National Rally 2024

Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick 2024

On a lovely spring day the National Rally, organised by the HRGB Northwest region Committee and others, began at Swanwick near Alfreton, Derbyshire.

The venue was chosen for it's central location with good road and rail links. Ringers came form all the regions including other Nations, Scotland and Wales, to share a weekend of making music and exchanging experiences.

The first evening's activity was "Teams in the Spotlight" a regular feature of Handbell Rallies but moved to Friday night to allow more time for massed ringing on Sunday.

The running order was: Kinder- "Come Lassies & Lads"

Aidan Fozard - "Compasion"

“Broxborn” - "Je vous salut Marie"

Beth & Josie - "Firework"

Dronfield - "Little Fuge" by  Bach

Cliff Blundell amazed the crowd by ringing 6 in hand 

"Tuba Tune" Sofronino and "Knick Knack Padiwack give a dog a bone" .

Saturday was a day of workshops for all abilities with a combination of participation and presentations.

Thanks go to Sale Handbell Ringers for their dramatic portrayal of a "what not to do" performance.

The Read and Ring session proved challenging, with ringers having to get to grips with other music notations they were not familiar with.

The Saturday Concert was excellent with a good variety of teams representing all the regions.

After a short act of worship, for those who were missing church, and breakfast the Sunday Massed ringing included "Finlandia" conducted by the arranger, Malcolm Wilson, "Blues for Bells" an unusual piece chosen by Linda McCord and "Psalm", an arrangement of the 23rd Psalm arranged and conducted by Sandra Winter. Sandra noted that she was now mindful of the performance mistakes pointed out in the "Good, Bad and Ugly" workshop yesterday!

Gallery of photos

Kinder at Kinder Social Group

On the extra day in February 2024, Kinder Ringers were invited to perform for Kinder Social Group organised by New Mills Volunteer Centre.

The group is a dementia friendly social group who meet once a month. Music and singing feature strongly in this group's activities and so sing-along music was chosen for the programme.

The leader had kindly produced a song sheet for the session but, as with all public singing accompanied by live musicians, the number of verses varied and so repeats had to be added as necessary.
In the audience was a founder member of the team and so the pressure was on.
The Music Hall Medley, My Fair Lady Medley, Over the Rainbow, Singin' in the Rain, Stranger on the Shore and
All through the Night were all well received.  We also played The Bells of St Mary's, Tea for Two, Parade of the Tin Soldiers and Policeman's Holiday.

Apart from a dramatic mallet malfunction the concert went very well and there were lots of interesting and complimentary comments at the end.

Tea and cakes were enjoyed afterwards and we managed to get away before the traffic from the two nearby schools got too bad. 

Spring Concert 2024

Spring Into 2024

Kinder Ringers will be collaborating with Werneth Concert Band to present a Spring Concert at St Paul's Church, Compstall near Romiley, Stockport SK6 5HU.

The concert will take place on Saturday 9th March 2024 at 7.30pm.

Tickets are available at wernethconcertband.co.uk

Vinyl and Shellac Recordings of Handbell Ensembles

  Bristol Folk Publications are looking for information about recordings of Handbell Ensembles on Vinyl and Shellac for a forthcoming book  "British Bell Records" in a section about "Church Bells, Tower Bells, Carillons and Handbells".

Mark Jones would be interested in any information members have about recordings in the following list.
He has already found a 45 rpm record of Norbury playing Estudiantina and Minuet and Trio and any other information would be appreciated.  

Mark Jones   - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Handbells (ensembles only - solo records not part of research)

78s (all double-sided 10" discs unless stated)
THE FAMOUS BARNARDO MUSICAL BOYS: Legend of the Bells “Les Cloches des Corneville”/Chiming Bells of Long Ago (Columbia, 4362, June 1927)
THE FAMOUS BARNARDO MUSICAL BOYS: In a Monastery Garden/Levanto Polka (Columbia, G 9106, June 1928)
THE FAMOUS BARNARDO MUSICAL BOYS: The Chimes of Rouen/The Bells of St. Mary’s (Regal, MR 503, 1932)
SPLICED SURPRISE MAJOR: I/II (Private release via Personal Recordings, prob. July 1937, 12”)
   Reissue of above (Private release via Personal Recordings, May 1960, 12”)
LEICESTER DIOCESAN GUILD OF BELL RINGERS: Stedman Cinques (Leicester Cathedral)/Cambridge Surprise Major on Handbells (Recosound, 1952)
NORBURY HANDBELL RINGERS: Estudiantina/Minuet and Trio (Times, around 1953)

7” records
It’s Christmas with the Thurlstone Bell Orchestra (Private release via Deroy, DEROY 956, 1975, 7” LP)
It’s Christmas Once Again with the Thurlstone Bell Orchestra (Private release via Look, LK/EP 6375, 1979, 7”)
THE CONCORD RINGERS: Sounds Appealing: Belle of the Ball/Forgotten Dreams (Ridgeway Music, RF-CS, prob. October 1982, 7”)

LPs with unknown release dates
GNOSALL ST. LAWRENCE SCHOOL BELLRINGERS: Title unknown (Deroy, 10”)
THE NORTHWICK HANDBELL RINGERS, WORCESTER/NORTHWICK MANOR JUNIOR SCHOOL HANDBELL RINGERS, WORCESTER: Music on Handbells from
Worcester (Private release via Happy Face, MMLP 2023, 1980s)

LPs with known release dates
THE THURLESTONE HANDBELL RINGERS: Thurlestone Bells Number One (Private release via Deroy, DEROY 750, 1972)
ECCLESFIELD HANDBELL RINGERS: Ecclesfield Handbell Ringers (Private release via Saydisc, CP 108, May 1974)
GNOSALL HANDBELL RINGERS: The Sound of Bells Volume 1 (Private release via Hollick & Taylor, HT/LPS 1497, July 1976)
THURLSTON BELL ORCHESTRA: Thurlstone Bells No. 2 (Private release via Look, LKLP 1-6063, December 1976)
SOUND IN BRASS: Music by Sound in Brass Handbells (Saydisc, SDL 274, January 1977)
THURLSTON BELL ORCHESTRA/GNOSALL HANDBELL RINGERS: Sparkling Bronze (Grosvenor, GRS 1059, December 1977)
THE PRICE HAND BELL RINGERS: The Price Ringers (Private release via Great Western Records, DM 014, June 1978)
SOUND IN BRASS HANDBELLS: Handbells in Harmony (Saydisc, SDL 289, December 1978)
GROSMONT HANDBELL RINGERS: Four in Hand (Saydisc, SDL 298, 25 October 1979)
BELLES & BEAUS: Belles & Beaus (Saydisc, SDL 315, 1980)
THE OTTERY ST. MARY HANDBELLS: The Ottery St. Mary Handbells (Exon, EAS 32, pres. late 1980)
LAUNTON HANDBELL RINGERS: Modal Melodies (Saydisc, SDL 307, November 1980)
CHANGE RINGING ON HANDBELLS GROUP: Change Ringing on Handbells (Saydisc, SDL 310, February 1981)
GNOSALL HANDBELL RINGERS: The Sound of Bells Vol. 2 (Private release via Saydisc, CP 128, 1982)
VARIOUS: Ringing Clear (Saydisc, SDL 333, November 1982)
THE THURLSTONE BELL ORCHESTRA: Cubley Brook (Private release via Look, LKLP 6740, 1983)
KENNET & AVON HANDBELL RINGERS: Kennet & Avon Handbell Ringers (Private release via Saydisc, CP 129, July 1983)
THE PARKTOWN TUNE RINGERS: For the Joy of Ringing (Label unknown, prob. December 1983)
BELLES & BEAUS HANDBELL RINGERS: Ring in England (Private release via Saydisc, CP 132, November 1984)

The following all include minimal handbell content.

7” records
MOODY CHORAL CLUB AND HANDBELL CHOIR: Some Bright Morning (Cathedral Recordings, CRL 101, 1963, EP) - only one handbell track
VARIOUS: The Sound of Bells (Record Books, LYN 746 & LYN 747, November 1964, 7” LP, with book) 1st track Moody Choral Club.

LPs
The Washington Peal (Record Books, RB 9/1, November 1965)
Music from Dartington (Saydisc, SDLB 246, 1973)
THE CHOIR OF ST. SWITHUN’S EAST RETFORD: Sing We Merrily (Pad, PAD 056 S, 1975)
St. John’s – 1975 (Private release via Sound News Studios, SM 76, 1975)
Saddleworth Christmas (Pennine, PPS 148LP, 1978)
Enchanted Carols (Saydisc, SDL 327, December 1981)
Pleasures and Treasures (Saydisc, SDLC 362, September 1986)
Music and Folklore from Devon: Just One More Song (The Daylight Company Ltd., LD5030, 1987)

US-pressed LPs distributed in the UK

MOODY BIBLE INSTITUTE WOMEN’S GLEE CLUB & HANDBELL CHOIR: A New Song to the Lord (Super Records, SR-2028, 1962) Sold on 1963 UK tour.
CALVIN HANDBELL RINGERS: Joyful Bells (Omnisound, N 1014, 1977) Imported in relatively large numbers during 1978.

Christmas at Norbury 2023

This year Norbury Handbells had enquiries from new Care Homes we had not visited before. One of the entertainments managers said it had been on her bucket list to see handbells played live. As with any new venue, the space and layout is often an issue and it sometimes comes as a surprise how much room we take up with 120 bells, tables, foam and music stands. The day centre at Handforth was very spacious and we enjoyed playing to an appreciative audience of clients and staff. Sometimes we get requests for tunes which are not in our repertoire, such as “Walking in the Air”, but Jingle Bells and White Christmas always go down well.  We played one concert after our Christmas Meal Out which is usually out last meeting before Christmas and a well-deserved sigh of relief after the business of Christmas. It was lovely to see how beautifully the homes were decorated for Christmas and that we had added to their celebrations.