Handbell Ringing
Handbell Ringing is great fun and satisfying to do and much appreciated by audiences. Our recent performances have included concerts, playing at Blenheim Palace, residential homes and charitable playing.
An interesting form of ringing seen less often is solo ringing. Gay has recently rung a concert of solo music covering all sorts of popular items from Puccini arias to Les Miserables and Beethoven. She plays on three octaves of bells and uses either an accompanist with piano/organ or accompanying CDs. Her playing adds beautiful music and an unusual feature to celebrations of all kinds. She is also happy to give lecture/recitals describing handbell history and playing techniques including those used in solo ringing. Contact is Gay at 01491 836159.
We are very interested in performing throughout the year and not just at Christmas. Our repertoire is large and varied including favourites from the classical and baroque periods and folk songs and dances and popular music from films and shows.
We also play for weddings (including recently my own!) including both music items and also we will play a bell peal for those occasions when church bells are not available.
We are keen to be of assistance to teachers wanting to include handbell (or handchime or belleplate) ringing in the classroom. We have playing resources (including equipment) that we would be willing to loan or to supply information about what is out there in the way of music (in stave and number notation) as well as ways to get going on bell ringing without using written music at all. We are also happy if wanted to give a demonstration for children so they have the chance to see what they can do with bells.
As a group we also have a special interest in small ensemble ringing (especially quartets and duets). If as a ringer these things interest you too, we would be happy to play some music with you and share some of the literature we have built up on this fascinating way of ringing (see picture below of our trio playing at Wallingford Bunkfest). Gay Randall (here seen ringing the treble) has won a cash prize at the Oxford Music Music Festival 2007 with her solo handbell recital being described by the adjudicator as excellent and her encore numbers as brilliant.
The National Society for making music with handbells is Handbell Ringers of Great Britain (HRGB) and their website is below. This site includes plenty of info about ringing, although for any questions or interest in handbells in the Oxfordshire and surrounding area you are welcome to contact me ajc@hrwallingford.co.uk.
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