Paul said, "Donald Allured is the only one in the country who makes a living out of handbells. In addition to "Meditation on Morecambe," the Jubilation Ringers will present "Caprice," by Dobrinski, an original work for handbells. The works will be conducted by Allured.Įach choir will present two solos. The program will feature five works for the massed choirs: "Olympic Fanfare" by Leo Arnaud as arranged by Currier Gounod's "March Pontificale, Praise Ye The Lord " "Concertante for Bells and Organ" by Allured, the festival's conductor "Alpenglow" by Boynton, featuring Deifer, and "The Great Gate of Kiev" from Moussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition," arranged by Thompson for hand bells, brass choir, organ, and percussion. The sound comes from the wrist movement which moves the mallet to strike the tube. Whereas in an orchestra the percussionist hangs the chimes from a rack and hits them with a mallet, hand chimes have a little mallet attached. The long, slender tube does look like the chimes you see in an orchestra, although much smaller. The Japanese make no handbells, but they do make these hand chimes." They are not as difficult to play as handbells are. They are used a lot in school, being virtually indestructible. "It was the first set out of their factory. "Suzuki of Japan made our set," Paul said. Hand chimes are made of aluminum and are more mellow in tone than handbells. We programmed it for the festival concert." I used it in 'Meditation on Morcambe,' which I wrote for the dedication of the sixth octave of our hand bells and our hand chimes. "The technique is called 'echo-damp,' " Hentz said. It helps protect the bells and dampen the sound. The foam on the tables is there for a reason also. The large bells are a strain bass bellringers are often afflicted with tendonitis. To ring them, we flick the wrist like a fly-fisherman casts his line. We lift them out of the cases by the handles. "We handle the bells as little as possible. After every session, the bells are polished with a soft cloth and put away, out of the air and humidity. If there is a print on a bell, and it is left on, in a matter of weeksthat print would be etched on permanently. The octave of 12 bells will travel from Princeton the week before the concert.Īsked why bellringers always wear white gloves, Paul said, "It is to keep fingerprints off the bronze metal. It's not for sale, but the bell is on loan to Westminster Choir College. The lowest octave, G1 to F-sharp2, is the only one in existence. Tomorrow's concert features seven octaves of handbells. Often, three- quarters of the initial poundage ends up in bronze shavings on the floor. After a bell is cast, the bell is shaved into shape for the tone needed. when the Chinese were casting large bells. Copper and tin were used in casting bells as far back as 2000 B.C. The metal used in making handbells is 80 percent copper and 20 percent tin. About that time Schulmerich Carillon Inc. "The American Guild of English Handbell Ringers was formed in 1954."īefore the 1960s, handbells were imported from England. "After Garry Moore featured handbell choirs on his television program about 35 years ago, they became popular," Paul said.
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