CHIMES (from AS. rimbar. eimbala. from Lat. en/Ow/inn, from Gk. K6/43allov, )/,/ infirm, cymbal, from x6p..inc, kymboa, Skt. kilmbha, jar). Music played on a set of bells in a ehurch tower, either by a performer or by mechanism. This ancient and interesting class of music is believed to have originated in some of the Ger man monasteries. In the Fifteenth Century the ringing of church chimes beeame very general in North Germany, Bedlam], and Belgium; the last mentioned country was especially famed for its bell-ringing. retaining this prestige for three su• ceeding centuries. Bell-ringing has always reaehed its greatest popularity in tlat countries, where the sound of the bells can `carry' over a great distance. In England. where it is often called 'ellange-ringing,' this custom has also found great favor, and may lie said to be one of the national institutions. A chime of hells may number from five to twelve, and is rung by swinging, causing the i•lapper inside to strike the bell. With this limited scale. and the ratin•r uncertain method of producing the tone, only very simple diatonic melodies • are possible. Carillons are more elaborate affairs. in which the bells are stationary. and are rung by strik
on the outside with a Carillons wire formerly played by a performer. who struck the lim.e keys that connected with the hammer, and with his feet operated the pedals that com municated with the larger bells. Ills place is now usually taken by machinery. The number of bells in a carillon varies from ten to forty, or even more; the famous one at Ghent has 48. Chimes have been introduced into many Amer jean churches. Those of Christ Church ill Phila delphia. Christ Church in Boston. and Trinity Church in New York are probably the oldest in the United States. The chimes of the old Christ Chureh of Philadelphia have an historic interest. The bells were sent from England as a present from Queen Anne, and during the Revolution they were taken down and sunk in the Delaware River, as it was feared the British might capture them. At the close of the war they were re ining in the old belfry. Among the celebrated chimes of Europe are those of Copenhagen, Ghent. and Amsterdam. The word chimes is here used in its general sense, including both carillons and the smaller set of bells. See BELL.