Handbell as consecration bell and..
  • Charles in CenCA
    Posts: 2,416
    As I've mentioned elsewhere, we're a large merged parish of 3 churches with a new 4th church to be christened in mid-Aug.
    Here's the deal I need your advice-
    At our existing parishes, not during Lent/Advent, we use standard consecration bells.
    However, our pastor has a penchant for a single toned bell. He bought one in Mexico a few summers ago, had it mounted prior to anyone else "auditioning" this particular bell. It was a miserable clang. But he wants a single tone bell at the new parish.
    As I have a bell choir, my instinct is to simply purchase a Malmark/Schulmerich bell (new) pitched at either G or F.
    Do you think it would be better to have either of those pitches in the 3 or the 4 octave?
    And, in general, what are your thoughts about the multi-pitched consecration cluster versus single pitch?

    Side topic: during Lent/Advent we have opted to use very well toned and sustained "singing bowls" that are struck three times by the acolytes after each consecration. The effect is always austere, subdued and measured by comparison to the "jangly" multibells. Reactions pro/con invited.
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  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    A brief, informative, and occasionally opinionated history of Sanctus bells by bell aficionado Matthew Herrera is on the net here and (as a booklet, with appendices) here.

    For my opinion: I think a single tone could be very nice, as long as the timbre is that of a Western-type bell. A bell that sounds "foreign" or reminds the faithful of non-Christian worship could distract people from the action of the Mass.
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  • Charles in CenCA
    Posts: 2,416
    Thanks, Richard, am forwarding article to my liturgical coordinator who's acquiring the furnishings for new parish.
    Interestingly enough, the use of the struck "singing bowl (associated with Asian practices) during Lent/Advent has not been, to my knowledge, a source of distraction, as in a visual "whazzat?!?" reaction from the PIPs. It's more muted, lower pitched tone sustains and diminishes in volume (decays) "just right."
    Anybody else have an idea about whether a handbell at G/F should be in the 4 or 5th octave?
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  • OlbashOlbash
    Posts: 314
    The higher the bells, the chintzier it sounds; however, the lower the bell, the less perceptible it is to the ear. I would recommend F4 or G4. "Singing bell" (like the Asian bowl) is an interesting effect, but probably not what you're looking for. Try "suspended mallet," where you hold the bell in front of you and strike with a mallet, letting the sound decay naturally afterward. In any case, could you experiment by borrowing bells from neighboring churches and trying out a few different effects? Most bell groups tend to take the summer off, so you could probably knock on the door of your local Baptist or Presbyterian church and ask to borrow some things from their toybox.

    I'm giving a workshop on the liturgical use of handbells at UMass-Amherst in a couple of weeks, and never thought of using handbells as "sanctus bells." Interesting!

    (And, by the way, I'm partial to Whitechapels over the usual Schulmerich/Malmark varieties. Look at http://www.whitechapelbellfoundry.co.uk/ -- maybe you'll find some non-handheld bells that might catch your eye, too.)
  • Charles in CenCA
    Posts: 2,416
    Thanks, Michael. I have a Malmark set 4-7 and choir in the 8th grade parish school, so I could actually audition the 4's at main parish before making decision, duh!
    But the idea of a beautifully sonorous non-handheld appeals to me even more. Thanks for the link to whitechapel. See you next week?
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  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,694
    I've heard a cowbell used once before. It made yearn to be at a Church that didn't have consecration bells.
  • Charles in CenCA
    Posts: 2,416
    "More cowbell!" image
  • Liam
    Posts: 4,943
    Good Charles. See you and raise you: finger cymbals.
  • Charles in CenCA
    Posts: 2,416
    I'll see your finger cymbals, Ganeesha, and raise you....

    gong
  • Liam
    Posts: 4,943
    Fold.

    If you ever get the chance to go to Scottsdale, do make sure to visit the fantastic Musical Instruments Museum, beautifully designed and curated. In the experiential gallery, you can get to hit a bigger gong....

    http://themim.org/about/experience-gallery
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