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By: Martin R. Rice
Published January 16, 2004 in The Franklin Press
The Brasstown (Handbell) Ringers were nothing short of miraculous as demonstrated in their eighth annual Christmas Concert tour, performing for the fourth time at the Resurrection Lutheran Church, Franklin.
The performance of the 13 bell ringers - directed by Pat Meinecke - astounded the audience with its versatility. Each individual rang two or more handbells, some simultaneously, as needed.
When they played in the change-place style, they could each reach over to their neighbor’s “plate” of four to six different bells, swoop one up in rhythm, set it back and continue in this action throughout the entire piece of music, never missing a note of the composition. Difficult to explain. Difficult to perform. Thoroughly mastered.
The ringers have gradually added new bells and percussion instruments to their inventory. For example, they have a set of “contra bass” chimes with each intrument as tall as an orchestral string bass. When struck, it resounded with a vibration so low it was felt more than heard.
Then they had a bell tree, a group of tiny bells shaped like a small Christmas tree, over which they glided like a keyboardist would when sliding up and down the octave. Other percussion instruments added to the rhythmic effects. A set of small bells were suspended from an upright rack that, when struck, added extremely high tones to the music at hand.
It is a challenge to describe all these features but fascinating to watch and hear the range of musical tones plucked up and down the octaves into extreme atmospheres. Only the most highly trained, experienced and polished professionals could master such added musical resources, keep the song, rhythm and choreography flowing along without a break, and make it all seem so easy.
The three-part program featured Christmas music, some traditional - “Masters in this Hall,” “Greensleeves,” “Pat-a-Pan,” “Silent Night” - and others in challenging arrangements beyond the reach of the average two-octave or three-octave bell choir, but always fascinating.
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