glacier_kitty

The Miracle of Cast in Bronze

Almost 25 years ago I made a wish. Not a normal wish, but a wish so outrageous that there was no way on earth that it could ever come true!...or so I thoought. Here is the amazing story of how "Cast in Bronze" was created

After graduation from the French Carillon School I returned to the United States and discovered that a Dutch Bell foundry had built a four-ton traveling carillon for their American distriubutors. I was invited to perform a few concerts on this instrument. It gave me such pleasure to share the beauty of the carillon with listeners that my head was filled with new and innovative ideas of how to use the carillon as it had never been used before. I kept visualizing the carillon as part of a musical ensemble

These were foolish thoughts. I could never afford such an instrument and no one had ever attempted to use the carillon in this way. Still, it was fun to think about, so I "wished" for the traveling carillon

I eventually went to work for the company that owned the traveling carillon and proposed my ideas to them, but they were rejected and the traveling carillon was eventually sold. It seemed that my ideas for using this instrument were lost forever. I became so discouraged that I finally left the company, moved back to Pennsylvania vowing to never play the carillon again

On my birthday in 1985 I recieved a phone call that my first carillon teacher had died and was asked to play the carillon at Valley Forge for his funeral. I had to honor his request. Frank Law was not only my first carillon teacher, but a dear friend and best-man in my wedding. [They also have the same first name!] Soon I was invited to succed him as carillonneur at Valley Forge. Each week for the next several years I climbed the 112 steps to play the 58 bell instrument. The carillon was once again part of my life

I had been playing the Valley Forge carillon for several years, and always kept the tower locked for insurance reasons. However, on one Sunday I must have forgotten to lock the door. As fate would have it, a gentleman wandered up the tower in this small window of time. During this brief meeting I learned of his love of music. I played the carillon for him and after a brief and pleasant visit he left me with these words, "People should see you do that"

Two weeks later, this same gentleman called me and explained that he was contacted about purchasing a traveling carillon. (The same traveling carillon I had wished for 20 years ago!) After a short conversation he said, "if you think you know what to do with this instrument, I am going to buy it." I hung up the phone in disbelief

Yes, miracles do happen and wishes do come true. Perhaps now you can understand why I am so devoted to the carillon and so excited to share its music with listeners. Cast in Bronze was created in a world of dreams with enough energy to manifest into reality. There are powers at work far greater than mine that made it possible for you to experience this music. What you are about to hear is not heard anywhere else on earth, because it has come from another world

Peace and love to you all - Frank DellaPenna

Today's Latin: quae narravi, nullo modo negabo (that's my story, and I'm sticking to it or what I have described I shall in no way deny). My Latin callendar is scaring me...

"We fight to live and we cannot forgive. Here come the riders of the revolution"--"Strange World," Gamma Ray