From April onwards, the Bruges carillon in the clocktower on the historic market square of the West Flemish capital will play a new melody every quarter of an hour. The four melodies are changed every two years, a tradition that has existed since the beginning of the 19th century.
Changing the melodies is done through a laborious process that takes three weeks. Hundreds of pins in the carillon drum have to be replaced: it's an intensive task, for which city carillonneur Wim Berteloot is assisted by several tower guards.
The carillon will not sound from Friday 6 March 2026 to Sunday 5 April 2026. In the meantime, maintenance work will be carried out on the carillon drum's winding motor. ‘The motor will be disconnected on 5 March so that it can be reinstalled by 30 March at the latest,’ the Bruges authorities announce in a statement.
The four new melodies that will soon be heard are: Allegretto by Johan A.W. Wagenaar, Brusk (main theme) by Patrick Hamilton, My Grandfather's Clock by Henry Clay Work and Andante from Symphony No. 94 (Surprise Symphony) by Joseph Haydn.
City carillonneur Wim Berteloot is making the arrangements for the carillon.