Carillon in the Court House Tower now also plays Stockhausen

Lord Mayor of Cologne, Fritz Schramma presents new music programme of the playing bells

After the collapse of the Historical Archive on 3 March 2009, the historical carillon inside the Court House tower was temporarily stopped. Lord Mayor Fritz Schramma will start the bells up again on Monday, July 6th 2009 with a new music programme. For the first time, pieces of a contemporary composer are included. With that, Cologne is the first city in Germany that will play contemporary music continuously on a daily basis at a public square.

The administration utilised the past months to take up an idea of the cultural committee from the year 2008. It had suggested that contemporary melodies be included in the programme. The composer Karlheinz Stockhausen, who died in December 2007, was named in particular.

The music department of the City Office of Culture then put together a new music programme for the carillon. It contains traditional folk songs, classical melodies and, as a special element, the composition “TIERKREIS - 12 Melodies of the Zodiac” by Karlheinz Stockhausen. The City Building Office commissioned the Dutch campanologist (bell specialist), Bert Augustus, to set up the carillon for these melodies. The technological realisation using the newest IT technology is now completed.

Everyday at Noon a TIERKREIS melody will be played, starting July 7th with CANCER. Click HERE to hear this month's selection, LEO.