The Salzburg Carillon

After its comprehensive restoration lasting two years, the Salzburg Carillon has been in operation again since 28 January 2011. Every day it delights both the local Salzburg people and tourists with its melodies, most of which are well-known favourites The range of the 35 bells covers three octaves with all semitones.

MUSIC PIECES

The great brass cylinder with its 7,970 holes can play more than a hundred different music pieces. Sixteen compositions are from the time before 1799. Formerly, these were attributed to Johann Michael Haydn. The pieces by Mozart, father and son, are arrangements from the nineteenth century. Many well-known melodies are included in the repertoire: “Das klinget so herrlich, das klinget so schön” from Mozart’s opera “The Magic Flute”, also “Là ci darem la mano” from Don Giovanni; folk songs such as “In einem kühlen Grunde”, “Komm lieber Mai und mache”, “Ännchen von Tharau”, “Loreley”, the “Planing Song” from Ferdinand Raimund’s “The Spendthrift”, a minuet by Leopold Mozart, and the famous Salzburg carol “Silent Night”. Not only these, but also pieces from more recent times have been played, such as “Récit evangelique” by Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992).

THE MECHANICS

The mechanical movement is installed in the two storeys underneath the carillon and operated today by an electric motor. But it is also possible to work it mechanically, whereby a manual crank is turned using weights to pull up a wooden basket suspended on a long cord, enabling operation by means of gravity.

GUIDED TOURS OF THE CARILLON TOWER

The Carillon Tower can be climbed in guided tours (from the end of March until the end of October). Visitors see not only the technical miracle of the carillon mechanics but also a unique panorama of the City of Salzburg (weather permitting).