carillon
(‖ karijɔ̃, ˈkærɪljɒn, kəˈrɪljən)
[Fr.; f. ‘med.L. quadriliōn-em a quaternary, because carillons were formerly rung on four bells’ (Littré); cf. It. quadriglio ‘a crue, troupe, companie’ (Florio); but some think the carillon was orig. the melody.]
1. ‘A set of bells so hung and arranged as to be capable of being played upon either by manual action or by machinery’ (Grove).
| 1775 J. Collier Mus. Trav. (ed. 2) 39 Dr. Burney treats all Carillons with sovereign contempt, I confess I was much pleased with these. 1776 Ibid. (ed. 4) App. 15 An accurate history of the carillons and church-clock. 1836 Fam. Tour S. Holland 111 A fine set of carillons, which emit pleasing silvery tones. 1854 Badham Halieut. 377 Adjust to each a little carillon of bells. 1872 Ellacombe Bells of Ch. x. 349 There are in the tower of Notre Dame at Antwerp two Carillons..accords or harmonies of four and six notes can be played on them. |
2. An air or melody played on the bells.
| 1803 Rees Cycl., Carillons, a species of chimes frequent in the Low Countries, played on a number of bells. 1873 Longfellow Elizabeth Pref. 81 When ceased the little carillon To herald from its wooden tower The important transit of the hour. 1879 Dowden Southey iv. 85 Flanders..where the carillons ripple from old spires. |
3. A musical instrument, or appendage to one, to imitate a peal of bells.
| 1819 Rees Cycl. VI, Carillon, is likewise the name of a small keyed instrument to imitate a peal of hand bells. 1876 J. Hiles Catech. Organ x. (1878) 98 The Carillon [in the organ] is a series of sonorous steel bars. 1881 C. A. Edwards Organs 68 In Mr. Holmes' organ the echo, the solo, and the carillon are all three commanded from the fourth clavier. |
Hence ‖ carilloˈnneur. [Fr.]
| 1772 Burney Pres. St. Mus. 15 The Carillonneur was literally at work, and hard work indeed it must be. 1871 Haweis Music & Mor. iii. iii. 472 The best living carillonneurs. 1879 Grove Dict. Mus. I. 593 As carilloneur his duties were to play..to keep the chimes in tune and to set fresh tunes..on the drum of the carillon. |