Ronald Barnes

Ronald Montague Barnes (June 11, 1927 – November 3, 1997) was an American carillonist, composer, and musicologist. He first began playing the carillon as a teenager at his hometown's church. In 1952, at 24 years old, he was appointed to play the carillon at the University of Kansas, where he developed as a musician. He was later the carillonist for the Washington National Cathedral from 1963 to 1975 and the University of California, Berkeley, from 1982 until his retirement in 1995. He was an involved member of The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America, having served as its president, vice president, and several other roles.

Barnes produced 56 original compositions and hundreds of arrangements. He was a major force in establishing an American approach to writing music. He also influenced how people play the carillon. Much of his music is considered the standard repertoire for carillon students and professionals. He published editions of early carillon manuscripts and sought to develop standards for carillon performance, repertoire, and design and construction.

The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America maintains a memorial scholarship fund in his name to advance research of the carillon in North America.

Biography Early life, military career, and education Ronald Montague Barnes was born on June 11, 1927, and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska. In 1931, at about the age of four, Barnes and his parents attended the dedication of the new carillon at First Plymouth Congregational Church in his hometown. As a teenager, Barnes took organ lessons at the church. When the current carillonneur was moving away, his teacher recommended he learn to play the carillon as well. The church's carillon was in a bad condition and about half of the bells were unable to be rung. He and his older brother cleaned the instrument and lubricated the moving parts to the best of their ability. Having no carillon music to use, Barnes began playing scales on the instrument. The local churchgoers were surprised that their church's carillon had twice as many bells as they originally thought. Barnes studied at the University of Nebraska and earned a Bachelor of Music degree in 1950.

During the occupation of Japan after World War II, Barnes served in the United States Navy as a specialist working with navigational instruments and as a helmsman of a destroyer. While studying there, he played the university's carillon in Hoover Tower. For his thesis, he studied the carillon preludes of Matthias Vanden Gheyn. Barnes encouraged both Kansas faculty and students to compose for carillon.

Within the GCNA, Barnes was the editor of music publications, the organization's archivist, and an adjudicator for its annual membership examinations. As editor of its scholarly journal, The Bulletin, he published nine issues between 1957 and 1961. He was vice president for four terms (1958–1962) and was president for three terms (1962–1965).

In 1998, the GCNA established a memorial scholarship fund in his name to support the future of the carillon art in North America. In 2007, after the fund had received enough donations and purchased enough investments, the first grant was awarded. It is now awarded annually. While, in the past, North Americans have taken advantage of scholarships to study the carillon in Europe, Barnes's memorial fund is the first grant program to exist in North America.

Legacy As president of the GCNA and editor of its journal The Bulletin, Barnes worked to set new standards for performance quality, selection of music, and sophistication in the design and construction of carillons. He was responsible for introducing the carillon to several important composers, including Johan Franco, John Pozdro, Roy Hamlin Johnson, and Gary White. During his lifetime he received two awards: the Berkeley Medal for Distinguished Service to the Carillon (1982) and the GCNA Certificate of Extraordinary Service to the Carillon (1988).

Musical compositions Barnes composed 56 original works for the carillon, all of which are published either by American Carillon Music Editions or the GCNA. He composed more than three-quarters of his body of works during his tenure at the University of California, Berkeley. Barnes composed several variations and preludes on English-language folk songs and carols. Sarabande (1952) Prelude (1952) Promenade (1964) (Three Hymn Preludes) Picardie (1963) Land of Rest (1966) More Love (1970) Fantasy: Western Wind (1966) Serenade I (1978) Nativity Triptych (1978) Introit for Christmas Eve (1979) Serenade II (1979) Noël Suite I (1981) Concerto for Two to Play (1981) Introduction and Sicilienne (1981) Noël Suite II (1982) Signals (1982) Prelude on Veni Creator (1982) Six Classical Country Dances (1983) Waltz (1983) Variations on Wilson's Wilde (1984) Three Dream Dances (1984) A Somber Pavan (1984) Corelliana Suite (1984) Paraphrase on a Siciliana of Pasquale Ricci (1984) A Suite of English Folksongs (1985) The Lark in the Morn The Keys of Canterbury O Sally My Dear What If a Day Hares on the Mountain Driving Away at the Smoothing Iron Prelude, Intermezzo and Finale (1986) 14 Carillon Preludes on Appalachian White Spirituals (1986–87) Rise and Shine, Brothers Land Beyond the Clouds It's the Good Old Work Pardoning Love Jesus Christ the Apple Tree Come Think of Death and Judgement O Brethren, Take Courage Daniel in the Lion's Den Tranquility Clear the Way, the World Is Waking Heavenly Welcome Harvest Field Happy in Eternity (Passacaglia) Our Meeting Is Over Mrs. Nordan's Alborada (1987) Dances for After Dark (1987) Andante Cantabile (1987) Homage to J. S. Bach: Hymn Prelude & Fugue on "Old 104th" (1988) Song Prelude on "Past Three O'Clock" (1989) Capriccio I (1989) Musick for a While, Shall All Your Cares Beguile (1989) Menuet Champêtre Refondu (1990) Sonatine (1990) Six Preludes on Australian Christmas Carols (1990) Noel Time Christmas Bush for His Adoring The Silver Stars Are in the Sky The Three Drovers The Christmas Tree Christmas Night (Cradle Song) Canzone (1990) Song (1991) Capriccio II (1991) Three Anglo-American Folksongs (Which Caution Against Some of the Perils of Falling in Love) (1991) One Morning in May Barb'ra Allen Billy Boy Scottish Folk Song Preludes (1991) Go to Berwick, Johnny and Guidwife Count the Lawin A Rusebud by My Early Walk Leezie Lindsay We'll Meet a Beside the Dusky Glen Highland Laddie When I Think on This Warld's Pelf Ewie with the Crookit Horn Concerto Grosso I (1991) Paraphrase on "The Irish Carol" (1992) Three Sketches (1992) A Simple Suite (1992) Capriccio III (1992) Fantasy-Variations on "Dr. Bull's Juell" (1992) Fantasy-Pastorale (1993) Folksong Prelude on "Sweet Nightingale" (1993) Fantasy-Variations on "Jenny Jones" (1993) Prelude on "My Lord of Carnarvon's Jig" (1993) Fandango (1993) Concerto Grosso II (1994) Eulogy for Ira Schroeder (1994) Dialogues (1994) Giulianiana: Variations on a Theme by Mauro Giuliani (1994) A Little Suite (1994)