How do you get repertoire for an all-bass handbell ensemble? It seems there are only a few alternatives:
- Take an existing piece of music and drop it an octave. This, of course, means that you get to solve some bizarre issues with assignments (how badly do your ringers want to four-in-hand CD4?) and tempo (can you still get to tempo?). Nevertheless, this is an acceptable approach if you can work through the attendant complexities.
- Write it yourself. This allows you to work around the issues in (1) above, or at least to accept what you’re willing to deal with. After all, you’re the one in charge of how it’s put together.
- Buy it from the crazy people who started the whole ball rolling. Good news! LDZ does indeed have scores that you can purchase – they’re listed below. Contact us if you’d like to join the fun!
By the Light of the Silvery Moon – $10.00, PDF
Arranged for three or four ringers on bells or six or seven ringers on bells and chimes. Larry must have had this engraved in his cerebral cortex by the teenagers who sang this in the back of the bus on his 1972 trip to Europe. At any rate, it’s undergone considerable evolution from a trio, to a quartet, to a quintet, to a sextet, and finally to the septet version as the number of members grew during 2010-2011.
Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen – $10.00, PDF
Arranged for four, five, six, or seven ringers on bells and chimes down to C3 (with an optional Bb2 chime). This spiritual comes together as a gentle interplay between the chorus melody on bells and the verse melody on chimes. Played for the first time in our “Gospel Zone” concerts in April 2008, it gives everyone a chance to shine.
Shenandoah – $10.00, PDF
Arranged for six or seven ringers on bells and chimes. Claimed to be the “national anthem” in some parts of the US, this wonderful traditional song’s come onto many a musical group’s radar. Schmoo, in particular, sings one of xex Candy Corn Brandy songs to it…