Count Your Blessings

A really fun handbell piece of mine is Count Your Blessings. Here's the description of it found at http://www.handbellworld.com/

"Mix white, beach sand, turquoise water, palm trees, warm sun, a parrot or two and Lyndel Littleton's arrangement of this favorite gospel hymn for a taste of the Caribbean! Both the melody and accompaniment are syncopated with several techniques added to give the effect of steel drums and other island sounds. For further imagery add the optional instruments triangle, maracas, claves, bongos, string bass and guitar. Refreshing!"

The treble bells play a fun synchopated accompaniment and then the bass bells begin playing the melody. At one place there are three different themese going at the same time.

Practice the different parts separately and then put them together. A fun idea for m.74-89 is to have your bass players lay their bells out like a piano (with "black" keys moved up) and then let one ringer play all the bass bells as a solo - like on a big marimba. Then all ringers should step back into place on m.89. This piece is fun to play and fun to watch!

That is how I performed it the very first time it was played. I had written the piece for the handbell choir at Central Baptist Church in Martin. I was their director, but on this piece I played with them. When the choir stepped back and I played the "marimba" bells the crowd loved it!