Contents
1: 'Come Bell-Ringing' with Charles Hazlewood: the fascinating story of a community music project involving the bells of the City of Cambridge.
2: Change-Ringing in America: a tour of American bell towers
3: Rosie, the Ringing Robot: designed and built by Graham Firman, Rosie is believed to be the world's first ringing robot. A second arm is planned...
4: A Lego ringing machine: although Rosie is the first ringing robot, ringing machines have been around since John Carter designed and built one between 1895 and 1925. Here's a more recent one, built from Lego and designed to ring Plain Hunt on 8. Notice that the bells are arranged not in numerical order, but in natural coursing order (75312468). See ringing lesson number 28 on this site if you'd like an explanation.
5: Mathematical Impressions: Change Ringing: don't be put off by the word 'maths'. This is a great little film, professionally made by George Hart and shot at Washington DC Cathedral. It clearly and simply explains the basic idea behind change-ringing, and illustrates it with excellent patterns and graphics. There's some well-struck Grandsire Caters to enjoy, and it's all very informative. Highly recommended.
6: Exhibition ringing on 24 handbells: quite simply, world-class ringing; there are very, very few ringers that can do this. Enjoy. The ringers are: 1-2 Jennifer Butler 3-4 Mark Eccleston 5-6 Philip Earis 7-8 Philip Saddleton 9-0 John Hughes-D'Aeth 11-12 Paul Mounsey 13-14 David Brown 15-16 David Pipe 17-18 Tom Hinks 19-20 Alex Byrne 21-22 Simon Melen 23-24 Michael Wilby
7: The Beautiful Intersection between Math and Music, with Emily Russell: Ok, so this scores 0/10 for use of Powerpoint, but if you're interested in knowing a bit more about the ideas underpinning change-ringing, this could be for you. Find out what links ringing with paper-folding, and see a nice demonstration of Plain Bob Minimus on handbells.
8: Stedman Cinques in hand: top class ringing by the Society of Cambridge Youths in front of a packed house at the 2015 Utrecht Festival.
9: The heaviest peal of bells in the world: Unique is an over-used word; these bells are unique and ringing them is an incredible experience. This film contains some beautiful footage of the impressive radial frame at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, 12 bells, 82-0-11 in A flat. The tower is vast, those huge bells look tiny! The bells are surprisingly difficult to hear in the ringing room; this Grandsire Cinques is a decent piece of ringing.
10: Westmister Abbey bells: some super Devon-style call changes from the UK's most iconic church (10 bells, 30-1-15 in D). Notice the trademark two silent pulls and all in on the third as all ten bells are raised in peal. Three strong men on the tenor!
11: Amazing Grace, played on the bells of Banff, Canada. Like our own bells, the 11 chiming bells of St George-in-the-Pines were cast by John Taylor & Co. They were installed in 1927 and are in the key of B flat. That makes them a little heavier than ours, with the largest probably weighing around 7-8 cwt.
12: LEGO Pendulum Wave Music Machine: a fascinating variation of change ringing which illustrates the intimate relationship between Rounds, Back Rounds, Queens and Tittums.
13: Devon style cartwheel call changes on six (Martinstown, Dorset): This is what we're aiming for here in Vernet. An accurate raise, solid rounds and clean changes from one row to the next; metronomic ringing with no gaps and a consistently closed handstroke lead. Any errors are tiny. The clip finishes with a good lower.
14: The Carillon: A short, and very professionally produced introduction to the art and history of the carillon by the North American Guild of Carilloneurs. Our thanks to Elizabeth Vitu, Carilloneur at Perpignan Cathedral for sending it to us.
