Bells? Christmas
  • Bells during the entrance antiphons for Christmas celebrations? What do you think?

    The situation: Our music director has been on leave for the last seven weeks, though not employed (just a parishioner with a Masters in Sacred Music) I have been bridging the gap. Although our parish is only slightly familiar with the antiphons from past Advent and Lents, I had programed the Source and Summit seasonal Advent antiphons for all four weeks. I have done some education with choir members and in the bulletin. There has been mixed reviews. Naysayers mainly complain that they don't know them. (they are notated in a pew aide). We will probably depart from the antiphons after Christmas, and so I wanted to "see it together" and conclude our short time with the antiphons in a way that would build on their understanding of the use of antiphons' utter correlation with the liturgy and draw attention to the texts.

    I'm only thinking of bells for the Introit and even then, before the entrance procession. I wonder if I risk confusing a tool that is explicitly used for the solemnity of pascal-tide as in the Gloria.
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,064
    Handbells, altar/sacring/sanctus bells, or tower bells?

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  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,318
    I don't think it would be a big deal to add some jubilation to the Christmas celebrations by including bells, assuming it is done tastefully. Just to confirm, we're talking about handbells or chimes on the organ? Not zimbelstern or pealing or tolling the church bell(s)?
  • Christmas is a festal day of the highest order, so I cannot really fathom why employing (any manner of) bells would be an issue. If anything, it would render the occasion still more elevated and festive.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,774
    I am curious about the particulars… kind of bells? Handbells that accompany hymns?
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