sonic landscape | recovery by chloé roubert
historicity middle ages campanology authenticity identity
for whom the bells toll restoring Notre Dame’s sound heritage
Until last February 20th,Angélique-Françoise, Antoinette- Charlotte, Hyacinthe-Jeanne and Denise-David, the four three- ton bells of Notre Dame de Paris’ northern tower had rung every 15 minutes since 1856. Although blessed by Napoléon III with the names of French saints, on that day they were not immune to dismantlement: in early 2013 they will be replaced by eight new bells. The ending of their 156 year-old rhythmical soundscape has caused a bit of a stir among some Parisians, who see it as the unnecessary destruction of an essential aspect of the French capital’s sonic identity and heritage. Notre Dame’s rector and head of this project, Reverent Patrick Jacquin, on the contrary, defends the forthcoming rearrangement insisting it will provide a more authentic soundscape than the one heard over the past 150 odd-years; and this, just in time for the beginning of the cathedral’s 850th anniversary celebrations next February. 1
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