The bells at York

On 10/15/2016 10:47 AM, alan_m wrote:
On 15/10/2016 10:26, Ian Jackson wrote:

I don't mind peals of bells, but I've rarely been able to discern any
sort of tune. It wouldn't be too had if they put out a nice, steady
rhythm - but the clangs are usually all jerky.

Some sadist at BBC radio 4 has recorded peals of bells from various UK
churches and they are often played late at night just as one is dropping
off to sleep.

My observation is that either ALL bell ringers are failed musicians who
cannot hold a tune, the bells are only 'played' to drive off the devil
or they should not be considered as a musical instruments - or a
combination of all three. Its much the same with bagpipes. Considered by
the Scots as a weapon of war but some fool thought they could get a
pleasant tune from them.



The Science Museum used to have a nice display which demonstrated a wide
range of musical scales graphically. The one which stood out from all
the others was the traditional Scottish Highland Bagpipes, some of the
intervals in the scale are all over the place (more than a quarter of a
tone, iirc); explaining why they sound so odd.

On 16/10/16 16:30, newshound wrote:
On 10/15/2016 10:47 AM, alan_m wrote:
On 15/10/2016 10:26, Ian Jackson wrote:

I don't mind peals of bells, but I've rarely been able to discern any
sort of tune. It wouldn't be too had if they put out a nice, steady
rhythm - but the clangs are usually all jerky.

Some sadist at BBC radio 4 has recorded peals of bells from various UK
churches and they are often played late at night just as one is dropping
off to sleep.

My observation is that either ALL bell ringers are failed musicians who
cannot hold a tune, the bells are only 'played' to drive off the devil
or they should not be considered as a musical instruments - or a
combination of all three. Its much the same with bagpipes. Considered by
the Scots as a weapon of war but some fool thought they could get a
pleasant tune from them.



The Science Museum used to have a nice display which demonstrated a wide
range of musical scales graphically. The one which stood out from all
the others was the traditional Scottish Highland Bagpipes, some of the
intervals in the scale are all over the place (more than a quarter of a
tone, iirc); explaining why they sound so odd.

Remember there is tuning to a scale, and there is the even tempered
chromatic scale that is used. It is a compromise. Its not perfectly in
tune even with itself for any given key.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal_temperament
--
“But what a weak barrier is truth when it stands in the way of an
hypothesis!�

Mary Wollstonecraft

On 16/10/16 15:27, Norman Wells wrote:
"Brian Gaff" wrote in message
...
I'm very surprised the powers that be did not record the last few
years of bell ringing and just install big speakers in the bell tower
and flog the bells off for scrap.

Indeed. It raises the interesting point too that, if people like bells
so much, why don't they just buy a recording and listen to it at home in
private? There's no need for it to be inflicted on all and sundry.

If I liked gangsta rap, should I be allowed to broadcast it from a tower
as loud as bells and for the same duration? Or would I be expected to
indulge that little peccadillo at home and in private?


I refer you to the 'call to prayer' broadcast from mosques and other
minarets.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6mGng9NTKU


I don't see any difference.


WEll it has to do with who was here first, you, the custom of
bell-ringing, or gangsta rap.





--
“But what a weak barrier is truth when it stands in the way of an
hypothesis!�

Mary Wollstonecraft

In article , Bill Wright
scribeth thus
I just signed the petition "Allow the York Minster bell ringers to
ring!" and wonder if you could add your name too.

The more support we can get the better chance we have of succeeding. You
can read more and sign the petition he

http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petition...ll-ringers-to-
ring

Thank you!

Bill

Done!...
--
Tony Sayer

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
On 16/10/16 15:27, Norman Wells wrote:
"Brian Gaff" wrote in message
...
I'm very surprised the powers that be did not record the last few
years of bell ringing and just install big speakers in the bell tower
and flog the bells off for scrap.

Indeed. It raises the interesting point too that, if people like bells
so much, why don't they just buy a recording and listen to it at home in
private? There's no need for it to be inflicted on all and sundry.

If I liked gangsta rap, should I be allowed to broadcast it from a tower
as loud as bells and for the same duration? Or would I be expected to
indulge that little peccadillo at home and in private?

I refer you to the 'call to prayer' broadcast from mosques and other minarets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6mGng9NTKU

I don't see any difference.

WEll it has to do with who was here first, you, the custom of bell-ringing, or
gangsta rap.

So, according to you, the first to commit an illegal Statutory Nuisance has the
right to continue doing so, and has precedence over all others who might want to?

On Sun, 16 Oct 2016 16:30:15 +0100, newshound
wrote:

The Science Museum used to have a nice display which demonstrated a
wide
range of musical scales graphically. The one which stood out from
all
the others was the traditional Scottish Highland Bagpipes, some of
the
intervals in the scale are all over the place (more than a quarter
of a
tone, iirc); explaining why they sound so odd.

I think it's more due to the drones.

--
Max Demian

On Sun, 16 Oct 2016 15:27:44 +0100, "Norman Wells"
wrote:
"Brian Gaff" wrote in message
...

I'm very surprised the powers that be did not record the last few
years of bell
ringing and just install big speakers in the bell tower and flog
the bells off for
scrap.

Indeed. It raises the interesting point too that, if people like
bells so much, why
don't they just buy a recording and listen to it at home in
private? There's no
need for it to be inflicted on all and sundry.

If I liked gangsta rap, should I be allowed to broadcast it from a
tower as loud as
bells and for the same duration? Or would I be expected to indulge
that little
peccadillo at home and in private?

I don't see any difference.

Why not disband all the orchestras? There must be multiple recordings
of every classical piece in every significant interpretation by now.

--
Max Demian

"Max Demian" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 16 Oct 2016 15:27:44 +0100, "Norman Wells" wrote:
"Brian Gaff" wrote in message
...

I'm very surprised the powers that be did not record the last few
years of bell
ringing and just install big speakers in the bell tower and flog
the bells off for
scrap.

Indeed. It raises the interesting point too that, if people like
bells so much, why
don't they just buy a recording and listen to it at home in
private? There's no
need for it to be inflicted on all and sundry.

If I liked gangsta rap, should I be allowed to broadcast it from a
tower as loud as
bells and for the same duration? Or would I be expected to indulge
that little peccadillo at home and in private?

I don't see any difference.

Why not disband all the orchestras? There must be multiple recordings of every
classical piece in every significant interpretation by now.

The numbers are diminishing every year for all sorts of reasons, including that one.

Anyway, do people listen to church bells because of the joy of a live performance
and the thrill of slight nuances in the third tenor or whatever it may be called?

Somehow, I rather doubt it.

In message , Norman Wells
writes:
[]
If I liked gangsta rap, should I be allowed to broadcast it from a
tower as loud as
bells and for the same duration? Or would I be expected to indulge
that little peccadillo at home and in private?

I don't see any difference.

Well, one difference, though probably not germane to this discussion, is
that gangsta rap, like many forms of music from about the 1930s onwards,
depends for its nature on electronic amplification, whereas bells don't.

Why not disband all the orchestras? There must be multiple recordings
of every classical piece in every significant interpretation by now.

The numbers are diminishing every year for all sorts of reasons,
including that one.

Anyway, do people listen to church bells because of the joy of a live
performance and the thrill of slight nuances in the third tenor or
whatever it may be called?

They see it as part of "village life", or some similar concept. While in
practice many of them would not in fact be able to tell whether it was
real or a recording (if good quality and coming from the belfry), most
of them would be seriously cross if they discovered that the latter
_was_ the case.

Somehow, I rather doubt it.

--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)[email protected]+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

"The great tragedy of science, the slaying of a beautiful theory by an ugly
fact. - Thomas Henry Huxley

On 16/10/2016 18:47, Max Demian wrote:

I think it's more due to the drones.

Which started me imagining flying bagpipes delivering Amazon parcels...

--
Rod