L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 6 NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS ry, evolution, and future of the centuries-old art of bell- ringing. H o w d i d t h e i d e a o f f o u n d i n g t h e F e d e r - a z i o n e C a m p a n a r i Ambrosiani come about? T h e i d e a w a s b o r n o n December 7, 2008, when we gathered to ring the bells of the Basilica of Sant'Ambro- gio, in Milan. That church s t i l l r e t a i n s t h e r o p e s f o r manual ringing, so there is a dual system, meaning bells can be rung both manually and automatically. That day, we asked ourselves: "Why not try to establish a federa- tion that brings together all the bell ringers of the dio- cese?" And so, in February 2009, we officially founded the Federazione. It was a leap into the unknown, but what surprised us the most was the huge interest from young people. We expected t o f i n d a f e w e l d e r l y b e l l ringers from small villages, m a y b e s o m e p e e r s . B u t instead, we were amazed to see enthusiastic kids running up and down the bell tower! W h a t d o y o u t h i n k a t t r a c t s c h i l d r e n a n d y o u n g p e o p l e t o b e l l - ringing? It's hard to say, but I've noticed that children are nat- urally drawn to bells. If you w a l k d o w n t h e s t r e e t a n d h e a r b e l l s r i n g i n g , y o u ' l l often see a child in a stroller p o i n t i n g u p , s a y i n g " d i n g dong." Maybe it's the sound itself they like, who knows? Maybe that's how the pas- sion is born! Even families were surprised—kids would instinctively grab the ropes and want to ring the bells! It was a great revelation for us, a n d i t h e l p e d s h a p e t h e future of our Federazione. H o w h a s t h e F e d e r - azione grown since its founding? We have come a long way! One of the most interesting projects we have undertaken, since the very beginning, is the documentation of histor- ical bells. If you go to our website, you can search for a specific bell, and find its tone, inscriptions, date of c a s t i n g , t h e f o u n d r y t h a t made it, its diameter, and estimated weight. Bell-ring- ing has also recently been recognized as an Intangible C u l t u r a l H e r i t a g e b y U N E S C O . T h i s i n i t i a t i v e began in Spain in 2022, and in 2024, bell-ringing was added to the Intangible Cul- tural Heritage list. How many members d o e s t h e F e d e r a z i o n e h a v e t o d a y , a n d w h a t d o e s t h e i r a g e g r o u p look like? We currently have about 50 members, and at least 30 o f t h e m a r e u n d e r t h i r t y years old. It is very encour- aging to see such young peo- ple involved, and it gives us great hope that this tradition will continue in the future. What kind of activities d o e s t h e F e d e r a z i o n e o r g a n i z e , a n d h o w d o these events contribute to keeping the tradition alive? O u r w o r k g o e s b e y o n d just historical research: we organize events, bell con- certs, and guided tours of b e l l t o w e r s t o a c t i v e l y i n v o l v e t h e c o m m u n i t y . Twice a year, we select two b e l l t o w e r s a n d o r g a n i z e public visits. The first step is always to assess the safety conditions and ensure that the towers are accessible to visitors. Once that is taken care of, we set up explanato- r y p a n e l s t h a t p r o v i d e detailed information about the history of the bells, the Ambrosian bell-ringing sys- tem, and how it differs from automated ringing or other bell-ringing methods. Visi- tors are then taken all the way up to the bell chamber, where they can witness man- ual bell-ringing firsthand. These tours are very popular and are an important part of how we share our knowledge with the public. W h a t m a k e s t h e Ambrosian system dif- ferent from the Roman system? The main difference is in the upper structure of the b e l l s , w h i c h s e r v e s a s a counterweight. This allows even a very light person to r i n g t h e m w i t h m i n i m a l effort. A bell can weigh one or two tons—or even more. But thanks to this system, last summer we had a single young bell ringer operate a four-ton bell with ease! How exactly does the A m b r o s i a n s y s t e m work? It's a bit complicated to explain, but in simple terms, t h e b e l l i s f l i p p e d 1 8 0 degrees, with its mouth fac- ing upwards and held in that position. Then, it is released in a controlled manner to create a sequence of sounds that harmonize with other bells. This system allows us to control the rhythm and melodies in a way that other systems don't. Besides rope-ringing, are there other ways to play the bells, and how do these methods con- tribute to the musicality of the tradition? Yes, we also use a key- board system, which allows for the performance of actu- al melodies, not just rhyth- mic chimes. The keyboard is a l a r g e i n s t r u m e n t , p o s i - tioned at the top of the bell tower, similar to a piano. It is connected to the clappers of the bells, enabling us to perform a wide variety of pieces. It's amazing to see how traditional techniques can mix with modern music, making bell-ringing more engaging for younger gener- ations. I have seen, once, the b l e s s i n g o f a n e w b e l l before it was placed in the church tower: it was a fascinating event. Can you tell me more about it? I n t h e p a s t , b e l l s w e r e assembled in the churchyard for the blessing, and the bell r i n g e r s w o u l d p l a y t h e m while they were still on the ground. Nowadays, assem- bling and disassembling the entire bell tower structure is too costly. So instead, the bells are simply placed on the ground, and the priest blesses them there before t h e y a r e i n s t a l l e d . T h i s ensures that the tradition is m a i n t a i n e d w h i l e b e i n g a d a p t e d t o m o d e r n c o n - straints. With most churches n o w u s i n g a u t o m a t e d bell systems, what is the Federazione's stance on electrification? We are not against electri- fication at all, but we strong- ly believe that manual ring- i n g s h o u l d b e p r e s e r v e d whenever possible. Almost all bells today have an elec- tric system, but we insist that ropes and keyboards should still be maintained. It is technically entirely possi- ble to do so, without major m o d i f i c a t i o n s . I n c a s e s where manual ringing has been removed, we campaign f o r i t s r e s t o r a t i o n . I f n o m a j o r c h a n g e s h a v e b e e n made, the dual system can be reinstated, keeping both traditions alive. What has been one of t h e F e d e r a z i o n e ' s b i g g e s t a c c o m p l i s h - ments? One of our biggest suc- cesses was restoring the dual system (manual and electric) on the heaviest bell concert in the entire Ambrosian Dio- cese, that of Bellusco. While the Duomo bells are slightly larger, this concert's com- bined weight makes it the h e a v i e s t i n t h e d i o c e s e . Moreover, we can proudly say that it is the largest bell concert ever mounted using the Ambrosian system. "We currently have about 50 members, and at least 30 of them are under thirty years old. It is very encouraging to see such young people involved, and it gives us great hope that this tradition will continue in the future," Corrado Codazza tells us CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 Corrado Codazza (far left) with other members of the Federazione (Photo courtesy of Federazione Campanari Ambrosiani)

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