WORLD SOUNDSCAPE PROJECT TAPE LIBRARY

VANCOUVER DAT COLLECTION

DAT 11

HOLY ROSARY CATHEDRAL/WEST COAST EXPRESS / PT. ATKINSON FOGHORN June 16, 1995

 

1. Cathedral Bell Ringing Chamber 0:32

2. ringing chamber, practice session 48:00

3. practice continued 48:00

4. West Coast Express whistle & ambience 16:00

5. West Coast Express close-up 2:45

6. West Coast Express middle distance 2:30

7. Pt. Atkinson diaphone, early 1990s 0:30

8. same 0:34

9. Pt. Atkinson electronic foghorn 4:10

 

DAT 11 COMMENTARY

1. tape ID, bells being set in background

2. Alan (bell ringers captain) organizes bell-ringers as the setting of the bells continues. Alan 'ribs' ringer. 2:35 -"door bell" rings and people enter. They discuss buzzer not working. There are 12 people. The larger bells are set as people socialize. At 6:10, women explain clapper position settings, setting by feel. Someone went up and moved the clapper on the largest bell (bell #7). A woman explains using a model. Chatter continues. Dave (ringer) chooses bell #6. Boxes are explained. David tests the bell.

Alan organizes "call changes," knotting the ropes to shorten them. Bells start ringing at 11:36. Call changes are called out. Ropes and "groets" are heard throughout the ringing. Ropes hit floor on downward pull. Rounds end at 14:52.

Bob explains visual component. Alan assigns bells. At 16:20 the practice commences. Some talking during the ringing, mostly Alan giving directions. Some distortion (when Alan yells) at 17:32 and 19:21. Rounds end at 22:58

Bob asks about visual component watching ropes for cues. A woman explains. New ropes are assigned. Ringing starts again at 24:50, stop again at 28:50. Starts again at 29:35, ending at 36:58. Alan remarks and ringers discuss rounds. Tape ID. Rounds start again at 40:05. Alan comments through practice. Rounds end at 47:49.

3. 48:16 more assigning of bells. Ringing starts again at 49:03 and ends at 54:02. New ropes/bells assigned, tape ID. Traffic in background, ropes, heater fan. Rounds start again at 56:24 and end at 1:03:00. Some laughter and discussion. Bob explains VSP project to someone (mostly drowned out). Bells reassigned. Rounds start again at 1:05:13. Alan's instructions heard throughout. "rounds" yelled at 1:11:37. Bells reassigned. Tape ID-description of room.

Interviews and discussions: a ringer explains what we have been hearing, shows ringing charts on the wall. A seaplane passes outside.

1:21:57, rounds start again. Ropes slapping, different pattern emerges. Nice ending at 1:21:36. More interviews and conversation. People leaving. Older ringer explains he has been ringing since 1926 (Dudley). Alan says goodnight.

1:31:38 soundwalk to the street from chamber. 1:33:43 into cathedral. Walk into street at 1:35:47. Tape fades out at 1:36:36 and then comes back on to hear Alan say goodbye.

4. Begins right as West Coast Express whistle sounds, then cuts to early morning North Burnaby ambience with low rumble of Chevron refinery, birds, jet, and the occasional car passing. 12:00 train whistle in distance. 14:25 West Coast Express whistle in middle distance.

5. At Confederation Park just above the tracks, tape ID. 1:40 train whistle with distortion in right channel. Train passes with dynamic L-R pan.

6. Same location, tape ID with limiter on. 2:20 train whistle in middle distance.

7. Dub of H.Westerkamp's recording (early 1990s) of Pt. Atkinson foghorn, 3 blasts with wave wash.

8. same

9. Pt. Atkinson electronic foghorn, 3 blasts (0:10, 1:13, 2:17, 3:20) with wave wash. Recorded by H. Westerkamp, May 1997.


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