Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Ghent’s Belfry carillon song selection sparked debate as residents wanted more folk music. Alderman Astrid De Brucker responded by adding Ach, Rosalie. Voting for 2 more songs runs until March 28, 2025.
A city council member, Astrid De Brucker, heard from a lot of people who were upset about the Carillon song choices. They wanted more songs from Ghent’s history. De Brucker agreed and said they would listen to people’s ideas.
They added a popular Ghent folk song called “Ach, Rosalie” to the carillon. He mentioned that the city is paying attention to what people want and trying to make the carillon music better represent Ghent.
We are now making adjustments in the short term, in the future we will ensure that there are more folk songs on the list anyway,
Alderman De Brucker said.
What songs will be chosen for Ghent’s Belfry Carillon?
According to officials, people in Ghent still have a chance to vote for 2 more songs to be played from the Belfry. They can vote until March 28th, 2025. This year, people can vote for songs like “Fernando” by ABBA, “Broad Daylight” by Gabriel Rios, “Ne me quitte pas” by Jacques Brel, and “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen.
The repertoire that is now accessible for public choice for broadcast via the Belfry for the first time also includes Turkish melodies, writes Ghent’s city government. One of such melodies is Sezen Aksu’s “Firuze”.
The decision has been taken since Ghent would like to welcome its large existing Turkish population. Officials mentioned that by including Turkish music, Ghent wants to make Belfry’s music represent all of its people.
Every 2 years, the city of Ghent holds a vote to choose new songs for its famous Belfry carillon. People get to pick from a list made by the city’s carillonneur, so there’s a mix of music. One song, called “Klokke Roeland,” is always played, but the other songs change every 15 minutes.
This time, people were upset because none of the new songs were traditional Ghent folk music. They thought it was a chance to show off the city’s musical history. They felt it was a missed opportunity to showcase the city’s unique musical past. Many residents felt the carillon should reflect the city’s rich musical heritage.
