Northwest Bell Ensemble
The Northwest Bell Ensemble was a non-denominational Christian handbell ensemble that
performed in the greater Seattle area from 1985 to 1998 under the direction of Ron Ebbers.
They had over 200 years of bell playing experience and produced two
recordings: A Musical Tapestry and Northwest Echoes.
They performed on a five octave set of Whitechapel handbells that they found was the best set
of handbells for the fast-paced pieces that they played.
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A Musical Tapestry
Our second recording, A Musical Tapestry, was made in 1995. After the first recording
had sold out for the first time, we decided to make the second recording on both tape and CD.
So we found a recording studio in an upstairs room of a private residence in Bothell, WA and spent
three days with a perfectionist sound engineer. The results is one of the best recordings of
bells I have ever heard.
Track List:
- Overture to "Carmen" -- George Bizet, arr. Martha Lynn Thompson
- Blessed Assurance -- Phoebe P. Knapp/J.S. Bach, arr. Cynthia Dobrinski
- Allegro Giocoso from "The Water Music" -- George Frederic Handel, arr. Kevin McChesney
- Clair de Lune -- Claude Debussy, arr. Dick Averre
- Northern Lights -- Margaret R. Tucker (Shelley Moine, flute)
- Hornpipe -- Karen Buckwalter
- Canon in D -- Johann Pachelbel, trans. William H. Griffin
- Siciliene -- Gabriel Faure', trans. Philip M. Young
- Running Out Of Time -- Paul Schneider
- Gigue Fugue -- J.S. Bach
- Prayer -- Hal Hopson (Shelley Moine, flute)
- Incalzando -- Donald Allured
- Danse de Corinne -- Paul Schneider
- In The Garden -- arr. Cynthia Dobrinski
- Go Down Moses -- Traditional Spiritual, arr. Hart Morris
Total Playing Time 68:07
To order
Northwest Echoes
Our first recording, Northwest Echoes, was made in 1990. After we had been together
for five years, many people hearing us expressed an interest in purchasing a tape of our
bell music. So, we traveled 50 miles south to Olympia, WA and spent two days in a church turned
recording studio to make this tape. Only 300 copies were ordered and it has sold out.
Track List:
- Antiphonal Fanfare on "Praise to the Lord" -- Jeffery Honore
- Fanfare -- Jacque Lemmens/Thompson
- Bandelier -- Tammy W. Rawlinson
- Fugue in G Minor -- J.S. Bach
- Come Thou Long Expected Jesus -- Theodore Beck
- Rustic Dance -- Margaret Tucker
- Go Down Moses -- Arr. Hart Morris
- Cameron's Theme -- Paul Schneider
- Northwest Echoes -- Paul Schneider
- Sheep May Safely Graze -- J.S. Bach
- Parade of the Wooden Soldiers -- Leon Jessel/B. MacDonald
- In The Garden -- arr. Dobrinski
- Carol of the Bells -- Ukrainian folk song
- Sussex Carol -- Phillip Young
- Dance of the Reed Flutes -- Tchaikovski/arr. Griffin
- Dance of the Surgar Plum Fairy -- Tchaikovski/arr. Freeman
- Trepak -- Tchaikovski/arr. Wagner
Total Playing Time ??:??
To contact them, write to:
Northwest Bell Ensemble
c/o Paul Schaper
238 Robbins Road
Sequim, WA 98382-7894
Or call Ron Ebbers, Director at 206-248-1815
This web page sponsored by Paul Schaper - Nwbell@aol.com
Links
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All text and graphics copyright 1996 Paul Schaper (unless otherwise noted)
All sound files copyright 1995 Northwest Bell Ensemble