When we first received our new handbells at St John’s Church in the early 1990s, there was a small group of bellringers and I didn’t know much about repertoire. In order to get the group started, I composed a few short pieces and named them after the individual players. Well, that started a trend, and over the years I’ve written quite a few “name” pieces. Now thanks to the advent of accessible collaborative recording technology, coupled with time on my hands due to everything being shut down for Covid-19, I’m going to try to record all of these pieces. They make me think back to all the wonderful people who have played handbells at St John’s over the years.
Godfrey’s Galliard (1992) – for Godfrey von Nostitz-Tait
Zing! for Zoë (1992) – for Zoë von Nostitz-Tait
La danse à Dominique (1992) – for Dominique Arsenault-Bulmer
Adagio Jo (2003) – for Jo Cassie
Dreamy Devon (2003) – for Devon Baxter
Marietta’s Meditation (2003) – for Marietta Stenman