Why Composers Love Bells

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In this video I talk about Bells (a lot) and the influence Bells and Bell music have had on Composers. Why do we love them?
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Research
Two great posts by Ethan Iverson : Red's Bells ethaniverson.com/reds-bells/
Mccoy Tyner's revolution ethaniverson.com/mccoy-tyners...
The Sound of Bells research by Bill Hibberts www.hibberts.co.uk/index.htm including a full PhD on how partials affect perception of pitch.
Videos
Great video on the mathematics of Bell Ringing • Mathematical Impressio...
Jason Aryeh Research Project. Kpanlogo dance from the Ga tribe in Ghana
• Jason Aryeh Research P...
Nigerian musicians • ogene udu 1
Slovenian Bell Ringing • Pritrkavanje za nedelj...
Cambridge Bell Ringers • Bell Ringers´ Room, Ch...
Jonathan Harvey Mortuos Plango, Vivos Voco
• Mortuos Plango, Vivos ...
Documentary on the Harvey piece • Jonathan Harvey - Mort...
Wells Cathedral singing Eric Whitacre • Lux Aurumque - Eric Wh...
Ligeti's Fem performed by Christina McMaster • Gyorgy Ligeti - Fem Et...
Parsifal Grail Bells Experiment • Parsifal Grail Bells e...
Mussorgsky Boris Godunov • Mikhail Kazakov, bass ...
Marin Marais: Sonnerie de Ste Genevieve du Mont de Paris
• Marin Marais: Sonnerie...
Bell Tuning • Bell Tuning
Claves of Africa Billy Martin • Video
The Ghana Project 2013 has some great Ghana recordings • Sample video of Ghanai...
12 Tone - The World's Most Popular Rhythm • The World's Most Popul...
Shostakovich 11 • Shostakovich Symphony ...
Wagner Parsifal Transformation Music • Parsifal (Transformati...

[@AdamNeely]

BELLS

[@DBruce]

Not sure I agree. Ah, no actually, yeah, you're right. BELLS

[@eyvindjr]

Wow, that an impressively quick nod from one of my favourite music youtubers to another! Adam could not possibly have watched the whole the video before commenting, but yeah, BELLS.

[@hadinossanosam4459]

Now I want to hear the intro, but with every occurrence of "bells" replaced with Adam Neely saying "BELLS" xD (also why is this the 184th of 187 comments, tf youtube?)

[@lpldl]

I think David should write a cantata based on the bells poem he wrote at the top of this video.

[@dalmacietis]

Isn't he spoofing the E.A.Poe poem "Bells", though? Phil Ochs wrote a song with those words :P

[@yuvalne]

+

[@ili626]

@@yuvalne E A Poe is so great.. def inspired the variation at the beginning, but is quite different too imo poets.org/poem/bells

[@lpldl]

@@dalmacietis I was thinking why the concept of a poem about bells sounds so familiar. Of course it's by Poe!

[@AndreaColombo-fx1wh]

I'll do it

[@stmierden]

We're one minute in and the word bells has already lost all meaning for me.

[@nicholas_scott]

With pipe organs, we call this “resultant”. It’s a trick to get low notes without actually needed those huge pipes. You just play the corresponding harmonics and your ear thinks it’s the lower note.

[@FernieCanto]

A whole video on bells? Tubular! It's amazing how they're such an old field of study.

[@ErebosGR]

"Tubular" "oldfield" I see what you did there.

[@columbus8myhw]

@@ErebosGRWhat does oldfield mean?

[@ErebosGR]

@@columbus8myhw Mike Oldfield wrote Tubular Bells.

[@jorgemoran89]

The thumbnail is an absolute masterpiece. The perfect way to invite you to watch an amazing video. Thank you!

[@MuzixMaker]

Love it!

[@atatdotdot]

I haven't watched the video yet but came here specifically to comment about the thumbnail!

[@peewee678]

@@atatdotdot Watched the video some days ago but came *back* here after I noticed the thumbnail in my sidebar :-)

[@TheAngelofThrash]

Why Composers Love Bells? For em-bell-isments

[@tomvesely4008]

This one right here, officer, send backups, he makes way too good puns

[@MrGnuifje]

King of the Dad Joke

[@Ithirahad]

That definitely rings true.

[@jurjenbos228]

As a mathematician, I like your introduction to the harmonic series: it is a good start for learning Fourier theory.

[@ginopagnani7286]

Fantastic intro!!!!

[@ginopagnani7286]

Where can I get that harmonic t-shirt ?

[@DBruce]

david-bruce-composer.creator-spring.com/listing/new-harmonic-series?product=937

[@jimbrittain402]

Is that bell poem original?

[@erikkrabbenbos4347]

Seriously, though. Where are the carillons?! 🤔

[@AynenMakino]

That episode on Gamelan music you suggested would DEFINITELY be something I'd watch! Please do make that!

[@nathanielwise508]

I was lucky enough to see a live performance which included quite a lot of explanation and also the chance to interact with the instruments and performers. It was fascinating to get a glimpse into a conception of music so wholly different to that we in the west are accustomed too.

[@s90210h]

Another classic bells tune: Jeff Mills - The Bells One thing to add is that there is a physical reason bells sound so specific. Their shape is such that because of the thick metal material there is an outside diameter as well as an inside diameter. These define the lower and upper limits of (fundamental) resonances. Pressure waves actually bounce off of both inside and outside of the material, unlike up and down a string. This complex three dimensional interaction of resonances is why the partials are not harmonic. Ask yourself: how can they be harmonic in a shape that is both concave (at the top) and convex (at the bottom)? A well made physical modelling synthesizer that aims to replicate these interactions is at least one dimension more complex than strings, plates, skins, etc... Also, some work has been done to create new shapes of bells that have more harmonic partials (at least more than classic bell shapes). Recommended further reading on Rhythms: The Geometry of Musical Rhythm: What Makes a "Good" Rhythm Good? by Godfried Toussaint In which he makes a thorough analysis of not only the Clave Son, but various other classic bell patterns too

[@neymow2242]

Have not watched the whole video yet, but the thumbnail is amazing. Same goes for the intro! Great job Mr. Bruce!

[@jurjenbos228]

Yup, you got the thumbs up from the intro alone.

[@the_number_e]

I feel obligated to mention the influence of bells on my favorite composer Messiaen! He was a devout catholic so church bells must have had a strong effect on him. He imitates bells marking a call to prayer and then finally the death of St Francis in Saint François d'Assise, and imitates the joyous clangor of Christmas bells in Noël from Vingt Regards

[@dfkfgjfg]

I just listened to his Vingt Regards all the way through for the first time yesterday and totally agree that it is filled with bell sounds and it's a phenomenal set of music

[@burkhardstackelberg1203]

When I once was in a Russian church and monastery in Estonia near the border to Russia, I could hear them ringing the bells. They use a style of patterned ringing with bells over a lot of pitch range, just as imitated by Moussorgsky. When you once heard the original, it is easily recognised.

[@nlv7125]

Charles-Valentin Alkan

[@richirare]

Alkan's Alleluia and Funeral March are amazing pieces, bells and all.

[@mahlerbartok]

Yes Mahler 7 is amazing!

[@DynastieArtistique]

Mahler's 7th is underrated, but the last movement is unfortunately the worst symphonic movement he ever wrote (doesn't mean it isn't still decent though). The second movement is absolute genius and is a perfect, 12 minute summary of Mahler's style and his musical colors.

[@mahlerbartok]

@@DynastieArtistique the final movement is genius, seemingly purely joyous, yet (to me) dripping with sarcasm culminating in the final statement of the primary theme of the first movement in major. It’s contrapuntally quite interesting as well. Also, the worst symphonic movement of Mahler’s is the Scherzo of the First Symphony, in my very humble opinion😅

[@dfkfgjfg]

Mahler 7 has quite possibly the best opening movement ever written for any genre or ensemble but the rest of the symphony is quite hit and miss. I love how he experiments with it but it completely lacks the refinement of the previous 6th and the later symphonies.

[@pascalrijnders2061]

Great story! My late uncle André Lehr worked for a famous Dutch bell founder. In the eighties, with help from his brother Marius, he developed a 'major' bell, that had a different series of overtones without the minor triad. I believe it was because mostly the Asian clients wanted this sound for their carillons ;-) It was a funny thing; most Dutch people preferred the original bell sound with the solemn ring to it over the brighter sound of the 'major' bells. As you probably know, we have a lot of carillons in NL. More about this: nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klokkengieterij_Eijsbouts

[@erikkrabbenbos4347]

Ik heb zo'n vermoeden dat sir Bruce helaas helemaal nog niet bekend is met het instrument de beiaard. Anders had hij dat ongetwijfeld behandeld in dit verder schitterende overzicht. Ik denk dat ik de hele comment section maar vol ga spammen met allemaal links naar beiaardfilmpjes! 😂

[@pascalrijnders2061]

@@erikkrabbenbos4347 dat is een goed idee!

[@RCAvhstape]

When I was little I was terrified of the idea of being stuck in a bell tower next to one of those huge bells when it starts ringing. Still unsettling to think about. They are like sleeping giants that crush you with sound when they wake up. Not quite as bad as being too close to the Space Shuttle when the engines light up, but similar in concept.

[@HoggerKiller]

"Carillon" from L'Arlesienne suite #1 by Bizet is another great bell piece, you hear the 3-note pattern all the way through, even when it's not there.

[@mvmarchiori]

Amazing what he created on top of the ostinato. Fantastic piece, indeed.

[@VaughanMcAlley]

Sometimes on Christmas Eve at the church I sing at, I get a set of tubular bells in to play countermelodies to the hymns and carols, and it sounds & feels 50% Christmasier. Pro tip: never play two bells at once, even octaves, as the harmonics interfere with each other and you can't work out what either note is.

[@jasonzurlo1543]

Interesting. I've never heard someone outside of the general midi spec call chimes tubular bells.

[@VaughanMcAlley]

@@jasonzurlo1543 Hmmm… I learned orchestration 30 years ago and have hung around choirs ever since. I don't think I ever noticed people using chimes, but it seems like a thing, hehe.

[@mr.astronuts3825]

@@jasonzurlo1543 I’m a percussionist and I refer to deep tubular bells as tubular bells, and high pitched bells as chimes.

[@subjectline]

It's so nice that you can just make an illustrated half-hour talk about what bells sound like.

[@bryankeidel7864]

Since we’re talking about bells, I’d like to recommend the music of my favorite - and of course, criminally underrated - composer, Federico Mompou. His mother’s family owned a bell foundry, and his grandfather was a bell maker. If you’re unfamiliar with his work, you won’t regret checking it out.

[@alkanista]

Yes to this recommendation. I hear the influence of bells in his music quite often, often in subtle ways.

[@hadinossanosam4459]

Me, a huge Rachmaninoff fan, before watching: Oh this is going to be good After watching: What, not a single mention of Rachmaninoff? He literally wrote "The Bells" exploring the different jubilant/announcing/alarming/mournful meanings a bell can have Still a great video, I'm currently working on his Sonata 2, which has some bell sounds in fourths... I was wondering why, now I know :)

[@mvmarchiori]

I entered the video like "yeah, he's definitely gonna mention Rachmaninoff"

[@EusebiusAT]

Yeah, Rach was pretty obsessed with fourths, resonant and dark in the bass, bright and mysterious in the upper register. Funnily I can't hear fourths the same after I heard Jacob Collier talking about how he perceives fourths as minor, but for Rachmaninoff it kind of fits.

[@Minabezerai]

Same here! David, I feel Cheated!

[@DanielKRui]

Literally I’ve watched a lot of Bruce’s videos on other composers (Beethoven, Ravel, Stravinsky, Messiaen, etc) and have been eagerly awaiting one for Rachmaninoff…but alas today is not that day I guess. The 2 pages leading up to the recapitulation in the 1st movement of R's 2nd sonata (and the recapitulation) has I think the greatest evocation of bells in piano history (with closest competition really again being Rachmaninoff himself, in say his Op. 39/7 mentioned in another comment below) --- clattering chromatic bells in the high register (some in groups of 4 or 8) over the earth-shattering roars of fifths/fourths in the contrabass register (in a triplet rhythm), slowly but inexorably descending further and further until the huge wall of B flat minor that begins the recapitulation.

[@orangehaze74]

What about "La Campanella"? It literally translates to "the little bell".

[@wilkinx1]

mmm ... bells! My favorite classical music bell piece is Rachmaninoff's Piano Suite for two paino No. 1 - Pâques (Easter), pretty close recreation of orthodox church's bells. The other one probably is the ending of Scriabin's Poem of Ecstasy (Symphony no.4). These days you can create bell sounds easily with FM synthesis (e.g. Yamaha - DX7) and Modal synthesis (e.g. Mutable Instruments - Elements / Rings). For FM synthesis, you will need multiple operators in harmonic and in-harmonic relationship with multiple envelopes to capture the transients. For modal synthesis, how you replicate the resonator - elliptic paraboloid-ish shape will be the key. Bell sounds are indeed complex sounds.

[@rozzgrey801]

Brian Eno's got a thing for bells, and Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells and Pink Floyd's The Division Bell are big influences on me. As The Darkness put it; never let the bells end!

[@mastablasta9x]

That intro was gold

[@tfofurn]

This will recontextualize Rob Scallon's video about carillon in fascinating ways!

[@DavidNursal2012]

Speaking of Parsifal, I always find the various recordings from Bayreuth are let down by the strange keyboard instrument used to represent the bells. There is however a remarkable recording from the 1920s with Karl Muck conducting where you can hear the much more impressive sound of the actual bells that were used before WW2

[@Sandra_F]

David: "Bells [...] you can really only get one sound of them" Handbell players: "Are we a joke to you?"

[@colbysullivan4415]

This is my favorite David Bruce thumbnail ever

[@fetch300]

The entire 30-minute video, and he didn't make a single *smash that notification bell* joke? What a legend.

[@TedMackey]

The opening of Débussy’s Sunken Cathedral is also an excellent evocation of bells (with lots of fourths!)

[@ze_rubenator]

There's a moment in "Three Quarter Tone Pieces" by Ives that always strikes me as sounding just like a bell.

[@MicheleZuccarelliGennasi]

What a marvelous exploration! Another piece that use bell-mimic is “La Cathedrale Engloutie” by Debussy. Thanks David for the video!

[@LupinoArts]

I'm a bit curious on why you didn't mention tubular bells (also: chimes, Röhrenglocken) as a means to mimic church bells in an orchestral (or rock; cf. Mike Oldfield) setting?

[@simonalbrecht9435]

Probably because there is such an abundance of material on the topic that he had to limit himself…

[@ruudvermeij5565]

I once participated in a contest, writing a short piece for the carillon of the big church my home town (and won the second price). In another brass band piece I used the principle of change ringing in some parts. Fascinating stuff for a mathematician. :)

[@mckernan603]

Carillons are inspiring

[@chuckleberryflin]

My Grandma's wind chimes is what captivated me

[@titob.yotokojr.9337]

I love the sound of bells. I grew up with the sound of church bells calling us to church for Sunday Mass.

[@paulevans5822]

I'm really looking forward to hearing your new choral piece.

[@marcelo.bassalo]

The tumbnail in this video is gold. Props to you.

[@magnusgro4366]

A video about bells and no section about Arvo Part's Tintinnabuli? I guess that means we are getting a separate video just about that, aren't we?

[@gustavotwardy]

I thought the same

[@tomvesely4008]

I always overlooked the fourth in bells, I always focused on the minor third and attempted to write melody with minor third double stops.

[@FilipSandecomposer]

Txs for another great video. I am a tiny disappointed though for not mentioning the orchestra work by Rachmaninov that even has the "The bells" as its title...but for another time...

[@rogeliotoledo5821]

Thank you so much. I can’t wait to hear your composition with bells!

[@roryhensen]

Love this!

[@colorfulwater5070]

Inspiring. Thank you!

[@Lamadesbois]

I love these deep dives, thank you!

[@amj.composer]

I LOVE Alkan, especially Le festin d'esope

[@michaeleaster1815]

This is fascinating: thank you!

[@simongregory3114]

this was really fascinating, thanks.

[@richardsidler]

Fascinating and masterful, much thanks! 🙏🏻

[@colindowell6427]

Thank you David, very educational.

[@petrasbalsys2667]

Great video as always!

[@erin_potgieter]

This was fascinating!

[@michaelladerman2564]

Great presentation! Thanks.

[@JusticeConstantine]

Thank you for including the links for the videos you use.

[@karmmaguitar]

Fantastic video, monumental work

[@joacoprudente1593]

Thank you Mr. David

[@eliasv.2910]

Fantastic video!

[@bentaylor4705]

I love Thomas Traherne! Did not expect to hear some of his writing on KZbin today.

[@jonahtrachtman9781]

Bravo David, beautiful job!

[@Musikkeller-Innsider]

Thanks again for sharing your extensive knowledge. Great production value too!

[@matthewbenedict5923]

WHat!? What a cool video! THank you David :)

[@jguerramusic]

Thank you for posting thus video David! Bells have always be a great source of inspiration for me and after watching your video, I understand clearly why. PS, I missed a section for Arvo Pärt on your video 😊😊😊😊

[@yonatanbeer3475]

That caped guy ringing the massive bell in the Russian bell music looks so cool

[@spacemissing]

Fascinating and excellent.

[@psmirage8584]

This was a truly fascinating and entertaining presentation. I didn't expect to watch the whole thing, but was completely immersed in the narrative, combined with some amazing pieces of music. Excellent work.

[@donovan665]

Superbly curious exploration, both the overtones and timing

[@philipclifford2314]

This is the best video. Of all of them! In the world! Thank you, David!

[@RolandHuettmann]

Amazing and fun to listen. Never thought about bells that deeply. Thank you for this great presentation.

[@philippemazaud4168]

Another, truly ringing piece is young Ravel's "Entre cloches" (in "Sites auriculaires") for two pianos - especially Paul Jacobs and Gilbert Kalish's marvelous interpretation.

[@MrInterestingthings]

The Bells poem with voice and recordings is a composition in itself ! I so enjoy this man's video . I need to go back to school and get a composition master !

[@stephenspackman5573]

Even more awesome than usual! I am-wait for it-partial to bells myself, and I was particularly happy to hear you running down the rhythmic as well as harmonic aspects cross-culturally. I mean, not that you couldn't have gone on for hours more about the bells of the world, but, yeah. I've recently been playing at Eurorack, and somehow a bell tone or something very similar always seems to work its way in to what I'm doing by the end of the day. Anyway. Yeah. Your videos always seem like a good excuse to take a break, but this is another where I'm sure my time was excellently spent. Thanks so much!

[@LeoZenRock]

I used a perfect 4th interval when working with FM synthesis to make a church bell patch on my synthesizer. This really enlightened me as to why it worked. Thank you!

[@robertstark7631]

The poem that opens this video just makes me so happy.

[@MitchMV]

Excellent intro and fascinating subject! Though I am surprised you didn’t mention carillons.

[@VallaMusic]

the sound of bells is one of those sounds that stirs the soul in a very special way

[@katnax3059]

I thank you for introducing Mortuos Plango, Vivos Voco to me. This piece moved my soul.

[@user-cn4qb7nr2m]

The thumbnail is fire! :DDD

[@tommyron]

You got me with this one. I literally just finished a one movement symphony called Bell 🔔 Harbor. It premieres in October. Thanks for your splendid videos.

[@marufhasan9365]

Great content.

[@frmikelhill5600]

17:14. Bells at HTM, Ellwood City, Pennsylvania. Thrilled to see a monastery which with I am well acquainted in the video! Bells are the best! Thank you, David!!

[@janedoe6708]

The poem about bells in the beginning is awesome 👍🏻😃

[@PrinceWesterburg]

Thumbs up just for the title image!!! XD Nice turn around on Bells / Belles!

[@vortex_master]

Very profound video. I think this should be standard viewing for all humanity. Look forward to hearing your beautiful piece.

[@robmurrah3224]

the thumbnail for this is so great

[@rillloudmother]

That is a well composed thumbnail.

[@matthewjamestaylor]

Plus . . . tubular bells. Great video, David. Thanks for sharing. Cheers.

[@ecologicaladam7262]

Fabulous! And you included one of my favourites: the Boris Godunov bells 🙃👍 A gamelan episode would be fascinating...

[@cjgladback]

Rest in peace, Angry Dan. We sure will. Finally. Thank you! This is both entertaining and enlightening! Fun also to recognize some of the rhythmic and chord tendencies I've had when noodling around for a "classical" feel as being rooted in the impression of bells. It makes a lot of sense. Maybe I'll actually be able to use this knowledge directly (which is only surprising because I hang out in the music theory videos to give my brain a break from visual, tactile, and verbal art, not due to any doubt in the general quality of information on your channel).

[@david.brainwalker]

This masterpiece of a video is mind blowing, it should have millions of views to say the least

[@EpiDot52]

I'm just now having my awakening to bells and this was the only video I saw that explained their beauty well. They're really very inspiring things.

[@endmiddlebeginning]

Just wanted to chime in to say this is fascinating. So much of it rings true. I hope all the intense research didn't take a toll on you.

[@theoforde-stiegler]

That thumbnail is JUST PRECIOUS!!

[@elscullens]

Is this what "the Internet"was supposed to be?. A way to get information, history and ideas that were away from us. This was wonderfull. Thank you.

[@robertfoy5886]

Dude...you are definitely upping your thumbnail game, 👍✌😆

[@jabarzey]

Absolutely fascinating video, I'm thinking that it might be a good idea to analyse the frequency spectrographs of various orchestral instruments, in the hope that it may shed some light on the contexts to use which instrument.

[@MuzixMaker]

Love the thumbnail!

[@gustenisfeldt6976]

An interesting aspect of the harmonic series is that many instruments only approximate it. In general only those that are actually excited at a certain frequency produce pure harmonics. Examples of this are the human voice, where the repetitive motion of the vocal cords creates the sound, and string instruments where the slip-stick motion of the bow against the string creates the sound. In the case of strings the phenomenon is known as Helmholtz motion. When the excitation is in the form of an impulse or noise, the overtones that are heard are the eigen-frequencies of the instrument, which are often close to the harmonic series, but not exactly the same. So a violin string will have a slightly different overtone series depending on whether it is bowed or plucked.

[@simonalbrecht9435]

In organ pipes you can observe very clearly that a narrow pipe will have louder overtones than a wider pipe due to their purity or impurity.

[@christianknuchel]

Your videos are always so enjoyable. I just wanted to say that. ^^"

[@lftkryo]

Good stuff! It's interesting to speculate about why bells have all of their cultural connotations, and whether at least a part of that is due to the qualities of the sound itself, like its immutability. Of course, the association goes both ways, so bells and bell-like sounds are often used symbolically to suggest finality or eternity. My favourite example of that is "Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten" by Pärt. Recommended along with its backstory!