Sometimes somber, sometimes lively, the bells that ring across San Diego State lend a hint of personality and charm to the campus.
When thinking of SDSU and bells, many will be reminded of Hepner Hall’s own iconic set. But the bells students hear daily are actually coming from the carillon in Hardy Memorial Tower.
Since 1962, SDSU Professor Emeritus of Music and Theater Terry O’Donnell has composed and performed music for the SDSU Fletcher Symphonic Carillon, recreating classic melodies and modern tunes to play during the week and writing original music for special events. This doesn’t mean that Hardy Tower is packed to the rafters with colossal bells; the sound actually comes from metal pipes that are amplified to sound just like a full-sized bell. This carillon chimes for commencement, homecoming and other special occasions, but most students will be more familiar with the hourly ringing that accompanies them on their way to class. For some students, the sound of the bells is a useful reminder of the time.
“Students tell me that they can tell they are going to be tardy for class if they hear the music because it is about 1.5 or two minutes long just before the hour strike, so when that music starts you know you better start running,” O’Donnell said.
The carillon started with the donation of a set of chimes by former Sen. Ed Fletcher and his wife Mary Fletcher on Christmas day 1946 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of SDSU back when it was known as San Diego State College. This set was upgraded in 1966 to 25 bells, and from there the expansions continued. Today the carillon has 204 bells of several distinct types including English, Flemish and Bourdon. A digital system is set in place to record and program performances for specific times and days of the week. The carillon can also simultaneously emit the chimes from the Hardy Memorial Tower and the Lipinsky Clock Tower, allowing students and faculty across the campus to enjoy the bells throughout the day. Some students take the bells for granted as a standard part of the college ambiance, but to others, they can be a highlight of the day.
“I absolutely love hearing the bells on campus,” mechanical engineering sophomore Elizabeth Fortin said, “I just love the sound; it’s beautiful.”
Love them or hate them, the bells reflect the soul of SDSU. Whether they are chiming in celebration during commencement or playing a slow dirge for a memorial, the bells of the carillon will ring for years to come.
