The Senior Memorial Chime

*Location:

   Upper belfry
   Altgeld Hall
   University of Illinois
   South Wright & East Green Streets
   Urbana, Illinois, USA
   LL: N 40.10959, W 88.22826

Site locator map

*Player:

   (none appointed)

   1958-94 Albert E. Marien,   (d.)
             Chimesmaster
   1971-94 Susanne G. Wood,
             Associate Chimesmaster
   1994-2016 Susanne G. Wood,   (A)
               Chimesmaster
   (for student players, see Website)

*Contact:

   Chime Office
   323 Altgeld Hall
   University of Illinois
   Urbana, IL  61801
   T: 217-333-6068   E: chimes@uiuc.edu
   - or -
   Steve Breitwieser, Project Manager
   E: sbreit@illinois.edu

*Schedule:

   1250-1300 Mon-Fri when university is
   in session; special occasions.
   Cambridge (Westminster) quarters.
   Tower tours 1230 Mon-Fri.
   All in abeyance during renovatation.

*Remarks:

   Added semitones are G#, A#, C, D#.
   Pedals on playing console only.
   Dec.2024: bells and frame removed for
   major renovation of tower, to be
   complete in late 2025.

*Technical data:

   Traditional chime (chimestand) of 15 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell is D  in the middle octave
   Keyboard range:     D G   /    D G  4
   Transposition is nil (concert pitch)
   There are four added semitones
   There is an identical practice console
   The whole instrument was installed in 1920
     with bells made by McShane          
   Auxiliary mechanisms: Q4    
   Tower details not available
   Year of latest technical information source is 2000

News article about removal of the bells, as part of a massive renovation of the building
Similar article (20 Dec 2024) with many photos of work in progress plus an associated gallery of larger versions and more photos

Within the University's Website, there are several pages about the chime replete with pictures and other information.  Take the campus tour to see several perspectives on Altgeld Hall, and even take a virtual climb up the tower to the belfry.  Don't miss the "Look who's here" and "Strange but true" items when they are available.  A good photo of the front of the building, with a brief sound clip of the clock chime at the half hour.  A photo from a different perspective.

Background article (19 Oct 2020) on the history of this chime, with 3 photos (historic and current)

News article and audio interview with Sue Wood, retiring as UI Chimesmaster.

News article:  The tower was effectively closed by the administration in Oct.2016, and volunteer chimers were all dismissed, with the claim of safety violations and non-compliance with the American Disability Act.  The closure appears to be independent of plans to renovate Altgeld Hall.

Long news article (23Ap'17) detailing all of the problems with the tower.

News article (Sep.2017), with clickable photo taken in the belfry; #1-11 on main level, #12-15 above; 1,4,6,8 are clock bells.  When reopened (possibly in spring of 2018), the chime will be supervised from a position within the School of Music.

Where this work lies in the sequence of output of the McShane bellfoundry.

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

Index to all tower bell instruments in IL.

   This page was built from the database on 29-Dec-24
   based on textual data last updated on 2024/12/21
   and on technical data last updated on 2000/05/26