Index to carillons and chimes by Hemony

The Hemony foundries, operated by brothers François and Pieter (together or separately), provided bells for various carillons and chimes throughout western Europe during the late 17th century.  They were unquestionably the finest makers of carillon bells prior to the modern age.  See the bottom of this page for historical information and additional notes.

For an explanation of what this index contains (and does NOT contain), and of the additional details on each entry, see the Bellfoundry Indexes Advice.


Hemony, François and Pieter - Zutphen, Netherlands, 1642-56

HERTOGENBOSCH - S             : NETHERLANDS  1645 F  trad
   Stadhuistoren
ZUTPHEN - W                   : NETHERLANDS  1646 F (trad)
   Wijnhuistoren
DEVENTER                      : NETHERLANDS  1647 F  trad
   St.Lebuinustoren
   Groote Kerk
UTRECHT - STN                 : NETHERLANDS  1651 F  trad
   Nicolaïtoren
   Klaaskerk (St.Nicolaikerk)
ARNHEM - E                    : NETHERLANDS  1652 F  trad
   St.Eusebiustoren
   Grote Kerk
ZALTBOMMEL                    : NETHERLANDS  1654 F  trad
   Gasthuistoren
ANTWERPEN                     : BELGIUM      1655 I  trad
   City carillon (stadsbeiaard)
   O.L.V. Kathedraal
DOESBURG                      : NETHERLANDS  1655 F  trad
   St.Martinitoren
   N.H.Grote Kerk
HOOGSTRATEN                   : BELGIUM      1655*F  trad
   Ste.Katarina Dekanale Kerk
   (St.-Catharinakerk)
   * made for a different place
CULEMBORG                     : NETHERLANDS  1655 F  trad#
   Sint Barbaratoren
STOCKHOLM - STG               : SWEDEN       1655 F  trad
   Deutsche St.Gertruds Kirche
   (Sct.Gertruds kyrka)
AMSTERDAM - ZK                : NETHERLANDS  1656 F  trad
   Zuider Kerk

Hemony, François - Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1657-64

AMERSFOORT - OLV/1            : NETHERLANDS  1658 F  trad
   Historic carillon
   Lantern E window
   O.L.V.Toren - 'Lange Jan'
   (was Onze Lieve Vrouwe Kerk)
AMSTERDAM - WK                : NETHERLANDS  1658 F  trad
   Westerkerk
ANTWERPEN                     : BELGIUM      1658 I  trad
   City carillon (stadsbeiaard)
   O.L.V. Kathedraal
AMSTERDAM - OK                : NETHERLANDS  1659 F  trad
   St.Nicolaas Toren
   Oude Kerk
MAINZ - LFS                   : GERMANY      1660 C [trad]
   Liebfrauenstift
ROTTERDAM - B                 : NETHERLANDS  1660 C [trad]
   Beurs (= Bourse, or Exchange) 
BRIELLE                       : NETHERLANDS  1661 F  trad
   S.Catherijnakerk
DELFT                         : NETHERLANDS  1661 F  trad
   Nieuwe Kerk (Sint-Ursulakerk)
HAMBURG - K                   : GERMANY      1661 C [trad]
   Katharinakirche
ROTTERDAM - STL               : NETHERLANDS  1661 F  trad
   Sint Laurenstoren
   N.H.Kerk (Groote Kerk)
BRUSSELS - STN                : BELGIUM      1662 C [trad]
   City carillon (stadsbeiaard #2)
   St. Nicolas Church (Sint-Niklaastoren)
HUY - ND                      : BELGIUM      1662 F  trad
   Materne-Toren
   Notre Dame (Collegiale, OLV-Kerk)
GRONINGEN - M/2               : NETHERLANDS  1662 F  trad
   Upper belfry & cupola
   Martinitoren
   Martinikerk
   (St.Martin's Church)
HASSELT                       : NETHERLANDS  1662 C (trad)
   Sint Stephanustoren
   Grote Kerk (Ned.Herv.Kerk)
KAMPEN                        : NETHERLANDS  1662 F  trad
   Nieuwetoren
MIDDELSTUM                    : NETHERLANDS  1662 F  trad
   Sint Hippolytustoren
   Ned.Herv.Kerk
STOCKHOLM - DC                : SWEDEN       1663 F  non-trad*
   Dutch Church
   * original presumed to have been traditional
HAMBURG - STP                 : GERMANY-BRD  1664 C [trad]
   St.Petrikirche
UTRECHT - D/2                 : NETHERLANDS  1664 F  trad
   Upper belfry
   Domtoren
MAASTRICHT - S                : NETHERLANDS  1664 F  trad
   Stadhuistoren

Hemony, Pieter - Zutphen & Ghent, Netherlands, 1657-64


GENT - B                      : BELGIUM      1659 I  trad
   Belfort
Gent/Ghent                    : Belgium      1660 -  great
   Belfort
GENT - B                      : BELGIUM      1660 I  trad
   Belfort
GENT - UL                     : BELGIUM      1664 C (trad)
   Baudeloo Abbey
   (now University Library)

Hemony, François and Pieter - Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1664-67

AMSTERDAM - P                 : NETHERLANDS  1664 F  trad
   Koninglijk Paleiskoepel (Stadhuis)

Hemony, Pieter - Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1667-80

AMSTERDAM - M                 : NETHERLANDS  1668 F  trad
   Munttoren
HULST                         : NETHERLANDS  1669 C (trad)
   Sint Willibrordustoren
HAARLEM - B                   : NETHERLANDS  1670*C  trad
   Bakenessertoren
   * part of St.Bavo carillon until 1968
HAARLEM - STB                 : NETHERLANDS  1670 F  trad
   Sint Bavotoren
   Groote Kerk
HOORN - STC                   : NETHERLANDS  1670 C (trad)
   Stadstoren
   Grote Kerk
DARMSTADT                     : GERMANY-BRD  1671 F (non-trad)
   Rezidenzschloss
OOSTENDE                      : BELGIUM      1671 C (trad)
   Feest- en Cultuurpaleis
   (Stadhuis)
DIEST                         : BELGIUM      1671 F  trad
   Sint Sulpitiuskerk (Collegiale)
    (St.Sulpicius)
GRONINGEN - M/2               : NETHERLANDS  1671 I  trad
   Upper belfry & cupola
   Martinitoren
   Martinikerk
   (St.Martin's Church)
WEESP                         : NETHERLANDS  1671 F  trad
   Sint Laurenstoren
   Ned.Herv.Kerk
ENKHUIZEN - D                 : NETHERLANDS  1674 F  trad
   Drommedaristoren
ENKHUIZEN - Z                 : NETHERLANDS  1674 F  trad
   Zuidertoren (Sint Pancraskerk)
MECHELEN - STR/1              : BELGIUM      1674 I  trad
   (Historic carillon)
   Lower belfry
   Sint-Romboutstoren
   (St.Rombold's Tower)
GOUDA                         : NETHERLANDS  1676 F  trad
   Sint Janstoren
   Groote Kerk
LEIDEN - S                    : NETHERLANDS  1679 I (trad)
   Stadhuistoren
DEVENTER                      : NETHERLANDS  1694?I  trad
   St.Lebuinustoren
   Groote Kerk

Historical Notes:

The brothers François and Pieter Hemony are the most important carillon makers which the Netherlands and Belgium have known.  François was born at Levécourt in Lorraine around 1609, his brother Pieter was also born there in 1619.  The older generation of the Hemony family belonged to that large group of Lorraine bellfounders that traveled throughout Europe to cast bells.  The father of François and Pieter and his brother, Blaise and Peter (or in reverse order), we find particularly in Germany.  There François cast in 1636 his first bell together with Josephus Michelin who later became his brother-in-law.  FranFrançoisois was married to Maria Michelin.  Pieter Hemony has never been married. 

In 1641 the brothers cast their first bells in the Netherlands for Goor.  Their actual career began in 1642 when they received from the city of Zutphen the contract for the manufacturing of a carillon.  In the same year, they also settled in this city.  The Hemony were not familiar with the casting of carillons.  But thanks to the support from the [blind] city carillonneur of Utrecht, jonkheer Jacob van Eyck, who studied intensively together with them, their first carillon was a great success.  While they worked in Zutphen, there followed thirteen more carillons. 

In 1655, François Hemony was offered favorable conditions by the city of Amsterdam, to settle there as bell- and cannon-founder.  In 1657 he moved to that city, while Pieter attracted to the Southern Netherlands and in particular to the city of Ghent.  In Amsterdam, François cast twenty carillons, including some which were exported to other countries.  About that time we also hear about the first pupils, as Claude (1646-1699) and Mammes (ca.1651 - 1684) Fremy, sons of a nephew of the Hemonys.  But they proved incapable of continuing the glory of Hemonys.  Much more successful was Claes Noorden.  The son of François Hemony, also named François, never worked with casting bells.  During the Amsterdam period were also cast images, including those of the sculptor Artus Quellinus.  Moreover there was artillery cast. 

In 1664, Pieter rejoined his brother, possibly because of the illness of François and the many orders.  Together they have cast three carillons.  François died in 1667, after a life of wealth and fame.  François was also highly regarded.  His brother Pieter was his successor.  During his stay in Ghent, Pieter is especially famous for the great carillon which he cast in 1659-1660 for the Belfry of Ghent.  He also cast three smaller instruments that no longer exist.  After rejoining his brother in 1664, Pieter would cast ten carillons before his death in 1680, thus making a total production of 51 carillons by the Hemonys.  A number have been destroyed by fire or disappeared in war.  The others were seriously affected in the nineteenth century and up to the sixties of the twentieth century by the emission of sulfur dioxide from coal furnaces.  Among other things they became out of tune, which sometimes led to major restorations. 

The significance of the bellfounders François and Pieter Hemony for the art of casting bells, especially for the art of carillons, is not to be underestimated.  They knew how to liberate the chime from the primitive state of the sixteenth century and to transform it gloriously into a full-fledged musical instrument which lasts to this day. 

Source:
André Lehr, De klokkengieters François en Pieter Hemony (Asten, 1959).

Source: A.Lehr, Register of [Dutch-related] bellfounders (translated from the Dutch by Google Translate, Cassell and Zimmerman)


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