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Before the great Roeland bell started chiming, smaller bells rattled a melodic overture that had been transported onto a wooden playing drum. This was done with the help of three bells that together with the clock were called "the quadrillion" (= the basis of the French word "carillon"). This melody was played every hour and served as a kind of alarm clock to alert the people to count the number of strokes of the big clock (= "the Wekkering"). This came in quite handy since none of the people back then sported wristwatches and many of them could not read or write. So from the 14th century on the people of Ghent lived on the rhythm of the carillon.
In 1659 Pieter Hemony cast a copper playing drum to replace the wooden one. Its mechanism can be compared to that of a musical box and is connected to the carillon clockwork. The Hemony drum is among the largest and oldest in the world. It was renovated in the 1980s, together with the 54 bells that now sound richer and more harmonious than ever. The melodies that introduce the strokes of the clock are renewed every two years. The engraving still takes place in medieval fashion, traditionally during Holy Week when the bells have gone off to Rome.
These "fresh" melodies always last up to a maximum of 30 seconds and play in turns every quarter of an hour. All the tunes that since 1660 have made up the "wekkering" are preserved in the archives of the city of Ghent, thus enabling us to overlook musical preferences over the last couple of centuries: in the 17th century the carillon mainly played religious compositions, the 18th century saw the popularity of folk melodies, the 19th century was inspired by the opera and light opera and the 20th century emphasised historical and topical issues. What kind of tune will the carillon sing in the 21st century?
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