Highland Arts Theatre Chime facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Highland Arts Theatre Chime

This is the arrangement of a McShane Eight Bell Chime as it would appear in the Bell Chamber of a tower. This is very similar to layout of the Ten Bell Highland Arts Theatre Chime.
Percussion instrument
Classification	Percussion
Hornbostel–Sachs classification	111.242.2 (Sets of bells or chimes)
Builders
McShane Bell Foundry in Baltimore, Maryland

The Highland Arts Theatre Chime is a special set of ten bells located in the Highland Arts Theatre in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. These bells are found in the south bell tower and are still played today. A bell chime is like a giant musical instrument made of bells.

The largest bell in the Highland Arts Theatre Chime. It weighs about 2,050 pounds (930 kg).

History of the Chime

Work on the new church building, which is now the Highland Arts Theatre, began on April 14, 1910. People wanted more than just a single bell for the new church. They decided they wanted a full set of chimes.

So, on January 18, 1910, a group of young ladies formed "The Chimes Club." They met every Tuesday evening and paid small dues. They worked hard to raise money for the chimes. They held sales of handmade items and two social events. By the end of the first year, they had raised $225.46. The total cost for the chimes was $3,500.00.

A wide view of the ten bells that make up the Highland Arts Theatre Chime.

The bells were made from bronze by the McShane Bell Foundry in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. They were finished in 1911. The chime first rang out in public concerts on June 24, 25, and 26, 1911. This happened when the church itself was officially opened. A special bell player, Professor J. W. Mettee, played the chimes for the opening.

How the Chime Works

The Highland Arts Theatre Chime has ten bells. They are played from a special room below the bell chamber. The bells are played using the original "pump handle" chimestand. It has keys that you push down, like a piano.

Nine of the bells are fixed in place in the main frame. The tenth bell, which is the heaviest, hangs above the others. This largest bell is called the tenor bell. It can be played by swinging it or by using the chimestand.

All the bells have the foundry's name, "MC SHANE BELL FOUNDRY CO., BALTIMORE, MD., 1911," cast onto their side. The nine smaller bells also have special sayings from the Bible on them. The largest bell simply says "St. Andrews Church, Sydney NS".

The largest bell weighs about 2,050 lb (930 kg). It plays an E note in the middle octave. The chime is tuned to concert pitch, which means its notes match standard musical notes. It plays the eight notes of a musical scale, plus two extra bells. One extra bell plays a flat seventh note, and the smallest bell, called the treble bell, plays a note above the main octave. This smallest bell weighs about 500 lb (230 kg) and plays an F♯ note.

Internet Fame

In December 2015, a video of Glenda Watt playing the Christmas carol "Angels We Have Heard on High" on the chime became very popular. It was posted on Facebook and was watched over 1.6 million times in just nine days!

You can watch videos of the chime being played here: The Chimes ~ Christmas Music

The Bells and Their Sayings

All bells are inscribed "MC SHANE BELL FOUNDRY CO., BALTIMORE, MD., 1911" on their waist.

The total weight of all the bells together is about 9,200 lb (4,200 kg).

Chime Players

Many people have had the special job of playing the Highland Arts Theatre Chime over the years. Here are some of them:

Gallery