Pieter and François Hemony
Pieter Hemony and his brother François Hemony were the greatest bellfounders in the history of the Low Countries. They developed the carillon, in collaboration with Jacob van Eyck, into a full-fledged musical instrument by casting the first tuned carillon in 1644.
The foundry of the Hemony brothers in Amsterdam; on the corner of Keizersgracht/Leidsegracht, around 1660
The Hemony carillon of the Zuiderkerk in Amsterdam was installed in 1656
Wijnhuistoren, Zutphen
Nieuwe Toren in Kampen just after the restoration in 2011
Bellfounding is the casting and tuning of large bronze bells in a foundry for use such as in churches, clock towers and public buildings, either to signify the time or an event, or as a musical carillon or chime. Large bells are made by casting bell metal in moulds designed for their intended musical pitches. Further fine tuning is then performed using a lathe to shave metal from the bell to produce a distinctive bell tone by sounding the correct musical harmonics.
11th century BCE bell, Shang dynasty
Bianzhong of Marquis Yi of Zeng, dated 433 BCE
Cast Bells Whitechapel Bell Foundry, ca. 1880, State Library of New South Wales
Church Bells in the workshop at Whitechapel Bell Foundry, c. 1880
