For the past few weeks we have been spotlighting arrangements and cover songs done by bells, so today we have two original works for bells. “Spiritoso” and “Fantasy No. 3 in G Minor” are both works by Arnold Sherman. Arnold Sherman is no doubt well know to most bell ringers [...]
To file in the random uses of handbells category, here is a piece by instrumental hip hop artist DJ Shadow that uses handbell samples to create haunting melodies. This is “Blood on the Motorway” from his album Private Press released in 2002 (the bells come in about 1:50 into the [...]
There are new videos being released all the time now that most groups are performing their spring concerts, which means more awesome bell music to enjoy. Here are two of my favorite videos that were released this week. First, from Pittsburgh we have the talented Three Rivers Ringers performing “March of [...]
The Handbell Brothers are proud to present Bell Appeal live in concert! Bella Voce Music for bells and voice including songs by P!nk, fun., Michael Bublé, Maroon 5, and Macklemore. Sunday, May 5th at 2:30pm Pacific Time Concert Program Bard’s Song The Blind Guardians, arranged by Jen Hayes Featuring: [...]
Note: After hearing Nancy Kirkner on the Handbell Podcast, we agreed with her thoughts on the lack of professionalism in the handbell community and asked if she would expand on them. This is her response. You can read more of her brilliant articles about bell ringing at solobells.com. Some members [...]
Megan Reishus: Thanks for mentioning us, too! We have a lot of fun with "Al…
Derek Nance: No problem! It is always fun to find new groups, especially…
Nancy Lutz: Thanks for mentioning us on your blog! Three Rivers Ringers…
Jason Krug: Glad you enjoyed "Compassion." It's still one of my favorit…
Derek Nance: Will do! We had a second camera, but we couldn't find a pla…
Like us on Facebook
Latest Tweets
Can't stop listening to the two Arnold Sherman pieces we posted this weekend. Eventually I have to find new music to share. #EventuallyMay 21, 2013
Bell roadtrips are the best! "@SynchronousBell: Back home after a great trip to Kamloops, BC! Our first 3 day trip as a handbell choir! :)" May 21, 2013
RT @the_Knurd: More handbell! The free Boston Handbell Festival, http://t.co/SrOuowQvb0, is Tuesday at Old South Church with @BackBayRinge… May 21, 2013
“Fantasy #3 in G Minor” by Arnold Sherman. Strikepoint is a touring handbell ensemble from Duluth, MN under the direction of Bill Alexander. See their website, www.strikepoint.com.
Three Rivers Ringers performs March of the Dwarfs, by Edvard Grieg, arranged by Betty B. Garee. Three Rivers Ringers is Pittsburgh’s premier handbell ensemble. Recorded on April 28, 2013 at Oakmont Presbyterian Church at our Spring 2013 Concert Series: Handbell Classics. Copyright Howard Flammer Music / Shawnee Press, Inc.
Bells of the Sound playing Matthew Prins’ “Comrades, Haste! Faster the Steel Press!” Winner of the Bells of the Sound “Ring Around the World” composition contest. This was filmed 9 May 2009 at Carco Theatre in Renton, WA. Music can be purchased from Above the Line Publishing.
Here in Reno spring is in the air and I’ve found the perfect relaxing piece to listen to today. “Toccata #3” by Kevin McChesney is a beautiful trio for guitar, flute, and bell tree, here performed by Kevin McChesney himself, along with Megan Reishus on bell tree and Jill Mahr [...]
Not many handbell solos are posted on this blog, mainly because I have a hard time finding ones that keep me engaged for the entire piece. However, I have recently fallen in love with handbell soloist Nancy Kirkner’s performance of “Bonny Doon”. Arranged by her accompanist Janet Anderson, this beautiful [...]
“Now the Green Blade Riseth” is a popular Easter hymn in the handbell world, and much of its popularity is due to Kevin McChesney’s brilliant arrangement. In fact, I would place a bet that most bell ringers reading this post have performed the piece at some time or another. Not [...]
Yes, I know it is March, but since we have been interviewing Mr. Compton all week (and now that I know how much he loves this piece), I figured this would be an appropriate featured bell performance this week. Here is Matt Compton conducting his own arrangement of “God Rest [...]
And now for something completely different, here is an ensemble of university students performing an original arrangement of Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” while wearing drag. Yes, this is an entire handbell ensemble of men in dresses. Once you get past the men in dresses part, this groups rocks Gaga through [...]
Performed by Kevin McChesney’s own ensemble, the Pikes Peak Ringers, here is his arrangement of the Beatles song “Let It Be”. While this may be a bit older than a standard pop tune, I’m still going to include this in our week of pop music because the tune still resonates [...]
To prove that pop music can be performed by both small and large ensembles, here it a recording of Bobby McFerrin’s eternal hit “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” performed by the amazing Velocity Handbell Ensemble. In the original, McFerrin layers his voice to create the intricate, grooving sound associated with this [...]
Winning the 2004 Grammy for “Best Record”, Coldplay’s clocks is a song ripe for handbell covers because of the repeated, lyrical piano riff that creates the backbone of this piece. In this cover by San Francisco based Bell Appeal, I particularly love the climax at 3:21 where the drums and [...]
Katy Perry’s hit anthem “Firework” is an inspirational and uplifting piece about finding your inner light, and Michael Glasgow‘s brand new arrangement does a great job capturing the piece’s meaning and pop feeling. Written for bells, guitar, synth, bass, and drums, this piece weaves together all sorts of intricate moving [...]
As a rule of thumb, I try not to post videos of my home group performing so that I don’t show a bias, but we have been working on a new piece for Lent composed by Larry Sue that I have to show off. “Lenten Piece” by Larry Sue (for [...]
For your weekend enjoyment, here are Jonathan J. Blaza and Daniel S. Udrea performing a Bach Invention at a church somewhere in Kettering, Ohio. These two are fabulous and perform the entire piece from memory flawlessly. Turn up your volume, because even though the recording isn’t great, you won’t want [...]
I remember doing this beautiful arrangement of “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” years ago with my choir at church (although we were not nearly as good as the group you are about to hear), and I fell in love with this piece instantly. The beautiful hemiola section at the [...]
It’s December, which means I can no longer wait to post holiday bell music. Since there is an abundance of holiday bell music out there on the internet, I figured I would start with something a bit different. Here is the Harmonic Bronze Handbell Ensemble from Los Angeles, California, performing [...]
Everyone once and a rare while I run across a bell group that completely floors me. This, I am happy to announce, is one of those moments! Kiriku Handbell Ensemble performs with grace, precision, power and musicality. Unfortunately, due to my monolingualism (yes, that is a word; Wikipedia says so) [...]
Recent Comments