Repertoire


Suggest new pieces for us to play - email us at info@lowdingzone.org!

Ready to Roll!
Do You Know the Way to San Jose? Burt Bacharach arr. Larry Sue Fun! Fun! Fun! This arrangement of the '70s pop songs is light and fun - not exactly what you might expect of bass bells...
Down to the River to Pray Spiritual arr. Lisa Arnold Lisa came up with the "human bell tree" for the ending of this one. Six of us stepped back from the tables holding the bells in the final section while she and Julie played them a la vibraphone. It was a seriously cool idea which also meant Wil andI had to damp our bells (A2, C#3, E3, F#3, and A3) on Lisa...
Every Time I Feel the Spirit Spiritual arr. Kevin McChesney Kevin wrote a wonderful, relatively easy quartet on this spiritual... which we made harder by dropping it an octave!
Funeral March Frederic Chopin arr. Larry Sue The subtitle is "Requiem for a cracked C2 chime", and this lends itself to all kinds of accompanying shtick. But it's a straight-up classical piece, just with the usual LDZ touch.
I Heard It Through the Grapevine Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong arr. Larry Sue Lisa's knack for finding cool music for us to arrange and play really showed in this one. We also had the privilege of playing this one at the Grand Finale Rogue Valley Handbell Festival (in 2007) with Doug Benton helping us out on the D2 chime. Other shtick included finishing with the "Rapper's Damp"...
Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen Spiritual arr. Larry Sue This spiritual comes together as a gentle interplay between the chorus melody on bells and the verse melody on chimes. Played for the first time in our "Gospel Zone" concerts in April 2008, it gives everyone a chance to shine.
Nocturne in E Minor Frederic Chopin arr. Larry Sue The mystique of Chopin comes to life as LDZ accompanies a clarinetist!
Outta My Way Blues Larry Sue Here's ironclad proof that Insanity Reigns in the Low Ding Zone. Based on the observation that we had four clarinetists, this one came together as a fun (wild, weird...) piece with shtick that fits right in. First performance was at the Area XII conference in Riverside, CA, where it just plain brought the house down!
Spiritual Boogie Spirituals arr. Larry Sue Based on the spirituals Swing Low Sweet Chariot, When the Saints Come Marching In, and This Train is Bound for Glory - all superimposed on a boogie bass line - this arrangement was our very first performance at the 2006 Area XII conference in Belmont, CA.We were tremendously inspired by an editor friend labeling the original LDZ score as "impressive, but unmarketable" (wouldn't that be a great CD title?). Now the "gurlie bell version" of Spiritual Boogie is available from STEP - take a look!
Wade in the Water Sandra Eithun Dropping an established arrangement an octave is one of our ways of acquiring new repertoire. Sandra's arrangment of this spiritual acquires a huge additional punch with all the chords shifted down an octave. Alas, there still are some notes that are outside the "normal" LDZ playing range - but it gives us a chance to work with the High Ding Place!
Yes, We Have No Bananas Frank Silver and Irving Cohn arr. Larry Sue Another classic novelty song bites the dust in this LDZ arrangement!

In Process
California Dreamin' John Phillips and Michelle Phillips, arr. Larry Sue This has turned out to be a perfect opportunity to have a soloist on gurlie bells!
Dance of the Sugar Plum Sumo Fairy Pyotr Tchaikowsky arr. Larry Sue Okay, it had to be done sometime. Some of you may consider this thumbing our nose at the Music Establishment - but isn't that exactly what Low Ding Zone does best? Besides, we'd hope that Mr. Tchaikowsky had a sense of humor, and that he'd enjoy a little fun at his expense.
Good Vibrations Brian Wilson and Mike Love arr. Larry Sue The Beach Boys' song brings great fun to the program!
Nocturne in E Minor Frederic Chopin arr. Larry Sue We need a violinist (or flutist, or oboist...) to take the solo on this one. But it's a lovely piece, the arrangement of which Stacey suggested. You can find the arrangement of this for full bell choir at Above the Line Publishing.
Pick a Winner Lew Gillis arr. Larry Sue "Inevitable" might be the best description for this arrangement (thanks to Jenny Cauhorn and the folks at AGEHR who were willing to let us mess with a handbell classic). "Improbable" might be what some people who've played it think of dropping the original one or two octaves. But it works, and it's fun!
Star-Spangled Banner Francis Scott Key arr. Larry Sue We're Americans. What more can we say?
Take Me Out to the Ballgame Jack Norworth and Albert von Tilzer arr. Larry Sue The San Jose Giants (a minor league adjunct to the San Francisco Giants) have a program by which local talent can play at their games. We're hoping that someday we can play this during the seventh inning stretch...

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