The Bernese Minster bells The different bells in this recorded peal at the Bernese Minster come in one after the other at the following times (in seconds): Silberglocke 0' Betglocke 4' Armsünderglocke 9' Predigtglocke 12' Mittagsglocke 17' Grosse Glocke / Susanne 22' You have to listen carefully to pick out the Grosse Glocke in this recording. Its bass remains in the background and fits seamlessly into the peal as a whole – belying the size of the actual bell. www.revue.link/susanne thuses Walter. “It’s a continuous incantation.” The bells ring in unison once a year The Bernese Minster has seven bells in total – three in the lower bell tower, four in the upper bell tower. They can be rung in many different combinations. Only once a year do they all ring at the same time: before service on the first Sunday of Advent. What applies to individual bells also applies to the sound of the bells in unison. There will be imperfections. The bellmakers knew there were a few variables – such as diameter or thickness – that affect the pitch, i.e. how high or low the sound is. It is the same principle with wine glasses, says Walter. “They make a deeper sound the bigger and thinner they are.” But bells often didn’t come out precisely the way the bellmakers wanted, he explains. Some churches DÖLF BARBEN Look at a map of Switzerland through squinted eyes – don’t you think it looks a little bit like a hotel reception bell? The canton of Schaffhausen is where you press at the top for the bell to sound. Maybe this was meant to be, given that Switzerland is well known for its bells. You can hear them everywhere. There are thousands of bells in the towers of cathedrals, churches and chapels around the country. Even more hang around the necks of cows, sheep and goats. And if that’s not enough, people carry bells around with them too. Like the Trychler groups with their ear-splitting processions, not to mention strident political views of late. Think, too, of the well-known children’s picture book “A Bell for Ursli” by Selina Chönz and Alois Carigiet – the story of a boy who wants to ring the biggest bell at Chalandamarz, the Grisons spring ritual to chase out the evil spirits of winter. It’s all in the acoustics Bells reign supreme. But what makes them so special? Why don’t churches hang up plates of metal to hit instead? Matthias Walter knows why. The 46-year-old architectural historian from Berne is one of Switzerland’s most sought-after experts on bells. “Knock on the side of a metal oil tank with a hammer,” he says. “All you will hear is a boom and a clang. That’s the difference.” Walter is standing in the lower bell tower of the Bernese Minster – the perfect place to talk about bells. Above him hangs Switzerland’s biggest bell. Called the Grosse Glocke but also referred to affectionately as “Susanne”, it is 413 years old, weighs almost ten tonnes, and is tuned to E. Walter hits the bell with the palm of his hand. You hear the impact, but then a very faint, beautiful sound. “You won’t get that with a plate of metal.” Nor with a traditional rounded cowbell forged from brass. “It makes a sound, but you wouldn’t call it music as such.” Church bells, on the other hand, are cast. They are usually made of bronze, which is a mixture of copper and tin. “Bells can sing.” Thickness matters People have been making bells since time immemorial, but it was only in the Middle Ages that bells took on their classical form, i.e. thicker at the bottom, which, according to Walter, is the secret behind getting a good clear strike note. A bell will actually produce around 30 additional notes, some of which are barely audible. First you get the high pitches imparting various dissonances, which then create the characteristic chime. “Despite the discord, bells can sound beautiful,” says Walter. The Grosse Glocke is a fine example. It has quite a velvety timbre and no real din as such. “It sounds noble and calm.” Susanne and five other bells at the Bernese Minster ring for every Sunday service. On feast days, the Grosse Glocke rings on its own. It never sounds like it’s being struck, enBerne has never had a bishop, so the Minster and its bells had to look very important instead. Photos (left and above): Keystone Higher, farther, faster, more beautiful? In search of somewhat unconventional Swiss records This edition: Listening to Switzerland’s biggest church bell Swiss Review / October 2024 / No.5 17
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