Can We Talk 2

Handbells

         I am playing hand bells for the first time in my life. It's not a spectacular feat. The local women's prison allowed it under the old warden. The new warden just made it impossible for the musicians to work with the ladies. Those women had no musical background, and they did just fine.

         I do read music, but for bells, it's a little different. You can't be late for rehearsal. They can't start without you, or notes will be missing. It's not like a choir, or even a big band. Everyone has to be there. It would be like removing some piano keys. So if you're on vacation or out for a funeral or whatever, you have to find a substitute who knows at least the basic principles. It takes the whole team, not a few isolated or talented individuals.

         One performance, someone got off. The director stopped us, turned to the audience and said, "If we don't start over now all together, it will only get worse." It's like any organization, a club, a church, a committee, or a business. Sometimes you get out of sync. You have to stop, examine what you're doing, and all get back on the same page. For us, it was a little embarrassing, but we finished amazingly well. Considering at least one person had never read music before and still has trouble keeping count, and that three of us had never played a bell before, we're doing a pretty good job. The average audience can't tell when a chord is incomplete or your dynamics are off.

         I still have trouble changing methods, going from a ring to a clunk or a thumb damp, or switching from bells to chimes. Or I ring when I'm supposed to use a mallet. And when switching the bells around, you have to have it turned up properly, or you won't get any sound when you ring it. I finally figured out how to turn the clapper from soft to medium or hard yesterday. Most of us are challenged by page turns. I try to remember what comes next, so I can put down the bell I'm not using to turn a page, or turn early, but keep the count.

         In a group like that, no one can outshine the rest. They are all dependent on each other and must work together. And they all must follow the leader. To ignore him is disaster. We all cheer each other and spread the encouragement. Lessons from bells can be applied to life.