The next time you stop to listen to the melodious notes of the Tilton carillon bells in the tower of the Norwood Municipal building gave a thought to the man at the console, Roger T. Walker, Norwood’s official carillonneur, who, though blind since birth, is considered tops in his chosen profession. It is not generally known that Mr. Walker is the only blind carillon player on this continent and that in six short years, his fame as a master of the bells has spread all over the country.
It was in 1932 that Mr. Walker took his first lessons on the carillon in New York City. While learning to master the intricate art of bell playing, he was accorded the privilege of practicing on the carillon at the Phillips Academy at Andover. Night after night, the bells peeled forth their music as he practiced, much to the delight of the citizens of Andover who enjoyed the numerous impromptu concerts played by Walker. While a student at the famous Perkins Institute for the Blind in Jamaica Plain, back in 1913, Mr. Walker took a decided interest in the chimes which were the delight of all of the students. He soon learned to play the musical chimes and in a few years was considered capable of playing solos and secured the position of chimes player at the Unitarian Church ‘ in Somerville. That was in 1921, and he still is a featured part of the regular Sunday morning worship service in that church, playing several solos every Sunday.
Comes To Norwood
When Mr. Walker heard of the bells being installed in the tower of the Norwood Municipal building, a gift from Walter F. Tilton, he came to Norwood and heard them played by Kaniiel LeFevre who was his personal friend and teacher. His delight at the tonal quality of the Norwood bells knew no bounds and it was then and there that he expressed the wish that he too, might someday sit at the Tilton console and peal out music notes from the singing tower. It was several years before his wish bore fruit but today he is Norwood’s official car-rillon player, playing on an average of eighteen concerts a year.
Walker, in telling of his carillon playing stated that there has been very little music written for the carillon and that he has to arrange most of his own compositions in order to play them on the bells. His favorite pastime is boating and fishing and when he is out in his boat at Bridgeton, Maine, he often arranges music for one of his many concerts. He arranges his programs according to requests that are constantly coming in and according to his own idea of a well-balanced program. Some idea of the handicaps under which he labors may be gleaned from the fact that he has to write his program out in Braille and then transpose it on a typewriter. He keeps a copy of every program and thus avoids as much as possible» repeating his numbers unless there is a request number that must be played.
The high regard in which Carilloneur Walker is held can be ascertained from the fact that he has the keys for the Andover Academy, the Somerville church and the Norwood tower on his key ring at all times and is free to play or practice on any one of these three ’ carillons at any time he desires. At the time of this interview, Mr. Walker divulged much information concerning the technical aspects of the carillon and showed that he is entirely familiar with his chosen musical instrument. “It is the heaviest musical instrument in the world,” he stated, “with the bells weighing hundreds of tons. The largest bells weigh 7840 pounds and the smallest but 12 pounds and no two carillons sound alike,”
When Mr. Walker comes to Norwood for a concert, he usually travels from his Hyde Park home by bus. Upon his arrival at the Municipal building, he must climb 106 stairs before he reaches the top of the tower. The carillon is played with both the hands and feet and the player usually strips to the waist as much physical exertion must be broug’^ into play in order that the heavy bells may be struck at the opportune moment with their large crackers. Mr. Walker said Monday that he is soon to make a journey to New York where he will delight in sitting in the Riverside church and listen to a concert on the Riverside carillon bells, the largest carillon in the world. One bell in the Riverside Carillon tower weighs 20 tons and the player has an electrical device to assist him in the playing of the massive instrument.
Must Wear Gloves
Walker is married and has two children and has been earning a living for his family for several years by his musical ability. His hands often become calloused from striking the console keys and while playing he protects his little fingers with a glove which fastens around his wrist. Walker is rather proud of his title of the only blind carillon player on this continent, and he still spends hours practising so that he may further master the intricate art of carillon playing despite his present success. He is still a young man, being but 38 years old.
Hundreds anxiously await his regular Wednesday evening concerts and during the summer months many an out-of-state car can be seen parked along the main street, its occupants listening to the Tilton carillon bells as only Roger Walker can play them.