Can We Talk 2

Raleigh Bell Ringers

         I had the good fortune yesterday to travel to a concert by the Raleigh Bell Ringers. Though based in North Carolina, they travel around the country and sometimes to Europe for concerts. They are a group of volunteers with a very expensive collection of hand bells and an equipment truck to haul them. They make money from ticket sales and the sale of CD's and the usual concert paraphernalia to raise funds for travel expenses and the purchase of more bells.

         The bells can be made of brass, bronze, or aluminum depending on size. They can cover many octaves. I think we heard about 7 octaves. At least one song did not use the clappers at all, but the bells were struck with mallets instead. A bass bell can weigh up to 17 pounds in bronze or 11 in aluminum. The aluminum has a purer sound, no undertones. Bells include chimes. The techniques vary song to song, so the same bells produce a variety of sounds. At times it sounded like violins or drums, but it was all bells.

         We heard Bohemian Rhapsody, complete with fog machine, laser lights dancing on the wall, and flames. The conductor chatted while all the players went offstage, returning with tie dyed shirts, hats, purple wigs and tie dyed gloves. They danced and had fun while they played the song impeccably. The encore was Flight of the Bumblebee which had me going "Woe" out loud. They wore yellow striped gloves for that, and one guy had a yellow striped stocking cap with antenna. Another guy wore a hairband with flower petals. Halfway thru, one guy on the treble bells put on a beekeeper's hat and netting.

         This takes a lot of time and work from volunteers. They start fresh each January with auditions for everyone, including ones who've been there since 1990. Some of them are music teachers, some play in local hand bell choirs, and a couple lead their own local groups. They practice every week all year for 3 1/2 hours a week, except Christmas break. When they first start the year, they have sectional practices as well, or all newcomers practice. They can play all parts, although some can't handle the heavy bells for a whole song or repeated songs. They always have substitutes built in by not using every person on every song, and learning all parts. Part of the interview/audition process is looking at their schedules for the whole year to be sure they are available for concert commitments. They work their own choirs and vacations around this group. Many of them, like the conductor, are self-employed, or do computer work or consulting work which is flexible.

         They get a lot of their music, which is not readily available like piano music, by doing test recordings for composers and arrangers. If they like it, they request permission to use it, or they form a relationship with the arranger, who will then do special arrangements just for them. They grew in popularity by ding a live show of Stairway to Heaven on the radio. Since they formed, hand bells have become increasingly popular in the U.S. and are springing up all over the place. Many churches now own their own bells. Europe is the primary source for the manufacture of bells.

         If you have a chance to see them near you, please, do. You will be amazed.