Campanile
University of Northern Iowa
(was Iowa State Teachers College)
north of Admin Drive
Cedar Falls, Iowa, USA
LL: N 42.51489, W 92.46058
Site locator map
*Carillonist:
Guild of [Student] Carillonneurs
E: unicarillonneur@gmail.com
- and -
Karel Keldermans, Visiting Artist
(4 concerts per year)
*Past carillonists:
1926Se19(chime ded.) Andrew Meneely
1927-68 (see list on UNI Website)
1968Oc19(carillon ded.) W. Westcott (C)
1972-2004 Robert Byrnes (C)(1949-2004)
*Contact:
UNI Foundation
205 Commons
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0282
T: 319-273-6068 F: 319-273-3465
E: uni.foundation@uni.edu
*Schedule:
(unknown)
*Remarks:
Original tower clock (made in 1876 by
Charles Fasoldt) won a prize at the
Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia
that year; donated to ISTC in 1925,
installed 1927, retired 1950, remains
on display in tower. Original added
semitones were sharp 4th, flat 7th,
sharp octave.
Major renovation by Verdin, 1984.
Tower renovation 1993-95.
Sep.2006: A renovation project begun;
to add D# bass, practice keyboard,
replace playing keyboard.
2019: New keyboards have dropped keys
for C#,D# basses (bell was not added)
2021: Two practice keyboards.
2023: Verdin added 2 bass semitones
(cast by Eijsbouts to Meneely/Watervliet
profiles) & 7 trebles (cast on site
using Verdin's Bell Foundry on Wheels).
*Technical data:
Traditional carillon of 56 bells
Pitch of heaviest bell is C in the middle octave
Transposition is nil (concert pitch)
Keyboard range: C G / C C 25
There are no missing bass semitones
The presence or absence of a practice console is unknown
The instrument was enlarged in 2023
with 7 bells made by the maker cited in Remarks above
Prior history:
In 2006, the keyboard was replaced
by an unknown maker
Keyboard range was: C C / C C 23
There were two missing bass semitones
In 1968, the instrument was enlarged to 47 bells
by Petit & Fritsen
(36 bells were added in and/or remain from that work.)
Keyboard range was: C C / C C 11
In 1926, the instrument was begun with 15 bells
by Meneely/Wvlt
(11 bells remain from that work.)
Keyboard range was: C F / NONE
There were three added semitones
No auxiliary mechanisms known
Tower details not available
Year of latest technical information source is 2023
*Links:
The UNI main Website.
The UNI Library Website has a
long
article on the history of the campanile as well as a
Long
list of faculty and student chimers and carillonneurs (current as of 2011).
News
article (May 2023) on the campanile restoration and carillon enlargement; with photos and videos
News
article (Mar'23) about work on the UNI carillon in the Verdin shop,
with photos and a short video clip.
A news
article (Sep'20) about a special performance as part of a scholarship benefit concert
opens with a photo of Karel Keldermans at the keyboard.
It provides evidence that the the 2006 renovation project did NOT add
the anticipated bass D#, as the manual shows dropped keys for the bass C# and D#,
although transmission wires for both are present.
It does shows that the pedalboard appears to be longer than 1 octave,
so this must be the planned new keyboard.
An old photo of Bob Byrnes playing shows that the old keyboard had
no keys for the missing bass C#,D#.
A gallery
of exterior and interior photos of the campanile;
fullscreen versions of each are available.
Unfortunately, they are not presented in chronological order;
following is an improved sequence of some of the most interesting:
#37 (1926):
The original 15 bells and some of their workings on the ground, awaiting installation;
visible is a transmission guide intended for the belfry and NOT compatible
with the wide-spaced disused one in photo #11 (below).
#15, 1927:
Starting the original clock
#28, undated:
A young man at the chimestand
#16, 1947:
Standing woman playing the chimestand; clockshaft present
#5, 1954:
Art Blankers playing the chimestand,
with clockshaft rising between D and E!
#45, 1955:
Curtis Noble playing the chimestand
#27, 1969:
An unknown man at the chimestand in winter, with metal Meneely music rack.
#11, mid-60s?:
View of the 15-note chimestand from the spiral staircase above, showing also
what appears to be a disused transmission guide of unknown vintage;
the clockshaft visible in the 1954 photo (#5) has been removed,
though a large hole for it is visible in the newer transmission guide.
#38, undated
(but certainly NOT 1926!):
The carillon installed in the belfry;
directed action has counterweights rather than return springs.
#21, undated:
Prof. Russell at the original carillon keyboard (4-octave manual and 1-octave pedal)
#35, 1968:
Carillonneur John Steffa in the belfry
#53, 1978:
Bob Byrnes at the original carillon keyboard
Where the initial phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the
Meneely (Watervliet) bellfoundry.
Where the second phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Petit & Fritsen bellfoundry,
in this region
and in the world.
Where the final phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the
miscellaneous bellfoundries.