I fell in love with Mahler’s symphonies a long time ago. They’re gigantic works which stretch the limits (so far…) of how musical expression can be built. As of the twentieth century, they represent the pinnacle of orchestral composing. Mahler’s first symphony is about an hour in length (around three times the length of Mozart’s …
Tag: 5+ octaves
The current production range of handbells is seven-and-a-half octaves (G1 through C9). It's an amount of equipment to which many groups aspire, though the cost of all those bells is a major hurdle to cross.
Music for more than five octaves of bells (and chimes) can be orchestral in feeling, but often requires some rather specialized skills on the part of those playing the highest or lowest bells.
Sep 22
Smiles (Handbells, 5-8 octaves, plus handchimes, 2 octaves, Level 5)(Bay View Week of Handbells 2023)
The song Smiles has a long and wonderful history. T. Will Callahan wrote the lyrics in a Bay View cottage near the end of World War I, and it went on to be a tremendous hit, selling about 5,000,000 print copies (before the existence of public radio, or television, or the internet). The connection to …
Aug 14
Escape from No-Note Island, for five to seven octaves of handbells, Level 5
Here’s the story behind this new original handbell composition, Escape from No-Note Island: Handbell compositions are usually written for note ranges that constitute complete octaves of bells. Having this agreed-on convention between manufacturers, composers, publishers, and performers makes it easier to maintain consistency within the ringing art. For instance, “five octaves” refers to the range …
Escape from No-Note Island (Handbells, 5 to 7 octaves, Level 5)
Handbell compositions are usually written for note ranges that constitute complete octaves of bells. Having this agreed-on convention between manufacturers, composers, publishers, and performers makes it easier to maintain consistency within the ringing art. For instance, “five octaves” refers to the range C3-C8. Because of this, we start with a common knowledge about the music …
Mar 19
Happy Birthday!
(Larry here) It’s my birthday today, so we’re putting out a treat for those of you who’ve been wishing to congratulate your ringers, or family, or friends, or anyone else by having your bell choir play in their honor. Our arrangement of Happy Birthday to You is scored for three to seven (!) octaves of …
Dec 25
Merry First Day of Christmas!
Today is Christmas Day, and so we’re starting the twelve-day celebration with Gaudete, an English piece from the Renaissance (or earlier). Joyous Christmas to you!
Smiles (Handbells, 5-8 octaves, plus handchimes, 2 octaves, Level 5)(Bay View Week of Handbells 2023)
Smiles, written in 1917 by J. Will Callahan and Lee S. Roberts, is a song about the happiness brought by a dear one’s smile. We have a special, albeit indirect, attachment to this song, because in front of one cottage at the Bay View Association there’s a sign that declares that this cute little song …
Jun 30
Doxology (OLD HUNDREDTH) (Handbells, 3 to 5 octaves plus optional D8, Level 1)
The Doxology is sung in churches around the world, often as a congregational response to the presentation of tithes and offerings. We have two versions in our handbell choir package based on the hymn tune OLD HUNDREDTH so that you can use the one which is more familiar to your church family. Both versions are …
Apr 18
Home at Last (Handbells, 5-8 octaves, Level 4+)
I wrote several dozen choral pieces for Living Water, my choir at Valley Church of Cupertino. It occurred to me that some of those songs might be reworked into handbell pieces. Home at Last is the first one to be arranged. Today we have a new video of the handbell arrangement to share with you! …
Apr 11
Forever (Handbells, 5-8 octaves, Level 5) – new video!
Forever was commissioned in 2012 by Dee Allaway and her family in memory of her father Walter Dennis Oliver. It’s a grand tribute to a man who brought music to his family as well as others around him. At least five octaves of handbells are necessary to play Forever. You’ll find that there are abundant …
