'Bells on Shellac and Vinyl' support page
The book is in the late write-up stage with a projected December 2023 publication date. Below is more of a holding space for the moment and things will be added fairly randomly. All will make a lot more sense nearer the publishing date!
This is a rare record of handbell ringing recorded by the Bushey team in 1936 - the method is Spliced Surprise Major. It is unknown whether this is an original copy or one of 200 subsequent copies pressed from the original metalwork in 1961.
Full peal of the Original Bow Bells, Cheapside, London, recorded 1926. This is an early electric recording.
This was recorded in Beatrice Harrison's garden in Oxted, Surrey, in 1928. This is side 2 of the well-known cello and nightingale record.
This is a handbell solo from Nellie Norway from 1931. Solo handbell records are no longer to be included in the discography, though a couple of further videos will find their way here just for interest. The discography will only include details of records of ensemble handbell playing.
This is the earliest-known handbell recording from 1904. It is a one-sided record, as was the norm until around 1908. The tune is 'Lily of Kildare' and the artist is not stated. Solo handbell records are not included in the discography, though this gets an honourable mention in a footnote somewhere or other. It is a pre-electric 'acoustic' recording and the handbells sound a little 'odd' which is probably a limitation of this type of recording via a horn. That or the bells are fixed and struck with mallets. Or are not handbells at all!
EMI began a series of sound effects records at some point prior to 1942/43, many of which were still on catalogue as 78 rpm records as late as 1959. Here is an interesting one that shows that track bands are actually closed loops. You have to lift the needle to move from track to track.
The following links lead to various pages where audio is available (and where the audio files cannot be embedded here):
- Eric Jordan playing the Loughborough Carillon - two 1928 records are available, B 2683 & B 2687, both on HMV.
- Impressions of London: Westminster, Actual recording of Big Ben and traffic noises, St. Margaret's Chimes and "The Old 100th" - this is a US Victor release of the 1927 UK HMV record, B 2398. The organist on the last piece is Stanley Roper. This is side 2 of the record only.
- German Bells: Chimes of the Old Garrison Church - this was originally issued as a one-sided disc (possibly in 1906) and was later paired with the record below to make a double-sided disc, HMV B 166, probably in 1912. This was an acoustic recording.
- The Coming of the Year - this was originally issued as a one-sided disc (in 1906) and was later paired with the record above to make a double-sided disc, HMV B 166, probably in 1912. This was an acoustic recording.
- The Bells O'Bournville: Killarney (Balfe); Eileen Alannah (Thomas) & Blue bells of Scotland; Annie Laurie - both sides are available of this 1915 acoustic recording of the Bournville Carillon for HMV, B 507.
- The Chimes of Trinity Church, New York: Lead Kindly Light & All Hail the Power Of Jesus' Name - both sides are available of this 1912 acoustic recording (released 1914 in the US and 1913 in the UK?). This is the US release - the UK release was also on Columbia as 2052.