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[[File:Bradley Wiggins 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.jpg|thumb|right|The [[2012 Tour de France]] winner [[Bradley Wiggins]] opened the [[2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony|2012 Olympics opening ceremony]] by ringing the Olympic Bell.]] |
[[File:Bradley Wiggins 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.jpg|thumb|right|The [[2012 Tour de France]] winner [[Bradley Wiggins]] opened the [[2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony|2012 Olympics opening ceremony]] by ringing the Olympic Bell.]] |
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The '''Olympic Bell''' was |
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|accessdate=30 July 2013}}</ref> The bell is cast in [[bronze]] and is two metres high with a diameter of 3.34 metres, and weighs 22.91 tonnes.<ref name=WBF/><ref name=DT>{{cite web|title=London 2012: Olympic bell made in Holland|url=http://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|accessdate=29 July 2013}}</ref> |
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The [[Whitechapel Bell Foundry]], |
The [[Whitechapel Bell Foundry]], a few miles from the [[Olympic Stadium (London)|Olympic Stadium]], was commissioned in September 2011 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 8 tonnes, 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|accessdate=29 July 2013|title=Dutch technology shines gold at London Olympics}}</ref> There was some controversy over using a non-British firm: [[John Taylor & Co|Taylor’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; there were only a few inches to spare when it arrived.<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|accessdate=30 July 2013}}</ref> |
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The bell is the heaviest |
The bell is the heaviest in Europe<ref>{{cite web|title=The London 2012 Olympic Bell Arrives Home|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT4RpvNRM_8|work=London 2012 offical YouTube channel|date=27 July 2012|accessdate=29 July 2013}}</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=http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19018575|work=BBC Sport|date=27 July 2012|accessdate=24 August 2012}}</ref> Its main note (in campanology terms, its "hum tone") is a [[B (musical note)|B note]], and soithas the lowest tone in the world.<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|last=Stean|date=6 August 2012|accessdate=30 July 2013}}</ref><ref name=WBF/> It is also 30cm wider than the previously-largest bell in Britain, 'Great Paul' at [[St Paul’s Cathedral]] cast by Taylor’s in 1881.<ref name=DM/> |
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{{quote box|quote="Bells ring out the changes of our days. They call us to wake, to pray, to work, to arms, to feast and, in times of crisis, to come together. Almost everyone in Britain lives within a [[Church of England parish church|sonic parish]]. Anyone born within hearing of the Bells of [[St Mary-le-Bow]] in Cheapside, London, has the right to call themselves '[[cockney]]' ... Above all, bells are the sound of freedom and peace. Throughout World War II all of Britain's bell towers were stilled, to be rung only in case of emergency. They hung in dusty silence until the day came when they could ring in the peace."|source= |
{{quote box|quote="Bells ring out the changes of our days. They call us to wake, to pray, to work, to arms, to feast and, in times of crisis, to come together. Almost everyone in Britain lives within a [[Church of England parish church|sonic parish]]. Anyone born within hearing of the Bells of [[St Mary-le-Bow]] in Cheapside, London, has the right to call themselves '[[cockney]]' ... Above all, bells are the sound of freedom and peace. Throughout World War II all of Britain's bell towers were stilled, to be rung only in case of emergency. They hung in dusty silence until the day came when they could ring in the peace."|source=Opening ceremony programme, page 13.|width=21%|align=left}} |
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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" |
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=http://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 |accessdate=29 July 2013}}</ref> which featured in the [[2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony|Olympics opening ceremony]] spoken by [[Kenneth Branagh]]. The other side of the bell bears the legend "Whitechapel" and the Foundry's coat of arms.<ref name=WBF/> |
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[[Bradley Wiggins]], who had won the [[2012 Tour de France|Tour de France]] five days earlier, opened the |
[[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 |accessdate=30 July 2013}}</ref> |
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The bell |
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 |accessdate=29 July 2013}}</ref> |
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The bell hung in the Olympic Stadium for the opening ceremony |
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 |accessdate=29 July 2013}}</ref> Its permanent home will be the Olympic Park when it reopens after redevelopment in July 2013.<ref name=WBF/><ref name=LOPW/> After 200 years it is due to return to the Whitechapel Bell Foundry for retuning.<ref>Olympic opening ceremony programme, page 13.</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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The Olympic Bell was commissioned and cast for the 2012 London Olympic Games, and is the largest harmonically-tuned bell in the world.[1] The bell is cast in bronze and is two metres high with a diameter of 3.34 metres, and weighs 22.91 tonnes.[1][2]
The Whitechapel Bell Foundry, a few miles from the Olympic Stadium, was commissioned in September 2011 to make the bell.[1] 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 8 tonnes, as the large Victorian Era bells had gone out of fashion), and so subcontracted casting to Royal Eijsbouts of the Netherlands.[2][3] There was some controversy over using a non-British firm: Taylor’s Bell Foundry in Loughborough had also tendered to cast the bell.[2][4] 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.[1] It was designed to be as large as possible but needed to fit through the athletes’ tunnel; there were only a few inches to spare when it arrived.[5]
The bell is the heaviest in Europe[6] and the largest harmonically tuned bell in the world.[7] Its main note (in campanology terms, its "hum tone") is a B note, and so it has the lowest tone in the world.[8][1] It is also 30cm wider than the previously-largest bell in Britain, 'Great Paul' at St Paul’s Cathedral cast by Taylor’s in 1881.[4]
"Bells ring out the changes of our days. They call us to wake, to pray, to work, to arms, to feast and, in times of crisis, to come together. Almost everyone in Britain lives within a sonic parish. Anyone born within hearing of the Bells of St Mary-le-Bow in Cheapside, London, has the right to call themselves 'cockney' ... Above all, bells are the sound of freedom and peace. Throughout World War II all of Britain's bell towers were stilled, to be rung only in case of emergency. They hung in dusty silence until the day came when they could ring in the peace."
Opening ceremony programme, page 13.
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",[9] which featured in the Olympics opening ceremony spoken by Kenneth Branagh. The other side of the bell bears the legend "Whitechapel" and the Foundry's coat of arms.[1]
Bradley Wiggins, who had won the 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!"[8] 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.[10]
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.[11]
The bell hung in the Olympic Stadium for the opening ceremony. It was then moved to make way for the Olympic cauldron, and stored in the Olympic Park.[12] Its permanent home will be the Olympic Park when it reopens after redevelopment in July 2013.[1][12] After 200 years it is due to return to the Whitechapel Bell Foundry for retuning.[13]
