Guardiagrele (CH) Collegiata S.Maria Maggiore (03) v.608

Midday chime. Angelus 3-4-5-1 and the eight bells ringing, except for the large bell. Here I am, stationed on the east side, on the avenue that leads back to the Church of San Nicola, awaiting the midday chime. At the stroke of midday, all the bells from the other churches in Guardiagrele ring out, which I will (or will) return to in the future, most notably the 3-4-5-1 of the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows. A few minutes later, the enormous cathedral bell tolls, ringing the Angelus 3-4-5-1, and then... The midday chime, that is, the full tolling of the cathedral bells without the large bell, which I can't tell you if it rings this way every Sunday or only on Holy Days of Obligation. It was a bit surprising...and certainly not just me, since I wasn't alone in Guardiagrele but had been in the company of my faithful bell-ringing admirer, Francesco "Musicista97," who's been on YouTube for almost seven years. The particularly strange chord these imposing bells produce when the large bell stops and the remaining four are added to the four larger ones was striking. Listening to him, this concert sounds a lot like St. Peter's in the Vatican. Regardless of whether the concert is in a regular or diatonic scale, as in this case, at the end of this third video focusing on the new bells of the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, that same day I called Cavalier Romolo Vanicelli of Fidenza (PR), a former casting technician at the Regolo Capanni Foundry in Fidenza, and later in Castelnovo Ne Monti (RE). He told me that the nine bells were recast with new bronze in 1999 and completely replace the previous concert of pre-existing bells, now stored in the Capanni Foundry Museum. He will soon provide me with precise data on the new bells. I must say that I am truly satisfied with this wonderful trip on a cold but beautiful sunny day in this beautiful town in upper Abruzzo near the Maiella mountains! For now, the videos from Guardiagrele end here, but... in the same town... there is still something good and... in Abruzzo, a priceless treasure! A heartfelt thank you to Parish Priest Don Nicola del Bianco for his willingness to tell me the ringing times, and to a very kind and friendly woman, Mariella, who is a tour guide in Guardiagrele. She explained many interesting facts about the historical and cultural side of Guardiagrele to Francesco and me. And...slowly, slowly, and...if time and will allow, they will continue to assist me for a long time to come. (I hope) Best regards from campanaro67, and see you in the next videos.