Close X
Thursday, November 28, 2024
ADVT 
National

Parliament Hill's carillon bells to mark 1914 Christmas truce

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 23 Dec, 2014 05:24 PM

    OTTAWA — Around the biggest of the 53 carillon bells hanging in the Peace Tower reads the inscription, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace and goodwill towards men" — words taken from Luke's Christmas passage in the Bible.

    When the tower and its carillon were unveiled in 1927, they were a tribute to peace after the traumatic First War War.

    It's perhaps fitting then that on Christmas Eve this year, the carillon will be among 99 instruments in 11 countries to commemorate the 1914 Christmas Truce.

    The truce was a spontaneous laying down of arms in various places along the western front by German, Belgian and British soldiers that first year of the war. (Canadians had not yet joined them in combat).

    Accounts of that Christmas Eve and Christmas Day talk of meals shared, carols sung, games of soccer, and even a collective effort to bury the war dead.

    Dominion Carillonneur Andrea McCrady is set to play "Silent Night" at about 12:15 on Dec. 24, as part of the agreement with the World Carillon Federation. The University of Toronto's Soldiers' Tower carillon is also ready to participate.

    "In his dedicatory speech, Mackenzie King waxed quite eloquent, saying this was the song of the angels, heard 2,000 years ago in Judea, and now the carillon becomes the voice of the nation in remembrance and thanksgiving," McCrady said in an interview.

    "He made a direct connection of that inscription to the first Christmas and the song of the angels. Even though Canadians are not part of the actual Christmas truce, the carillon, the Peace Tower, they all share the same aspiration towards peace.

    "The spirit is there."

    The carillon itself originated in Flanders around 600 years ago. The massive instrument features pedals, rows of wooden levers called batons, and pulleys that attach to the bells above. The carillonneur plays by pressing on the pedals with her feet and simultaneously hitting the batons with the side of her loosely closed fist.

    McCrady, a retired doctor from the United States, won a competition for the job in 2008. She replaced Gordon Slater, who had occupied the post for 31 years.

    McCrady is creative with her recital playlists. This winter, passersby could hear Coldplay's "Clocks" playing if they came up to Parliament Hill midday. During the annual Parliament Hill Christmas lighting ceremony this year, she prepared a number of songs that would have been heard by Canadians during the First World War.

    She also played Paul McCartney's song "Pipes of Peace", which was written as a tribute to the 1914 truce.

    One of McCrady's favourite times for playing is in the lead-up to the holidays.

    "It's a joy to play every day, but it connects a lot with people on the ground (during this period)," she said.

    "It's lots of fun to play the prelude to the Christmas lighting ceremony. People are up there with their hot chocolate and their beaver tails and they're hearing the bells play the Christmas carols. That's one of the neatest times of the year."

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Infectious disease experts question Lyme disease bill before Senate

    Infectious disease experts question Lyme disease bill before Senate
    TORONTO — An organization representing Canada's infectious diseases specialists plans to raise objections to a private member's bill on Lyme disease at Senate committee hearing today.

    Infectious disease experts question Lyme disease bill before Senate

    Ontario narrows its environmental concerns about Energy East pipeline project

    Ontario narrows its environmental concerns about Energy East pipeline project
    TORONTO — Ontario's concerns about the proposed Energy East pipeline narrowed considerably following a meeting today between Premiers Kathleen Wynne and Jim Prentice of Alberta.

    Ontario narrows its environmental concerns about Energy East pipeline project

    RCMP commissioner testifying in Mountie's civil harassment case

    RCMP commissioner testifying in Mountie's civil harassment case
    NEWMARKET, Ont. — The country's top Mountie has told the civil harassment trial of a longtime RCMP officer that he was given the impression last year that the man seemed "almost unequivocally embittered towards the force."

    RCMP commissioner testifying in Mountie's civil harassment case

    RCMP say officer shot, seriously injured in Kamloops, B.C

    RCMP say officer shot, seriously injured in Kamloops, B.C
    The RCMP says one of its officers was shot and seriously injured during a traffic stop in Kamloops, B.C.

    RCMP say officer shot, seriously injured in Kamloops, B.C

    Montreal massacre continues to divide politicians on Parliament Hill

    Montreal massacre continues to divide politicians on Parliament Hill
    OTTAWA — Twenty-five years after Marc Lepine killed 14 women at Montreal's Ecole Polytechnique, the massacre is still creating sharp political divisions on Parliament Hill over the nature of the crime and the proper response to it.

    Montreal massacre continues to divide politicians on Parliament Hill

    Avian flu outbreak hits British Columbia farms

    Avian flu outbreak hits British Columbia farms
    Avian flu has been discovered at two poultry farms in southwestern British Columbia

    Avian flu outbreak hits British Columbia farms