FAYETTEVILLE — The black-gloved hands moved with timed precision to sound the notes of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” as the bells caught glimmers of light.
Tingle, ring, ding. A rapt audience hung on every sound, every motion.
Residents packed the Walker Community Room of the Fayetteville Public Library one recent Sunday for a Christmas concert.
They would not be disappointed.
Members of Ozark Bronze, an auditioned handbell ensemble, rang their way through “Joy to the World,” “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire),” “White Christmas” and “Silver Bells.”
Director Kerry Johnston threw in bits of trivia about the music and the instruments.
For example, “Silver Bells” wasfirst introduced in a movie titled “The Lemon Drop Kid.” Quick, who starred as the Kid? (Answer: Bob Hope.)
Ensembles use “English handbells,” which were developed in England hundreds of years ago.
The ringing mechanism on English handbells operates on a spring that holds the clapper away from the casting after the strike toallow the bell to ring freely.
Most American handbell choirs operate in churches, but there are a growing number of community groups. Ozark Bronze, established in 2007, is one of them.
Johnston is minister of music at First United Methodist Church in Springdale. Several of the members of Ozark Bronze are active in church handbell programs, and thegroup practices at Central United Methodist Church in Fayetteville.
However, the group is not churchaffiliated, Johnston said.
Before the performance, Johnston pointed out that members of the ensemble go through an audition process, and the choir practices three hours weekly.
“Most of the ringers are pretty much handbell fanatics,” he said with a smile.
Sacred selections make up a large part of the available handbell sheet music, but during the last several years more varied pieces, including pop tunes, have become available.
The 14 or so ringers in Ozark Bronze come from all occupations: Four are full-time professional musicians, some are in the corporate world, one’s a dental hygienist, another’s a Web designer.
“It’s really the love of handbells that brings the group together,” Johnston said.
Each ringer is situated in a way that he or she controls four bells.
Focus is key during a performance. Concentration was etched on each face as every ringer’s eyes trained on the sheet music in front of him. When a page had to be turned, the motion was fluid, but quick.
Fenner Russell, who’s active in the group and director of traditional music and worship at Central United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, provided encouragement for beginners who want to give this particular form of music a try.
“If you can count to four, you can do this,” she said. She teaches an introductory class at the church. Beginners keep up with only two bells to start.
Ringing at the level of a community group is much more advanced, with most community groups considered at the semi-professionalor professional level. The music is more diff cult and more complex.
That’s part of the reason for all the practice.
But no one mentioned the weekly practices in a grumble. This group enjoys what they do.
“All of us like to ring bells,” Russell said. “We love to ring.”
Marci Milus and her daughter, Cat, also are among the Ozark Bronze members. Cat, 15, is the youngest in the ensemble.
“It’s great fun,” she said. She and her mom agreed that there’s something special about the satisfaction when the music all comes together.
Some members of a church handbell group from Carroll County were among the audience members turning out for the Dec. 13 performance. They shared the ensemble’s passion for handbells.
Before the concert began, they revealed a twofold purpose for the visit: They came to enjoy the music andpossibly to pick up pointers.
Carol Myers, who leads the group, said that this form of music requires a strong commitment.
Is there something special about handbells?
Myers said they ring for the glory of God.
Group member Linda Gray reflected for a moment.
“I just think it’s a beautiful sound that’s not duplicated anywhere else in music,” she said.
Life, Pages 9 on 12/23/2009