Hopeman Memorial Carillon

*Location:

   Rush Rhees Library
   River Campus
   University of Rochester
   Library Road
   Rochester, New York, USA
   LL: N 43.12858, W 77.62847

Site locator map

*Carillonist:

   UR Carillon Society
   E: urcarillonsociety@gmail.com

   1973-89 David T. Caldwell   (C)
   1995-2003 Daniel Harrison
   2006-08 Tiffany Ng   (C)

*Contact:

   James Warlick
   Music Performance Programs
   1-339 Dewey Hall
   River Campus Station
   Rochester, NY  14627-0052
   T: 585-273-5157
   E: jwarlick@ur.rochester.edu
   - or -
   River Campus Music Department
   Department of Music
   University of Rochester
   1-339 Dewey Hall
   P.O. Box 270052
   Rochester, NY  14627-0052
   - or -
   Rush Rhees Library
   University of Rochester
   755 River Road
   Rochester, NY  14627-0055
   T: 585-275-4461

*Schedule:

   Sundays 1700-1730 in term (students);
   summer series: 7pm Mon in July (guests)

*Remarks:

   1973: The 6 smallest Meneely bells
   went to Christ Church, 141 East Avenue,
   Rochester, together with an Eijsbouts
   treble (total 7).  The remainder of
   the old bells were cut up in the tower
   for removal, and scrapped.
   Practice console in Spurrier Hall.
   2017: rehung by M&W, with new clappers.
   Second practice console in Dewey Hall,
   not identical to playing console.

*Technical data:

   Traditional carillon of 50 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell (excluding sub-bourdon) is A# in the middle octave
   Transposition is up one octave
   Keyboard range:     C C 48/(G) A#C 26
   There are two missing bass semitones
   There is an identical practice console
   The whole instrument was installed in 1973
     with bells made by Eijsbouts   
   Prior history:
     In 1956, the instrument was enlarged to 19 bells
       with bells made by Petit & Fritsen
       (0 bells remain from that work.)
       Pitch of heaviest bell was A# in the bass octave
       Transposition was nil (concert pitch)
       Keyboard range was:     A#G   /    NONE  
       There were six added semitones
     In 1930, the instrument was begun with 17 bells
       by Meneely/Wvlt
       (0 bells remain from that work.)
       Keyboard range was:     A#F   /    NONE  
       There were five added semitones
   Auxiliary mechanisms: E     
   Tower details not available
   Year of latest technical information source is 1973

The University Website has a section about the carillon and a page about the Sesquicentennial Chime (clock tune, with audio clips).  There are also downloadable PDFs with additional information, photos, etc.  A page on the Library building briefly tells about the carillon and offers an audio clip.

News article (Nov'17) on restoration work in progress by Meeks & Watson; with 9 photos of work in belfry by Josh Meeks & Bill Morris.  32 trebles removed to the M&W workshop for new clappers & mounting bolts, while the largest 18 were refurbished in the tower.

The University's online newsletter had a front page photo of Tiffany at the keyboard, with a link to an article about her and the carillon.

Waymarking page, with 6 photos in the gallery;

Where 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 concert class carillons by year of completion.

Other concert carillons with similar keyboard ranges.

Index to all traditional carillons in NY.

Index to all tower bell instruments in NY.

   This page was built from the database on  4-Nov-23
   based on textual data last updated on 2022/02/12
   and on technical data last updated on 1976/12/31