Bellringing programme BBC 2

Subject: Bellringing programme BBC 2
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 10 Dec 11 - 02:44 PM

Did anyone see the BBC2 prog recently 'Come Bellringing with Charles Hazlewood'? He used 3 Cambridge churches' bells and many handbell ringers to produce a unique rendering of Greensleeves. I found it absolutely magical.

Subject: RE: Bellringing programme BBC 2
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 10 Dec 11 - 03:11 PM

And next week on BBC4 Wednesday 9pm, Friday 8pm Still Ringing after All These Years; a Short History of Bells.

Subject: RE: Bellringing programme BBC 2
From: SussexCarole
Date: 10 Dec 11 - 03:17 PM

Yes - I watched it last night and, as a ringer really couldn't feel comfy with many of the aspects especially trying to relate 'music from the stave' to church bell change ringing. I really don't like hearing bells when they are hung dead and struck by hammer. And the firing was AWFUL!

It's all down to choice and at the end of the day if this programme has interested a few more people to the world of change ringing then it's done good.

Subject: RE: Bellringing programme BBC 2
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 11 Dec 11 - 01:33 AM

if that's the program on BBC 4..

I fell asleep after big meal and woke up half way through it..


final performance, some of those big chords, brought hint of tears to my groggy half waking eyes..

..weird unexpected effects music has on the senses and normally rational mind..???


but couldn't help thinking how all that effort and collected communal bell ringing power
would be totally irrellevent to big Hollywood soundtrack composers..


they'd just use massive computing power and huge banks of stock high definition samples
to program the same kind of finished music to the same emotive effect...???

Subject: RE: Bellringing programme BBC 2
From: r.padgett
Date: 11 Dec 11 - 03:17 AM

I saw this prog was brilliant! 3 sets of Church bells, 30 handbell ringers in Cambridge playing Greensleeves

This was huge and Charles is a brilliant musician and inventiveness too awesome, and ringing chords on massive bells

Sure the city centre shook! and the crowd hugely appreciative

Ray

Subject: RE: Bellringing programme BBC 2
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 11 Dec 11 - 06:26 AM

I liked it also because I learned a lot about bell-ringing and how bells are made and tuned (v complicated!) in the foundry, different ways of ringing, muffled etc. Also the magnificent ringing of changes (performed in our local church, with 5 bells) The 'firing' was a terrific clashing noise, and not to be done often, just special occasions (which has happened over the centuries apparently) I realise this was a one-off thing, an experiment really. But I did enjoy it very much. Thank you Guest henryp, I'll be watching next Wed!