Both clock bells and an orchestral instrument are known as chimes. Chimes can refer to a set of chromatically arranged bells played from a keyboard, or to three high-pitched bells used to mark the quarter hours. When there are 23 or more clock bells, they are referred to as carillon chimes.
Carillon bells are usually mounted in campaniles, which are towers with bells. They are usually an outdoor instrument. A traveling carillon, known as a “concert carillon,” was created in 2003 and performed in a number of locations throughout Germany and the Netherlands that summer. There were at least 13 traveling carillons in 2006 around the world.
Carillon bells are frequently associated with churches and are used to play hymns. There is, however, a collection of original repertoire composed for them, as well as piano music and other works arranged for them. In 1934, American composer Samuel Barber composed a Suite for Carillon.
Chimes, also known as tubular bells, are a chromatic instrument made up of an octave and a half of long metal tubes suspended from a frame. Chimes that are mounted on wheels can be easily moved into place. Rawhide or brass mallets are used to play the chimes. Rawhide mallets, which are sometimes replaced by yarn mallets, produce a soft sound, whereas brass mallets produce a tenser, more focused sound.
Chimes are designed to sound like church bells and have a variety of overtones and undertones. They range in pitch from middle C (C4) to an octave and a half above F. (F5). A foot pedal is used to control the duration.
Chimes can be heard in a number of well-known orchestral works. They appear in the orchestration of Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky’s piano piece Pictures at an Exhibition: “The Great Gate of Kiev” by French composer Maurice Ravel. Chimes can also be heard in the final scene of German composer Richard Wagner’s opera Parsifal, as well as at the conclusion of Austrian composer Gustav Holst’s The Planets homage to “Saturn.”