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Vanden Gheyn

Music from carillons with at least 23 preserved bells from the bell founders family Vanden Gheyn.

Carillons of
- uncle Peter VI (1698-1770)
- brothers Matthias (1721-1785) and Andreas Jozef (1727-1790)

All performances by Koen Van Assche.

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1. Prelude

2. Music of Matthias

3. Carillon of Matthias

Matthias Vanden Gheyn
(statue of the city hall of Leuven, B)

1. Prelude

Same composition, played on 8 different carillons, the only carillons with at least 23 preserved bells from the Vanden Gheyn family. For most of these carillons some bass bells are from a different founder. The bass bells from C to G (keyboard notes) are listed for each carillon.

All bells are retuned during restaurations.

Prelude in G minor (originally for organ), Matthias Vanden Gheyn
Arranged for carillon (in D minor) by Koen Van Assche

In order of founder, and period:

Veere (NL)
City Hall
Peter VI & Andreas Jozef

17 bells (1734/35) from the original carillon of 35 bells,
Peter VI
9 bells (1789/90),
Andreas Jozef
bass notes (keyboard)
C - Peter VI
D - Peter VI
E - Peter VI
F - Petit & Fritsen (1948)
Fis - Andreas Jozef
G - Andreas Jozef

Sint-Truiden (B)
City Hall

Andreas Jozef

14 bells (1754) + 1 bell (1755),
Andreas Jozef (opus 2)
Additions: 2 - 1761, 1 - 1764, 1 - 1779, 1 - 1783, 1 - 1787,
Andreas Jozef
2 bells from 1792,
Andreas Lodewijk
bass notes (keyboard)
C - N. Legros (1751)
D - Andreas Jozef
E - N. Legros (1751)
F - N. Legros (1751)
Fis - Andreas Jozef
G - N. Legros (1751)

Liège (B)
Cathedral Sint-Paulus

Andreas Jozef

1 bell (1751) + 33 bells (1754), Andreas Jozef (opus 3)
carillon anno 1754 is completely preserved
originally in St. Lambert's Cathedral, Liège (B) until 1804
bass notes (keyboard)
C - De Roesbeke (1340)
D - Andreas Jozef
Es - Sergeys (1976)
E - Andreas Jozef
F - Van Aerschodt (1833)
Fis - Andreas Jozef
G - Andreas Jozef

Turnhout (B)
Church Sint-Pieters
Andreas Jozef

37 bells (1767/74/75) from the original carillon of 38 bells,
Andreas Jozef (opus 17)
best preserved Vanden Gheyn carillon, according to origin and number of bells
bass notes (keyboard)
C - Andreas Jozef
D - Dumery (1752)
Es - Andreas Jozef
E - Andreas Jozef
F - Andreas Jozef
Fis - Andreas Jozef
G - Andreas Jozef

Schoonhoven (NL)
City Hall
Andreas Jozef

27 bells (1770/75) from the original carillon of 38 bells
(for which bronze from a cannon was used),
Andreas Jozef (opus 18)
10 bells (1767/68/69), originally from the carillon of Maastricht,
Andreas Jozef
1 bell (1777), originally from the carillon of Nijkerk,
Andreas Jozef
bass notes (keyboard)
C - Eijsbouts (1963)
D - Eijsbouts (1963)
Es - Eijsbouts (1963)
E - Eijsbouts (1963)
F - Andreas Jozef
Fis - Eijsbouts (1963)
G - Andreas Jozef

Nijkerk (NL)
Church De Grote Kerk
Andreas Jozef

29 bells (1776/1777) from the original carillon of 34 bells,
Andreas Jozef
bass notes (keyboard)
C - Petit (1775)
D - Petit (1775)
Es - Eijsbouts (1986)
E - Petit (1775)
F - Andreas Jozef
Fis - Andreas Jozef
G - Andreas Jozef

Leuven (NL)
Church Sint-Geertrui
Andreas Jozef

29 bells (1777/78/79) from the original carillon of 38 bells
Andreas Jozef (opus 21)
bass notes (keyboard)
C - J. Zeelstman (1446)
D - J. Sergeys (1970)
Es - Van Aerschodt (1847)
E - J. Sergeys (1970)
F - Fr. Sergeys (1944)
Fis - Andreas Jozef
G - Andreas Jozef

Liège (B)
Saint-Barthélemy

Matthias

38 bells (1774) of the original carillon of 40 bells,
Matthias
originally in abbey of Val-Saint-Lambert, Seraing (B), until 1804
in 1738, Matthias worked with his uncle on the carillon of Nijmegen, but this carillon in Liège from 1774 is the only carillon of Matthias
bass notes (keyboard)
C - Matthias
D - Matthias
Es - Eijsbouts (2014)
E - Eijsbouts (2014)
F - Matthias
Fis - Mattias
G - Mattias

EXTRA - historic bells that are no longer used as a carillon, and have never been retuned.

Huy (B)
City Hall
Andreas Jozef

35 (?) bells (1767) of the original carillon of 35 bells
Andreas Jozef
These bells have never been retuned (?)
Not connected any more to a keyboard, only automatic playing

Recording to be published

Schiedam (NL)
Church Sint-Jan
Andreas Jozef

24 (unused) bells (1786) of the original carillon of 38 bells
Andreas Jozef (opus 23)
These bells have never been retuned!
The industry of the port of Rotterdam has undoubtedly affected these bells, so we cannot know how it used to sound

RECONSTRUCTION of the melody by Richard de Waardt, based on a recording of each individual bell, adding digitally the missing notes (lowest octave), and played on an electronic keyboard.

2. Music of Matthias

Music of Matthias Vanden Gheyn, played on the carillon of Turnhout, the best preserved carillon of his brother Andreas Jozef.

Publication: "Matthias Vanden Gheyn, Keyboard Music"

Published in 2020 by Campanae Lovanienses.
Arrangements for carillon: Luc Rombouts.

"Besides 11 preludes for carillon, Matthias Vanden Gheyn wrote works for organ and keyboard, as well as 12 short sonatas for violin and basso continuo. This collection mainly contains arrangements of keyboard music. Not only is it the most widely represented genre in Vanden Gheyn's oeuvre; it also approaches the idiom of the carillon more closely than most of his organ works."

Divertimento for clavier no 2

Allegro assai

Larghetto

Tempo di Menuetto & Trio

Fuga, cat no 17

Andantino for clavier, cat no 42

Carillon keyboard (2003) of the carillon of Turnhout, based on the historic keyboard of 1777 of the carillon of Nijkerk.

Tempo di menuetto from Divertimento for clavier no 4

Sonate for violin and basso continuo no 12

Aria allegro - Siciliano - Aria Presto

A bell of the carillon of Turnhout, made by Andreas Jozef Vanden Gheyn

Andantino from Suite for clavier no 2

Suite for clavier no 5

Ornamentation on the biggest bell of the carillon of Turnhout, "OPUS 17"

Cantabile

Vivace

Gigue

Menuetto I, II, III, IV

Sonate for clavier no 6

Allegro - Un poco andante - Rondeau, allegro moderato

This sonate was probably one of the last compositions of Matthias, in which he tries to find his way in the early classical period.

Ornamentation on the bells of the carillon of Turnhout

EXTRA - Prelude "Coucou", for carillon
played on the carillon of Turnhout

Ornamentation on the crown of one of the bells of the carillon of Turnhout

EXTRA - Prelude "Coucou", for carillon
played on the carillon of Schoonhoven

Historic keyboard (1775) of the carillon of Schoonhoven

EXTRA - Prelude "Coucou", for carillon
played on the carillon of Liège (carillon of Matthias)

One of the bells of the carillon of Matthias Vanden Gheyn
(Saint-Barthélemy, Liège)

EXTRA - Prelude no 5, for carillon
played on the carillon of Turnhout

From the manuscript of
Matthias Vanden Gheyn

EXTRA - Prelude no 5, for carillon
played on the carillon of Liège (carillon of Matthias)

Bells of the carillon of Matthias Vanden Gheyn
(Saint-Barthélemy, Liège)

3. Carillon of Matthias

Music from the carillon of Saint-Barthélemy, Liège (B).

In the 18th century, the Abbey of the Cistercians of Val Saint Lambert decides that there should be a carillon of 40 bells. It is ordered from Matthias Vanden Gheyn, and the contract is signed as: “Matthias Vanden Gheyn, organiste et carillonneur dans la ville de Louvain” (see image on the right).

The carillon dates from 1774, 15 years before the French Revolution. Like so many monasteries and abbeys, Val Saint Lambert is targeted by revolutionaries. The church is being destroyed and the other buildings are sold publicly. The bells are also sold, and their journey ends in Liège in 1804 as they were installed in the church Saint-Barthélemy.