Kaunas Carillon
| Kaunas Carillon | |
|---|---|
Kauno kariljonas | |
 Façade of the tower of Kaunas Carillon in 2018 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Carillon |
| Architectural style | Modernist |
| Location | Naujamiestis, Kaunas |
| Country | Lithuania |
| Coordinates | 54°53′59″N 23°54′41″E / 54.899620°N 23.91128°E |
| Inaugurated | 1937 |
| Renovated | 2006 |
| Owner | Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Lithuania, Vytautas the Great War Museum |
| Height | 32 m (105 ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Vladimiras Dubeneckis (tower) |
| Official name | Modernist Kaunas: Architecture of Optimism, 1919-1939 |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | iv |
| Designated | 2023 (45th session) |
| Reference no. | [1] |
| UNESCO region | Europe |
The Kaunas Carillon (Lithuanian: Kauno kariljonas) is a carillon in the tower of the Vytautas the Great War Museum in Kaunas, Lithuania.[2] The carillon officially belongs to the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Lithuania and Vytautas the Great War Museum.[3] In the interwar period, it was the only carillon in Lithuania, however currently four other carillons are also in Klaipėda, Vilnius, Šakiai, and Gelgaudiškis Manor.[4][5]
The tower where the Kaunas Carillon is located is 32 metres (105 ft) tall and has an observation deck.[6] The total weight of the carillon's bells is 4,334 kilograms (9,555 lb). The largest bell weights 751 kilograms (1,656 lb) and was funded by the Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus and his wife Alma Adamkienė.[2][7] Music played on the Kaunas Carillon can be heard within a 3-kilometre (1.9 mi) radius.[8]
History
[edit]
In 1933, a modern carillon was commissioned in bells factory in Mechelen, Belgium, for the Vytautas the Great War Museum complex in Lithuania's temporary capital Kaunas.[2] In 1935, the 35 bells and other components were transported to the Lithuanian port city Klaipėda.[2] In 1937, under the auspices of general Vladas Nagevičius and composer Juozas Tallat-Kelpša, the carillon was installed in the tower of the Vytautas the Great War Museum and replaced the previous 9-bell system.[7][9][10] Since 15 February 1937, the carillon's bells are called the bells of battles (Kovų varpai).[2][4] For example, the first bell of the carillon was given the name of Lithuania's capital Vilnius (at the time controlled by Poland), the twelfth bell was dedicated to the fighter of Vilnius (Vilniaus kovotojas), the ninth bell was baptized with the name of the Battle of Giedraičiai, the tenth bell was dedicated to the volunteers of the Lithuanian Armed Forces during the Lithuanian Wars of Independence (Kūrėjas savanoris), and the thirteenth bell was dedicated to the participants of Klaipėda Revolt (Klaipėdos vaduotojas, literally vaduotojas means a person who liberates).[4][11][12] In 1938, a knight sculpture was added to the tower exterior, which was created by the sculptor Juozas Mikėnas from bullet muzzles collected from fields during the Lithuanian Wars of Independence and bullet muzzles from warehouses of the intendant.[13][14] Until the Second World War, patriotic Lithuanian music was played on the Kaunas Carillon during flag ceremonies (e.g. Lietuvininkai we are born by Stasys Šimkus).[2]
After the Soviet occupation of Lithuania, the flag of Lithuania was lowered from the tower of Kaunas Carillon on 1 August 1940 and the playing of music on the carillon ceased.[2] The only brief exception was on 23 June 1941 when, during the June Uprising, the Red Army was expelled from Kaunas.[4] During the German occupation of Lithuania in 1942, the tower's knight sculpture was torn down and destroyed.[13][14]
After the Soviet re-occupation of Lithuania in 1944, playing the carillon was resumed only in 1956 by composer Viktoras Kuprevičius and his son Giedrius Antanas Kuprevičius, and since 1957 the playing of music became regular.[2] In the Soviet period the Kaunas Carillon was the only carillon in Eastern Europe (excluding East Germany) and with its Belgian-made bells the music was played daily.[3] During visits to the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic, political leaders of the Warsaw Pact including Erich Honecker, János Kádár, and Edward Gierek had listened to performances on the carillon.[4]
Following the re-establishment of the State of Lithuania in 1990, the carillon began playing every weekend.[3] During a major restoration in 2006, an additional 14 bells were installed.[2]
On 16 February 2015, a new knight sculpture was installed on the tower exterior—at 28 metres (92 ft) up—and was unveiled by commemorating the anniversary of the Act of Independence of Lithuania.[13][15] The new knight sculpture—2.7 metres (8 ft 10 in) tall and weighing 200 kilograms (440 lb)—is made from copper and was created by the sculptor Jonas Malinauskas, based on a project by the sculptor Juozas Šlivinskas.[13] The knight sculpture restoration which cost 26,000 Lithuanian litas was funded by the Kaunas City Municipality and Kaunas residents' donations, while the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Lithuania gifted cannon ammunition nozzles which weighs several hundred kilograms.[13][14]
Since 2017, every year in September the International Kaunas Carillon Music Festival is held with Lithuanian and international carillonists (e.g. from the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, and Japan).[2][16][17]
On 27 February 2024, the carillon played Ukrainian music to demonstrate support for Ukraine just a few days after the beginning of the Russia's invasion.[18] On 24 February 2024, the carillon once again played Ukrainian music to commemorate the 2nd anniversary of the invasion. Ukrainian refugees witnessed the performance.[19]
References
[edit]- ^ "Modernist Kaunas: Architecture of Optimism, 1919-1939". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Burytė, Rūta Ona. "Kauno kariljonas". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ a b c "Kauno kariljonai: kodėl vienu sudėtingiausių instrumentų laikinojoje sostinėje mėgaujamasi taip retai?". Lithuanian National Radio and Television (in Lithuanian). 7 May 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Bielskis, Gintaras (21 February 2017). "Prieš 80 metų vienas Kauno kariljono varpų pakrikštytas Širvintų-Giedraičių vardu". Sirvinta.net (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ Kuprevičius, Giedrius. "Kariljonas". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ Javaitytė, Skirmantė (2 May 2023). "Lankytojai vėl gali užlipti į 32 m aukščio bokštą Kauno centre". Kas vyksta Kaune (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Kauno kariljonas". Turizmogidas.lt. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ "Kauno Kariljono festivalis, kuris aidi 3 kilometrų spinduliu". Kas vyksta Kaune (in Lithuanian). 11 September 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ "Kauno karilionas". Turizmas.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ "Juozas Tallat-Kelpša Briuselyje atrenkant varpus Kauno kariljonui, 1935 m." Europeana.eu (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ Voveris, Vytautas. "Savanoriai kūrėjai". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ "Kas yra Vaduotojas?". Zodynas.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Tvirbutas, Saulius. "Kaune į Vytauto Didžiojo karo muziejaus varpinę grįžo Kario skulptūra". 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ a b c "Istorinė kario skulptūra – jau kariliono bokšte". 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ Sėlenis, Darius (16 February 2015). "Į Kauną vėl pažvelgė Karys". Kauno.diena.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ "Kaune – aštuntasis kariljono muzikos festivalis". Kauno.diena.lt (in Lithuanian). 31 August 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ "Tarptautinis Kauno kariljono muzikos festivalis 2023". Kauno menininkų namai via YouTube.com. 1 November 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ "Kauno kariliono „Kovų varpų" koncertas skirtas Ukrainai palaikyti". Kauno menininkų namai (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ Kutinskaitė - Būdavienė, Šarūnė (24 February 2024). "Kauno karilionas prabilo ukrainiečių tautai brangiomis melodijomis". Kauno.diena.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 19 October 2024.