{"id":92628,"date":"2018-12-05T10:39:39","date_gmt":"2018-12-05T09:39:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=92628"},"modified":"2026-01-20T10:30:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T09:30:11","slug":"eurs-bells-have-not-been-rung-for-nearly-five-months-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2018\/12\/05\/eurs-bells-have-not-been-rung-for-nearly-five-months-now\/","title":{"rendered":"EUR\u2019s bells have not been rung for nearly five months now"},"content":{"rendered":"

The closure of the skybridge is not only inconvenient to staff and students, but also to Erasmus University\u2019s carillonneur, whose name is Mathieu Polak (that\u2019s right, just like the building). For nearly ten years, he played the carillon every Wednesday afternoon, until, due to the asbestos removal activities, he was no longer allowed to climb the tower that houses the bells.<\/p>\n

So how is he doing? And when will we be able to enjoy his music again?<\/p>\n

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One of Mathieu Polak's students, Anastasia Cornovan, playing the carillon, March 2017.<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIvar Laanen<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

The Rotterdam municipal authorities gave Erasmus University its carillon in 1968, on the condition that the bells would be played every day. And before the renovation work began, they were. At noon on every Wednesday, the university\u2019s carillonneur, Mathieu Polak, would play some music. On the four other weekdays, advanced students would be allowed to play the bells, as Polak teaches students who are interested in the carillon to play the practice keyboard downstairs, in a way that cannot be heard by passers-by.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, it has been a while since the bells last rang at Erasmus University. \u201cI haven\u2019t been at the university since August, after the lights started going out due to the work being carried out,\u201d says Polak. Not that he\u2019s sitting on his hands now that he can\u2019t play the university\u2019s carillon. \u201cMusicians obviously have multiple gigs going on at any given time, and I play all over the world. But I do miss the university, and particularly my weekly contacts with my students. I\u2019ve been told the renovation will be completed by the end of February, so hopefully I\u2019ll be able to start teaching and playing again soon after that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Until that time he will be composing new music and adapting existing music, so that his pupils will have something new to play as soon as the renovation is over. \u201cIt will take us a while to get into it again, as the students won\u2019t have played for quite a while. And we were on a roll with some new music. Thankfully, I have some really enthusiastic students with whom I\u2019m still in touch, and there will always be people who are interested in learning to play this instrument,\u201d says Polak.<\/p>\n

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The wrapped-up skybridge between the Erasmus building and the Tinbergen building, and the carillon at the Van der Mandele square. <\/span><\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure>

Polak also composes and adapts music to mark special occasions. For instance, he played Prince songs when the musician died, and he played South Korean music when the former Secretary-General of the United Stations, Ban Ki-Moon, visited EUR in 2016. Polak admits that adapting music for the carillon is not always an easy thing to do. \u201cBells sound completely different from the instruments most people are used to. That\u2019s where playing the carillon becomes an art \u2013 adapting the music in such a way that it\u2019s still recognisable when played on a completely different instrument.\u201d Fortunately, the music he plays is often recognised. \u201cFor example, I\u2019ll get a thumbs-up from American students when I play the Marine\u2019s Hymn, which is used by the US Marine Corps.\u201d<\/p>\n

Polak is currently adapting German music, such as works by Beethoven and Bach. However, as mentioned above, it seems likely that our lunch breaks won\u2019t be enlivened by the results of his hard work until late February. \u201cTo be honest, I\u2019m a bit over this break. If I have to, I\u2019ll climb the tower while wearing asbestos protective clothing, as long as I get to access my bells,\u201d says Polak.<\/p>\n\n\t

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