By Michele Taranto

For those new to Norwood, you have probably heard the bells coming from the Town Hall tower, but thought, ‘It must a recording.’ Absolutely not. Those beautiful notes are being played live, most of the time by Norwood resident Lee Leach, on Norwood’s own Carillon. 

The instrument was a gift to his fellow townspeople from the late Walter F. Tilton, a prominent local banker, and civic leader. It is a pitched, percussion, 50-bell instrument cast by Gillett and Johnston, Bellfounders, Croydon, England, and, together with the Norwood Memorial Building and Tower, was dedicated on Armistice Day, November 11, 1928. 

How special is Norwood? According to Guild of Carillonneurs, there are less than 200 carillons in North America. As rare as the instrument is, however, how far does the town need to look for a skilled, experienced player? Not far at all! Norwood’s own Lee Leach performs most of the concerts, along with a few guest musicians.Shortly after moving to Norwood in 1995, Leach attended a Carillon recital and as a musician was excited to learn more this unique instrument. Through a recommendation from former Assistant Town Manager Bernie Cooper, he was introduced to carillon instructor Sally Slade out of Cohasset. Becoming a proficient Carillonneur, even for an already experienced instrumentalist, took dedication and many lessons to perfect this complicated instrument.

“It took a number of years to get my proficiency and a repertoire of music for an hour-long performance,” Leach said. You can’t play more than that as it can be a bit heavy and ponderous to play for long periods of time.”
And hot. While Leach played to celebrate the country’s independence on the 4th of July this year, the temperature reached 84 degrees in the tower, which, you guessed it, it not air conditioned. Only a fan provides any heat relief to the Carillonneur.

Since 1997, Leach has been Norwood’s primary Carillonneur. If you are hearing the bells, more than likely it is Leach up in the tower. Throughout the Summer Carillon Concert Series, however, the town invites guest Carillonneurs to play on Monday evenings, at 6:30 p.m.  These musicians come from throughout Massachusetts and New England, including Boston, Somerville, Wellesley, Groton, and Cohasset, and as far as New York, Vermont, and California. 

In turn, Leach has been invited as a guest recitalist on other carillons, primarily in New England, 

“I most often might play the carillon at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Cohasset, Massachusetts, which has 57 bells,” Leach said. “I am, also, very familiar with the carillon at Wellesley College but that instrument has 32 bells and some of the music I would play in Norwood and Cohasset would not work so well on the smaller carillons.”

One of the many unique aspects of a carillon is that they can vary in size, thus creating different sounds. Norwood’s carillon is on the larger side of traditional carillons. It is much easier to let the expert describe the difference in the instruments.

“Officially, a traditional carillon consists of a series of at least 23 tuned bells played from a keyboard that allows expressiveness through variation in touch,” Leach explained. “Most of the approximately 175 carillons in the US are comprised of between 47 to 60 bells; Norwood’s has 50. No two carillons are alike and so it is difficult to compare or rate them, but Norwood’s is known to have exceptional harmonic sounds and great timbre across the entire set of bells and has Rgreat ability for a wide range of expression. It is played from a keyboard that allows expression through variation of touch.”

The carillon is just one of many attributes that retain Norwood’s exceptional status (at least by its residents) as one of the most charming towns in Massachusetts. But residents are not limited to experiencing only carillon music from just down below. Listeners are invited to the tower any time they hear those magical sounds to view the bells and the man behind them! Inquiries for tours can also be done by contacting Norwood Town Hall, at 781-762-1240.

“It [the carillon] has always been something I feel the community cherished,”