On top of Amsterdam church tower :: man plays bell organ!

One of the most unique things I did while in Amsterdam was to go to ascend this large church tower (Western church?) and listen to this man play a unique type of organ that triggers bells! very strange & almost 400 years old! this man does this for his full-time job! 14 gigs a week. easy money payed for by the city of Amsterdam!
It's a load of bells hit with hammers from a keyboard , called a carillon and they are very common in Holland and Belgium. there are also lots in the USA and others dotted around the world. He is playing "somewhere over the rainbow" which is quite appropiate for Amsterdam!

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Amsterdam
• churches
• organs

[Audinos]

The problem with playing a carillon is that if you make a mistake, everyone knows it for blocks in all directions.

[tjugofyra]

Carillon* :p

[jghcky]

over 500 years old! not almost 400!

[alanstarkie2001]

I'd like to see this!

[irkibby]

Ceretainly is!

[sprinter977]

Magical melody!

I heard many times in Amsterdam this sweet organ from live and i have nice memoryes :-)

[MickedyMusic]

It that "somewhere over the rainbow"?

[henderek]

is that o sole mio what he is playing?

is dat een bewerking van o sole mio?

[mietekzjaczna]

super !!

[yermyahu]

That's why carillon towers are so high and enclosed ..to keep fanatical or sensitive critics from hurling stones at the player...or at least the bells ;]

[churchwhistles]

You didn't read the SECOND part of my comment!

[irkibby]

Of course the carillon is in a different class of instruments. you'd have to be a serious divot to think a carillon is a wind instrument. I was making a point after someone else said this was a "bell organ"...