In the centre of the Eternal City, on the Esquiline, the highest of the seven hills of ancient Rome, stands the imposing building complex of S. Maria Maggiore. The basilica has five bells, which are presented here: • Glocken der Basilika S...
The most famous bell on the tower is undoubtedly the largest, called 'La Sperduta', which translates as 'the lost one'. Its sound can be heard all over the city and is known to all Romans - because every evening it raises its sonorous voice for a few minutes over the Eternal City. This tradition goes back to an old legend: many centuries ago, a pilgrim lost her way at the gates of Rome late at night. While she was still praying to Our Lady, she suddenly heard the ringing of a bell. Following the increasingly louder sound, she finally found herself in front of St Mary Major, where a church service was being rung, and made it safely to her destination. In gratitude, the pilgrim had left a generous donation so that from then on a bell would be rung every day at the second hour of the night. This bell was soon given the nickname 'La Sperduta' - 'the lost one' - after the donor of the evening peal. In keeping with tradition, the unmistakable sound of the Sperduta can still be heard every day at nine o'clock in the evening from the highest tower in the town.
Today's bell is younger than the legend - even though the tradition of ringing a bell at the second hour of the night is already described by a 15th century chronicler. The first documented Sperduta was cast in 1614 by the Roman bell founder Orazio Censore as a replacement for an even older bell. When the new bell became unusable after a few centuries, the Lucenti brothers cast a new instrument in 1844 weighing an impressive 3661 kg. Due to renewed damage, the Sperduta had to be cast again by Giovanni Lucenti in 1851. This bell can still be heard today.
The Sperduta's unique sound is particularly exceptional and stands out among the countless bells of the Eternal City. The current bell has a nominal C sharp+/-0 and is therefore exactly the same tone as the second largest bell in the basilica, but has a completely different sound character. Various partials deviate from the norm, the prime, for example, is at a#+2 and is therefore lowered by a minor third (!), which contributes to the characteristic sound of the bell. It can be assumed that the nominal was probably planned to be lower in pitch, but that the bell came out of the mould too high. This is also supported by the excessively heavy rib of the bell. In addition to the musical characteristics, the rich ornamentation of the Sperduta is particularly noteworthy: this is described more in detail below.
Technical data
Name: La Sperduta
Striking tone: cis'±0
Weight: ~3500 kg, diameter: 1644 mm, thickness: 146 mm,
Bevelled height: 1488 mm, height without crown: 1602 mm.
Founder: Giovanni Lucenti, Rome (1851)
Inscriptions and iconography
Inscription on the shoulder:
+ VOX MEA VOX DOMINI MORTALES ADMONET OMNES VT COELVM TOTO PECTORE DISCVPIANT
Decoration on the flank:
[1] Effigy of the Sel. Cardinal Albergati and inscription: S. NICOLAVS ALBERGATI
below foundry mark: OPVS IOANNIS LUCENTI FVND (sic!) ROMAE
[2] Coat of arms of Pope Gregory XVI and inscription: GREGORIVS MAGNVS
[3] Coat of arms of Pope Pius IX and inscription: S. CAROLVS BORROMEVS
[4] Image of the Marian icon Salus Populi and inscription: S. MARIAE MAIORIS
below inscription panel:
ANNO MDCXIV
HOC - SACRVM AES
A PAVLO V - PONT - MAX
REFECTVM - ET MARIAE - SANCTAE - DICATVM
IDEM - ANNO -MDCCCXXXXIV
VETVSTATE - EFFRACTVM
A - GREGORIO - XVI - PONT - MAX
SINGVLARI - BENEFECENTIA - INSTAVRATVM
PAVLEO - POST - LABE - VITIATVM
ITERVM - ANNO - MDCCCLI
PIO - PONTIFICE - MAXIMO
CONSTANTINO CARD PATRIZI - ARCHIPRESB
EIVSD TEMPLI
CONFLATVM - EST
inscription around the volm:
ALMA DEI GENITRIX NOSTRA O DVLCISSIMA MATER - FAC TECVM AETERNOS VIVERE POSSE DIES
Sources
Inventory by author, 20.06 and 25.06.23.
DE BLAAUW, SIBLE, Campane supra urbem. Sull' uso delle campane nella Roma medievale, Rivista di storia della chiesa in Italia, vol. 47, 1993. p. 375ff.
PIETRANGELI, CARLO, La basilica romana di S. Maria Maggiore. 1987. p. 183ff.
ROMANO, PIETRO, Campane di Roma, Curiosita' Romane 4-5, 1944. p. 30ff.
STENS, JAN HENDRIK, Die Glocken der Patriarchalbasiliken zu Rom - S. Maria Maggiore, JbGk 19/20, 2007/2008. p. 167ff.
Many thanks to the Chapter of the Basilica for the permission to make the recordings and to Dr Kubilius, Dr Raub and especially Mr Francavilla for their willing support!
Recording: Ben Schröder. #Bells