Belgian Bells
9 January, 2013
The National Geographic takes a close look at the Big Bells of Belgium and the men and mechanisms behind their ringing. Thank you, National Geographic. Thank you.
This article introduced the Author to the profession of ‘carillonneur‘, of which she had been previously unaware. It turns out that the bell ringers of Europe are not Quasimodos swinging from rope to rope around the bell chamber!
The Author’s understanding of Glockenspiel playing had been influenced by Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Does Hugo’s Quasimodo also break into introspective song (“who is the monster, and who is the man?”) as he looks out over Paris with his gargoyle friends?
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the Diligent Observer 
I shall say it again. The Author MUST see “Hugo”. Clocks, not bells, but, still…..
Looks like the same basic type of mechanism as a player piano. I guess they must have swung from rope to rope untill the 18th century?
Just remembered a previous Belgian bell post from my Bruges jaunt a few years ago. Not ALL bells are mechanically rung–some are handled by nuns themselves!
https://adiligentobserver.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/get-thee-to-a-nunnery/