What do you call a handbell group?

[David Ruder]

Over the years handbell groups have been called by various names that include: handbell choir, handbell team and handbell ensemble.  There are a few other names that have been attributed to handbell choirs, teams, and ensembles, but I'll let my friend Valerie Stephenson mention those as I don't want to list the unmentionable terms that are the bane of every esteemed and highly exhaled artist, ringer or director, in the handbell world.  (I'm intentionally trying to use more adverbs these days, which makes for mostly longer and fantastically involved sentences.)

I personally prefer the term handbell ensemble as I've felt it was more representative of what we are, that is, an ensemble where each ringer is responsible for his own part, like a brass, vocal or string ensemble.  A choir is thought to include more than one on a part, much like a large symphony orchestra.  Several years ago I proposed a change in the Handbell and Handchime Notation Guide, although it was thought a good idea, it was basically rejected as not being common enough in the general handbell nomenclature to make the change.  Some have used the term handbell choir to distinguish a larger group of ringers as opposed to a smaller group, like two to six ringers, thusly called a small ensemble.  John Behnke might wish to correct my impressions.  So, like a lot of other terms in general use, handbell choir, handbell team and handbell ensembles will all be pretty much recognized as the same thing but no one term will be thought of as correct.

While on the subject of handbell terms,  I would offer "articulation" as the term for "the characteristics of attack and decay of single tones or groups of tones and the means by which these characteristics are produced."  (Harvard Dictionary of Music)  Currently the term often used is "techniques"  to include malleting, martellato, plucking, malleting and so forth.  In the Notation Guide (2006) the reference for Articulation is to Techniques.  It might sound a bit picky but it would place the various ways to "sound a bell" on the same plane as sounding a wind, string or percussion instrument.

Dave Ruder

Valley Handbell Academy

Cupertino, CA

[Ann F]

I could live with either term - "ensemble" or "team", in preference to the term "choir".  To me, a choir has multiple people on one part. There is a great deal of teamwork going on in a bell group; so that's why I tend to use the word "team".  For us, "ensemble" refers to the smaller group of ringers playing (usually) fewer bells. Of course, we could call that "chamber ensemble" :-)

Ann

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Photo gallery of the construction of my viola d'amore - http://violaann.smugmug.com/Music/My-Viola-DAmore-Marguerite/36032083_cHq22x
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Emmanubells Handbell Team - http://www.emmanuelunited.ca/worship_renewal/bells.php
Ottawa Chamber Orchestra - http://www.ottawachamberorchestra.com/

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[Michele Sharik]

I like "Handbell Orchestra" to describe what we do at Distinctly Bronze, especially because we often include percussion and other instruments. 

Sent from my iPhone

[Nicholas Barnard]

In my mind, I think of a handbell choir as a full group, meaning that there is one musician per two natural notes. (Especially in the C4-C7 range.) I realize that quite an inexact definition, but I’m aiming to define groups such as Raleigh Ringers, Sonos, Bells of the Sound, and a majority of church groups etc.

I tend to think of a handbell ensemble as a small group, trios, quartets, quintets, sextets.

I tend to think of a handbell team as a uniquely British conception. I like the connotations of teamwork that it brings, but team carries a strong sports connotation in my mind, we’re quite a bit more refined than that. (Yes, I’m a bit of a prude!)

This is my descriptive set of definitions. I’m fully happy to consider and advocate for prescriptive definitions. (See my advocacy to stop using the word ringer, and use musician instead.)

I also agree it should be articulation for all those other sounds. A technique is the way you manage to get to those articulations, and its not the same for everyone.

Nick

[Thomas Simpson]

Hmmm I find this thread quite amusing. I really don't spend my days trying to find the best name to describe the members of a musical group! 

I guess since other things have been around so much longer, they already have well established names. 

Now, NAMING a handbell choir, that's something else!!

Thomas 

Sent from my iPhone

[Colin Walker]

I don’t worry about what we call the group – either in describing the type of group, or naming it.  I just worry about what type of hats my ding-a-lings should wear.

 

*ducking*

 

CW

 

p.s.: One of these days I’m going to follow through on my threat to arrange Chuck Berry’s “My Ding-A-Ling” for 5-7 octaves of handbells.

[Michele Sharik]

And Sonos explicitly rejects the term "choir". We are a Handbell Ensemble, not a choir. We even make that explicit in our contract.

-Michèle
Member, Sonos Handbell Ensemble since 2002

Sent from my iPad so please excuse any typos, AutoCorrect weirdness, Or Random CapitaliZation. I am not really illiterate, though Siri makes it look like I am. Sigh.

[Stephanie Wiltse]

At the risk of engaging in a conversation some people are tired of,
Embellish also tries to avoid the "Choir" connotation. We prefer
"Ensemble" too, though some people complain that "ensemble" means less
than a full choir. We also prefer the non-choir title because it's so
heavily associated with a church group. Even now, people still tend to ask
us what church we're from, despite the fact we roll in with our own
logo-emblazoned trailer, and multiple octaves of bells and chimes.

Another thing that bugs me is when people call us "ladies." We've got 13
women (several of whom ring bass very well) and 3 manly men... I don't get
that either!

Stephanie Wiltse
Proud Director of Embellish Handbell Ensemble of Grand Rapids, MI

[Rima Greer]

Campanile also had in our contract that we were not to be referred to as a choir. We started with ensemble, but then changed to Show, which seemed more descriptive.

Rima

Sent from my iPad

[Jeffrey Clouser]

Perhaps the location of the ringers dictates what you call them. For me bells in church equates to choir bells in school/community equates to ensemble.

[TimR]

I like ensemble.  To me choir evokes a sense of vocal music, and that's not what we do.

 

To handbell insiders ensemble implies a smaller group, but that is technical jargon that would be meaningless to everybody else.  I play in a wind ensemble that may have 40 to 50 people if everybody shows up.   

[Valerie Stephenson]

Dave, dear aging buddy ;-)  You are smarter than I, so I wasn't sure about this one (run on) sentence.  I did giggle at your word "exhaled", which I'm going to presume was to be "exalted"???  OR, maybe it was a hint?  Here's the sentence that confused me:

 

 I'll let my friend Valerie Stephenson mention those as I don't want to list the unmentionable terms that are the bane of every esteemed and highly exhaled artist, ringer or director, in the handbell world. (I'm intentionally trying to use more adverbs these days, which makes for mostly longer and fantastically involved sentences.)

 

In any case, in regard to "what you call a handbell group"? is different than what you publicly NAME a handbell group.  I can think of a whole string of names I'd have loved to "call" various handbell groups at any given time, but they are all X-rated.  I'm a Navy daughter... take it from there.  Dearly departed Robin Williams would have had a heyday with this one.

 

But on the serious public title for a group, sure, carrying the church name or location with the word "ensemble" or "ringers" is great and gives definition to location.  If the group doesn't perform outside the church or tour, it's perfect.  I think it is when a group decides they want a broader view, i.e. Raleigh Ringers; Sonos; and now so many others, that name choices become imperative.

 

      I believe I've told this one earlier, but when our (Parkway Presbyterian Church in New Orleans) grew to have 6 octaves bells, 5 octaves chimes, and assorted other credenzas, we wanted to be a performing choir a bit beyond church duties.  So, we did the usual "put a name in a jar", pretending to be a democracy (like we are doing today in other spheres).  There was every typical name you could imagine with only "ding-a-lings" being excommunicated!

    Fortunately, we had a wonderful "quiet general", who when she spoke we all listened. She was literally our Gandhi, or Paton without the browbeating.  When she spoke We ALL shut up and listened!  We all wanted something that at least led us to our French heritage (sorry Spain, and Canadian Cajuns).  She chose "Les Belles Chanson", which technically means "The Beautiful Song".  Close enough said we all.  From that grew my/our quartet who usurped the same name but added quartet or ensemble.

 

    Now Dave?  What was the question?  Happy Hump Day.  One day off till flu shot that I don't wanna take. LV

 

Valerie W. Stephenson
10379 Bigtree Ln, Jax FL 32257
904-880-1806
It's surprising how much memory is
built around things unnoticed at the time. -Barbara Kingsolver, novelist, essayist, and poet (b. 1955) 
 

 

 

[David Ruder]

 
In any case, in regard to "what you call a handbell group"? is different than what you publicly NAME a handbell group. I can think of a whole string of names I'd have loved to "call" various handbell groups at any given time, but they are all X-rated. I'm a Navy daughter... take it from there. Dearly departed Robin Williams would have had a heyday with this one.

Thank you dear Valerie.  You did not disappoint me with your knowledge of x-rated names for handbell groups.  Perhaps in some private venue we can string together some of our favorite exalted terms and exhale them to our hearts content.  I am sure, however, that many of our other "L'ers" (is there such name?), would love to add their own collection beyond "ding-a-lings."  (Shh).

[TimR]

On Wednesday, October 15, 2014 11:26:04 PM UTC-4, David Ruder wrote:

 
In any case, in regard to "what you call a handbell group"? is different than what you publicly NAME a handbell group. I can think of a whole string of names I'd have loved to "call" various handbell groups at any given time, but they are all X-rated. I'm a Navy daughter... take it from there. Dearly departed Robin Williams would have had a heyday with this one.

Thank you dear Valerie.  You did not disappoint me with your knowledge of x-rated names for handbell groups.  Perhaps in some private venue we can string together some of our favorite exalted terms and exhale them to our hearts content.  I am sure, however, that many of our other "L'ers" (is there such name?), would love to add their own collection beyond "ding-a-lings."  (Shh).

 

Must.............................resist................................... 

[bellm...@earthlink.com]

David, uh, you were a Navy daughter?!?  Does Dian know???  :)