90.35109

Site locator map

*Carillonist:

   Carlo J. van Ulft,   (A)
     College Carillonneur
   P.O. Box 1
   Centralia, IL  62801-0001
   H: 618-664-8938   W: 618-533-4381
   E: carlo@venlocorp.com

*Contact:

   Principia College
   1 Maybeck Place
   Elsah, IL  62028-9720
   T: 618-374-2131
   E: Webform @ prin.edu
   - or -
   Rose Whitmore, College Organist
   E: rose.whitmore@principia.edu

*Schedule:

   Tuesdays when school is in session,
   before & after 1050 chapel service.
   First played in recital on 15 Jul 98,
   during Alumni Week, by Carlo van Ulft.

*Remarks:

   Original bells cast by Meeks, Watson &
   Co., 1997-98; frame and bells on
   display at the Founder's Day Ceremonies,
   May 1, 1998, celebrating the 100th
   Anniversary of Principia College;
   installed Jun-Jul 1998, with 4-octave
   practice keyboard.  The bells (only)
   were replaced by Eijsbouts in May 1999.
   From 1936 to 1969, this tower held a
   tubular chime.

*Technical data:

   Traditional carillon of 39 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell is A# in the middle octave
   Keyboard range:     C D 38/    A#G   
   Transposition is up one octave
   There are two missing bass semitones
   There is a non-identical practice console
   All bells were replaced in 1999
     by Eijsbouts   
   Prior history:
     In 1998, a complete instrument of 39 bells was installed
       with bells made by Meeks,Watson
       (0 bells remain from that work.)
   No auxiliary mechanisms known
   Tower details not available
   Year of latest technical information source is 2000

The colonial-style chapel is pictured (randomly!) on the home page of the college.  The new Eijsbouts bells are shown at their dedication on a PrinCam page; several other photos are scattered throughout the PrinCam archives and can be found by a Search.

A larger photo (93KB) of the chapel

Where the initial phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Meeks & Watson bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the final phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Eijsbouts bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.

Ranking among all North American traditional carillons by weight.
Ranking among all North American traditional carillons by size (number of bells).
Ranking among all North American traditional carillons by year of completion.

Other medium carillons with similar keyboard ranges.

Index to all traditional carillons in IL.

Index to all tower bell instruments in IL.

   This page was built from the database on 14-Oct-24
   based on textual data last updated on 2015/07/30
   and on technical data last updated on 2012/11/03