Olympic Bell: Difference between revisions

[[File:Bradley Wiggins 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.jpg|thumb|right|[[Bradley Wiggins]] began the 2012 opening ceremony by ringing the Olympic Bell.]]
{{about|the bell cast for the 2012 London Olympics|bell cast for the 1936 Belin Olympics|Bell Tower of Berlin Olympic Stadium}}
The '''Olympic Bell''' was commissioned and cast for the [[2012 Summer Olympics|2012 London Olympic Games]], and is the largest harmonically- tuned bell in the world.<ref name=WBF>{{cite web|title=The Olympic Bell|url=http://www.whitechapelbellfoundry.co.uk/news.htm|work=[[Whitechapel Bell Foundry]]|date=December 2012|accessdateaccess-date=30 July 2013|archive-date=5 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170405015930/http://www.whitechapelbellfoundry.co.uk/news.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> The bell is castCast in [[bronze]] [[bell metal]], andit is {{convert|2|m|ftin}} high with a diameter of {{convert|3.34|m|ftin}}, and weighs {{long ton|22|18|3|13|lk=on|abbr=off}}.<ref name=WBF/><ref name=DT>{{cite web|title=London 2012: Olympic bell made in Holland|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/london-2012/9215198/London-2012-Olympic-bell-made-in-Holland.html|work=[[Daily Telegraph]]|first=Anita|last=Singh|date=20 April 2012|accessdateaccess-date=29 July 2013|archive-date=1 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201124307/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/london-2012/9215198/London-2012-Olympic-bell-made-in-Holland.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The bell is now displayed in the Olympic Park.

In September 2011 the [[Whitechapel Bell Foundry]], a few miles from the [[OlympicLondon Stadium]] (London)which hosted the track and field elements of the games, as well as the [[2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony|Olympic StadiumOpening Ceremony]]), was commissioned to make the bell.<ref name=WBF/> The Foundry completed its design, profile, lettering and tuning. However, it was no longer able to cast such a large bell (its furnace capacity is {{convert|8|LT|t|abbr=off}}, as the large [[Victorian era]] bells had gone out of fashion), and so subcontracted casting to [[Royal Eijsbouts]] of the Netherlands.<ref name=DT/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hollanduktrade.nl/dutch-technology-shines-gold-at-london-olympics/|work=Holland UK Trade|first=Bram|last=van der Veen|date=13 July 2012|accessdateaccess-date=29 July 2013|title=Dutch technology shines gold at London Olympics|deadurlurl-status=yesdead|archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518103302/http://www.hollanduktrade.nl/dutch-technology-shines-gold-at-london-olympics/|archivedatearchive-date=18 May 2013|df=}}</ref> There was some controversy over using a non-British firm, as [[John Taylor & Co|Taylor’sTaylor's Bell Foundry]] in Loughborough had also tendered to cast the bell.<ref name=DT/><ref name=DM>{{cite web|title=Why the London 2012 bell is being cast in Holland... British firm says ‘we simply don’t have the pouring capacity’|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2132309/Why-London-2012-Olympics-bell-cast-Holland-.html|first = Louise|last=Eccles|work=Daily Mail|date=19 April 2012|accessdate=30 July 2013}}</ref> The hammer mechanism and hanging framework were made by other firms and twenty companies in three countries were eventually involved with its production. The bell was installed and tested in the stadium at midnight on 1 June 2012.<ref name=WBF/> It was designed to be as large as possible but needed to fit through the athletes’ tunnel; when it arrived there were only a few inches to spare.<ref>{{cite web|title=Director of Whitechapel Bell Foundry finds it hard "to let go" of Olympic ceremony bell|url=http://www.london24.com/news/director_of_whitechapel_bell_foundry_finds_it_hard_to_let_go_of_olympic_ceremony_bell_1_1466002|first = Else|last=Kvist|work=London24.com|date=31 July 2012|accessdateaccess-date=30 July 2013|archive-date=5 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151105035551/http://www.london24.com/news/director_of_whitechapel_bell_foundry_finds_it_hard_to_let_go_of_olympic_ceremony_bell_1_1466002|url-status=live}}</ref>

The bell is the second heaviest in Europe, after [[StPetersglocke]] in [[Cologne Cathedral]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.towerbells.org/data/EUGreatBellsTable.html|title=Great Bells of Europe by weight|website=www.towerbells.org|accessdateaccess-date=25 July 2017|archive-date=13 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813233646/http://www.towerbells.org/data/EUGreatBellsTable.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and the largest harmonically tuned bell in the world.<ref>{{cite web|title=London 2012: Bradley Wiggins rings bell to start Olympic ceremony|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19018575|work=BBC Sport|date=27 July 2012|accessdateaccess-date=24 August 2012|archive-date=31 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120831070016/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19018575|url-status=live}}</ref> Its main note (in [[campanology]], its [[strike tone|'hum tone']]) isa [[B (musical note)|B note]], and so it has the lowest tone in the world.<ref name=WBF/><ref name=Lndnr>{{cite web |url=http://londoneer.org/2012/08/whitechapel-bell-foundry-reveals-its-secrets.html |title=The Whitechapel Bell Foundry Reveals Its Secrets |work=Londoneer |first =Pete Pete|last=Stean |date=6 August 2012 |accessdateaccess-date=30 July 2013}}</ref> It is also {{convert|30|cm|in}}archive-date=10 widerMay than2013 the next|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510084648/http://londoneer.org/2012/08/whitechapel-largest bell in Britain, 'Great Paul' at [[St Paul’s Cathedral]] cast by Taylor’s in 1881-foundry-reveals-its-secrets.<refhtml name|url-status=DMlive }}</ref>

The bell is inscribed with "London 2012" and a line from [[Caliban]]'s speech in ''[[The Tempest]]'': "Be not afeard, the isle is full of noises",<ref name=Magnay>{{cite web |last=Magnay |first=Jacquelin |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9043917/London-2012-Olympics-Shakespeare-theme-to-lead-Isles-of-Wonder-Olympic-opening-ceremony.html |title=London 2012 Olympics: Shakespeare theme to lead 'Isles of Wonder' Olympic opening ceremony |work=The Telegraph |date=27 January 2012 |accessdateaccess-date=29 July 2013 |archive-date=27 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220727173930/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9043917/London-2012-Olympics-Shakespeare-theme-to-lead-Isles-of-Wonder-Olympic-opening-ceremony.html |url-status=live }}</ref> which featured in the [[2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony|Olympics opening ceremony]] spoken by [[Kenneth Branagh]]. The other side bears the legend "Whitechapel" and the Foundry's coat of arms.<ref name=WBF/>

[[File:Olympic Bell.jpg|thumb|The bell in its current location, at the [[London Stadium]], in [[Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park]].]]

[[Bradley Wiggins]], who had won the [[2012 Tour de France|Tour de France]] five days earlier, opened the ceremony by 'ringing' the bell. This was symbolic as the hammer was actually moved mechanically: one journalist noted "He may be a superhuman athlete but even Bradley Wiggins isn’t capable of setting the Olympic Bell’s monumental half-ton clapper in motion by hand!"<ref name=Lndnr/> The bell was also rung later in the ceremony, including just before [[Paul McCartney]]'s performance of "[[Hey Jude]]". McCartney blamed his faltering start on the unexpected loud sound of the bell, as he had forgotten it was going to be rung.<ref name=NME>{{cite news |title=SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY: I F**KED UP AT THE OLYMPICS OPENING CEREMONY|url=http://www.gigwise.com/news/78176/sir-paul-mccartney-i-f**ked-up-at-the-olympics-opening-ceremony |publisher=[[NME]] |first=Grace|last=Carroll|date=9 December 2012 |accessdateaccess-date=30 July 2013|archive-date=15 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130215044259/http://www.gigwise.com/news/78176/sir-paul-mccartney-i-f**ked-up-at-the-olympics-opening-ceremony|url-status=live}}</ref>

The bell also featured in music within the ceremony, such as in "[[And I Will Kiss]]". The bell was recorded at night, in the rain during rehearsals; sound engineers had to ask for work to stop for half an hour to successfully record it.<ref name=SOS>{{cite news |title=Peter Cobbin & Kirsty Whalley Inside Track: Secrets Of The Mix Engineers |url=http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec12/articles/it-1212.htm |publisher=Sound on Sound |first=Paul |last=Tingen |date=December 2012 |accessdateaccess-date=29 July 2013 |archive-date=12 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130812065858/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec12/articles/it-1212.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

The bell hung in the Olympic Stadium for the opening ceremony. It was then moved to make way for the [[2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics cauldron|Olympic cauldron]], and stored in the [[Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park|Olympic Park]].<ref name=LOPW>{{cite news |title=Opening Ceremony bell to go on public display |url=http://www.londonolympicparkwatch.com/#/big-bell/4572458798 |publisher=London Olympic Park Watch |date=7 January 2013 |accessdateaccess-date=29 July 2013 |archive-date=19 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019082621/http://londonolympicparkwatch.com/#/big-bell/4572458798 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Olympic Park re-opened in July 2013, and in May 2016 the bell was returned and reinstalled on a supporting structure just outside the Olympic Stadium. AfterThe Olympic opening ceremony programme pledged that after 200 years itthe isbell due towould return to the Whitechapel Bell Foundry for retuning.,<ref>Olympic opening ceremony programme, page 13</ref> In December 2016but the foundry announced that it was closing down, and the closure will be completedclosedin May 2017; it therefore seems unlikely that the stated retuning will occur.

Unfortunately, theThe bell has fallen silent and is not currently rung due to concerns that doing so would disturb nearby residents,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bruxelles |first1=Simon de |title=Ringing off: 23 tonne London Olympic bell falls silent |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/olympic-bell-falls-silent-c75ljwp66</ref> due|access-date=22 toJune concerns2020 that|language=en it|archive-date=17 willOctober disturb2018 nearby residents,<ref>|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181017043015/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/olympic-bell-falls-silent-c75ljwp66 |url-status=live }}</ref> thusmaking possiblyit becomingpossibly the largest ornamental bell in the world as well.

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v {{ YouTube | id = cZ6MM3eW_Pk ''| title = Behind-the-scenes at the Foundry''; Part 1] }}

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v {{ YouTube | id = 3d_USV1vSCo ''| title = Breaking Out of the Mould -– The Olympic Bell''; Part 2] }}

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v {{ YouTube | id = QT4RpvNRM_8 ''| title = The London 2012 Olympic Bell Arrives Home''; Part 3] }}