City carillonneur Carl van Eyndhoven (63) has been banned from playing on the age-old bells in the tower of the Heikese church in the center of Tilburg for a year now. The municipality cannot guarantee the safety of the carillonneur in the event of a fire. Carl is devastated. “A longstanding tradition has been so acutely silenced.”
Last year, the municipality wanted to check whether Carl’s workplace at a height of 65 meters complies with the Working Conditions Act. That investigation showed that it would be difficult for the carillonneur to descend via the stairs in the event of a fire. Carl had to stop playing the carillon immediately and that hit hard.
“I’ve been going up and down those stairs for 33 years and nothing has ever happened.”
The carillonneur still can’t get his head around it: “I’ve been going up and down those stairs for 33 years and nothing has ever happened. If necessary, I will take out extra insurance or we will put up more fire alarms.”
Still, according to the municipality, further research is needed and Carl has been at home for a year. He misses it very much: “It was terrible news. I drove every Friday and Saturday from Antwerp to Tilburg and I did that with a lot of love. I played in many churches, but the carillon in Tilburg is truly unique. Fantastic in mood and audible over a long distance.”
The carillon in the tower of the Heikese church has been ringing through the streets of Tilburg since 1966. In the past year, Carl’s carillon game has been replaced by an automatic.
Rudi Klumpkens, chairman of the Tilburg carillon committee, also does not understand the decision of the municipality. “We think it’s absurd. With a simple decision, a tradition has been acutely silenced.”
“It’s not for nothing that those heavy bells hang so high in the tower.”
The council’s investigation continues. It was previously thought to place the instrument downstairs, but the carillon committee could not take that seriously. Rudi: “It’s not for nothing that those heavy bells hang so high in the tower. The sound is extremely loud. If the municipality comes up with such advice, we cannot take it seriously.”
The carillon committee would like to talk to the municipality, together with the city carillonneur. In a letter to the council, they ask for speed in the investigation.
