A handbell is a bell that is rung by hand. To use it, a person holds the bell by its handle, which is usually made of leather or plastic. Then, they move their arm so the movable part inside the bell hits the bell’s inside surface. A single handbell can be used to signal people or get them together, but handbells are also often used in groups that produce musical notes.

History

Handheld bells have a long history. Robert and William Cor, brothers from Aldbourne, England, are credited with creating the modern handbell between 1696 and 1724. At first, they made latten bells for hame boxes, but later they tuned their bells more carefully to produce clear, accurate tones. They also added hinged clappers that moved in only one direction.

Tuned sets of handbells, like those made by the Cor brothers, were used by change ringers to practice outside church towers. In the past, practicing change ringing could be noisy and disturb neighbors. Handbells allowed ringers to practice without making too much noise. It was also more comfortable to practice in warm places like local pubs during cold winter months. These handbell sets usually had six to twelve bells, arranged in a diatonic scale, just like the bells in church towers.

In the 1800s, handbell ensembles became popular in England, especially in the north. Major competitions, such as an annual event at Belle Vue Zoological Gardens from 1855 to 1925, and contests organized by the Yorkshire Hand-Bell Ringers Association from 1904 to 1932, were important parts of this time. These events attracted crowds of up to 20,000 people.

Handbells were first brought to the United States by Lancashire Bell-ringers, who worked with P. T. Barnum to tour the country from 1844 to 1847 as "Swiss Bell-ringers." Handbell ringing later became common in Vaudeville and Chautauqua Circuit performances until these shows became less popular in the early 1900s.

In 1902, Margaret Shurcliff reintroduced handbells to the United States from England. She received a set of 10 handbells in London from Arthur Hughes, the manager of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, after she completed two long change ringing performances in one day. In 1923, Shurcliff started the Beacon Hill Ringers, a group mostly made up of her children and their friends. From there, handbell ringing spread across New England and the United States, leading to the creation of the New England Guild of English Handbell Ringers in 1937 and the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers in 1954.

After World War II, interest in English handbell ringing grew in the United States and inspired similar groups in other countries. The Handbell Ringers of Great Britain (HRGB) was officially formed in 1967. In the 1970s, American missionaries and teachers introduced handbells to Japanese Christian schools, where the instrument became popular. The Handbell Ringers of Japan was created in 1976 and remains one of the largest handbell organizations outside the United States. This global interest led to the International Handbell Symposium, a meeting that happens every two years and rotates among eight countries: Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the United States.

Terminology

In American handbell choirs, the bells used are nearly always called "English handbells." This name refers to a specific style of bell, not the country where it was made. Although some American choirs use bells made in England, most use bells created by Malmark Bellcraftsmen or Schulmerich Bells, both companies located in Pennsylvania.

In the United Kingdom, there is a difference between "American handbells" and "English handbells." English handbells are traditional, with parts made of leather and handles, like those made by Whitechapel. American handbells use modern materials, such as plastic and rubber, to create similar sounds, like those made by Malmark and Schulmerich. However, in America, all these bells are called "English handbells."

Characteristics

English handbells have two important features: their clappers and the way they create extra sounds called overtones. The clapper on an English handbell is attached to a hinge, which allows it to move in only one direction. This is different from a school bell, where the clapper moves freely in any direction. The clapper also has a spring that keeps it away from the bell after it strikes, letting the bell ring clearly. The clapper’s shaft is stiff, so the bell can be held with its open top facing upward.

The overtones in an English handbell are a musical note called a 12th, which is one octave and a perfect fifth above the main note. Dutch handbells, such as Petit & Fritsen, create overtones that are a minor 10th (one octave and a minor third) or a major 10th (one octave and a major third) above the main note.

Handbells can weigh as little as 200 grams (7 ounces) or as much as 8.2 kilograms (18 pounds).

Performance

A handbell choir or ensemble in the United States, or a handbell team in England, is a group that plays music with clear melodies and harmonies. This is different from change ringing, which uses patterns based on numbers. The bells in these groups usually include all the notes from the lowest to the highest in their range. Some groups use 25 bells, covering two octaves (from G4 to G6), while others use larger sets, such as 97 bells that cover eight octaves (from C1 to C9). The bells are often placed on soft foam tables to protect their bronze surfaces and stop them from rolling when set on their sides. In an orchestra or choir, each musician plays one part of the music, but in a handbell ensemble, all the musicians work together as one instrument. Each member rings specific notes whenever those notes appear in the music.

Music

Handbell music is published by several major companies, including Hope Publishing Company, The Lorenz Corporation, and Alfred Music. Some composers and arrangers also share free music online. The cost of handbell music often comes from shipping, as many scores are only available in printed form. Most music must be bought separately for each player because it cannot be copied.

Handbell players use a special type of music score. All players read from the same score, which looks similar to a piano score but has a unique rule: Notes above middle C and those below are always written in the bass clef, while notes above middle C are written in the treble clef. This format is different from music written for solo or small groups. Handbells are a transposing instrument, meaning they sound one octave higher than written (to help keep notes centered on the staff). For example, a middle C bell actually sounds as C5 or "tenor high C." However, some newer music may instruct players to sound the notes one octave lower than written, like middle C sounding as C4 (the same as on a piano), if the composer wants a vocal tone or to avoid overpowering singers.

Handbell music is often short, lasting about four minutes, because handbells are not commonly used outside of church services (though this has changed since the 1980s and early 1990s). Some longer and more complex pieces exist, but they usually combine handbells with other instruments.

Ringing techniques

To ring a handbell, the ringer moves it so the clapper hits the inside of the bell. The ringer usually holds the bell against their shoulder with the bell facing up. Then, they swing the bell in an oval shape to make the clapper strike the bell. The sound continues for a while, then fades until it stops or the ringer stops it by touching the bell to their hand, body, or a soft surface.

There are many ways to ring handbells to create different sounds. Christian Nathaniel Guebert found that a single handbell can make 165 different sounds, and a single handchime can make 74 different sounds.

Handbell techniques have changed over time. Donald E. Allured, who started the Westminster Concert Bell Choir, developed a style of ringing that includes sounds not made by ringing, like stopping the clapper by plucking it while the bell is on a table. He also promoted using soft surfaces to stop the sound for better musical results.

Normally, a ringer can only ring two bells at once, one in each hand. If more bells are needed for a piece, ringers might ring more than two bells at once or in quick succession (called "four-in-hand"). Many techniques change how the bell sounds while it is being rung.

There are two main ways to ring two bells with one hand: "four-in-hand" and "Shelley."

In the "four-in-hand" technique, the ringer holds two bells in one hand with the clappers at right angles. This allows the ringer to move the hand normally to ring the primary bell or ring the secondary bell by tapping the knuckles. The two bells can also be played together by bending the wrist at a 45° angle. In large groups, "four-in-hand" is often used to ring multiple notes or play accidentals.

"Shelley" ringing is similar, but the clappers face the same direction. This lets the two bells ring together with one movement. "Shelley" is often used for notes that are an octave apart, but it can also be used to play two notes separately by moving the bells in different ways.

Some people believe that "Shelley" ringing is no longer needed once "four-in-hand" is mastered. Others think that "Shelley" makes certain techniques, like shaking or vibrato, easier.

There are ways to ring six bells at once (three in each hand). One method is to hold two bells like in "Shelley" and then add a third between the little finger and ring finger ("triple Shelley"). All three bells ring together when the hand is moved in a knocking motion. Another method is to hold the third bell sideways so the clapper swings outward. Skilled ringers can then ring the first bell without ringing the third, allowing them to play three notes with two hands. A third method, called "interlocked six-in-hand," involves linking the handles of two bells so their clappers move in the same direction, then adding a third bell between them.

Weaving is a technique where a ringer changes which bell is in each hand as needed. This is used by bass and solo or small-ensemble ringers. Bass bells are too large and heavy for "four-in-hand" ringing, so ringers often move across a range of bells, sometimes sharing them with others. Weaving allows more than two bells to be rung in quick succession, using the table to stop the sound and free the hand to pick up the next bell. If the sequence requires bells to be played in order, the ringer may need to reach across their body for the next bell, creating a weaving pattern. Weaving can also be combined with "four-in-hand" in a technique called "traveling four-in-hand," where a ringer can quickly switch between bells.

Other ways to play music include plucking, shaking, table damping, and malleting.

The "echo" technique adds a short, louder sound to a long note. This is done by gently touching the rim of a vibrating bell to the table.

"Gyro" involves holding the bell vertically and slowly rotating it clockwise or counterclockwise to create a small vibrating sound. This can also be done horizontally to push the sound outward.

"Malleting" uses rubber, plastic, or yarn-wrapped mallets to strike the bell. This can create short, quick sounds when the bell is pressed into padding, normal sounds when the bell is suspended, or even a drum-roll effect with multiple mallets or hits. Suspended malleting can be used to play many bells at once, like a "bell tree."

"Martellato," or "table damping," creates a short, quick sound by striking the bell into foam so the clapper hits the bell immediately after the bell hits the foam. A variation called "Mart Lift" lifts the bell off the table quickly after the clapper strikes, creating a short sound followed by a softer one.

"Plucking" is done by using the thumb and forefinger to press the clapper into the bell while it is on the table, creating a short sound.

"Shaking" involves rapidly moving the bell back and forth so the clapper hits the front and back of the bell quickly. This creates a continuous sound, unlike normal ringing, where the sound fades quickly. Bass bells are rarely shaken, and a suspended mallet roll is usually used instead.

The "singing bell" technique creates a long, sustained pitch, like the sound of a wineglass when rubbed with a wet finger. A short wooden stick is rubbed around the rim of the bell while it is held in the other hand. This technique is based on the "singing bowl" tradition from Tibet.

A "tower swing" happens when the bell is rung, then swung down and back up to its normal position. This creates an "echo" effect. The bell's mouth must rotate to change the sound, mimicking a tower bell. This is usually done over three or four beats.

"Thumb damp" creates a short, quick sound similar to plucking or malleting. The ringer touches the outside of the bell below the rim with their thumb or fingers to stop the sound immediately after ringing. This is often easier with smaller bells.

Notation

There are several abbreviations and symbols used in handbell music to indicate specific playing techniques:

• LV ("laissez vibrer" or "let vibrate," similar to a piano's sustain pedal)
• R ("ring," meaning to play the bell normally or to stop the LV effect)
• SK ("shake," shaking the bell continuously while the note is being played)
• TD ("thumb damp," using the thumb to press the bell's casting against the hand to create a short, separated sound)
• PL ("pluck," throwing the clapper down while the bell rests on the table)
• ▼ ("martellato," striking the bell against the table's padding to quickly stop the sound)
• SW ("swing," moving the bell downward to the waist and then upward)
• BD ("brush damp," brushing the bell's edge against the ringer's chest to quickly reduce the sound)
• ↑ or ↪ ("echo," ringing the bell and then briefly touching it to the table to create an echo)
• ⨥ ("mallet with handbell on table," striking the bell's casting on the table with a mallet to produce a short, separated sound)
• + ("mallet on suspended handbell," holding the bell upright and striking its casting with a mallet to make a softer, normal ring sound.

Handbell tree

Handbells can be arranged as a handbell tree, where the handles are twisted together. This setup allows several bells to be played at the same time using mallets, creating a sound that does not fade quickly. This method was created by Louise Frier in the 1980s. Barbara Brocker later improved it by designing a standard way to arrange the bells. Many soloists use this technique. The musical notation for a handbell tree includes a series of diagonal lines that cross each other, with one line for each bell. The note for each bell is written at the bottom of its diagonal line.

Other

• Donald E. Allured
• Cynthia Dobrinski
• Sandra Eithun
• Fred Gramann
• Alex Guebert
• Christian Guebert
• Jason Krug
• Ron Mallory
• Kevin McChesney
• William Payn
• Arnold B. Sherman
• Martha Lynn Thompson
• Sondra K. Tucker
• H. Dean Wagner
• Timothy H. Waugh

• Bells on Temple Square
• Dorothy Shaw Bell Choir
• Pikes Peak Ringers
• The Raleigh Ringers
• CPU Handbell Choir
• Westminster Concert Bell Choir