GET IT ON....AND BANG A GONG

Whenever a piece of music calls for some type of unusual percussion instrument, you can always count on the good old - and I do mean old - misplacedmtnman to be able to provide what's necessary.  When the handbell choir at my church decided to play a piece called "Reperqussio" (pronounced reh-per-KYOO-see-oh), they needed a gong.  Would the mmpm happen to have one of those?

No.

Actually, I have two.

These Wind Gongs made by Wuhan are relatively inexpensive and sound cool enough.  Mounted on a lightweight, hollow-tube frame that assembles and disassembles with ease and efficiency, this is an impressive instrument that transports and sets up quickly.

I selected a modest 20" model for this handbell number but quickly discovered the tone of the gong clashed with the key of the piece.  The song was in the key of "F" and the overtones from the gong produced a distinct ring in the "A" range.  "A flat" would have worked perfectly, but "A" was just a little off, so I went back to Ebay and purchased a larger 22" version.  This gong worked much better and blended beautifully in tone and volume.

This video on YouTube HERE is a good demonstration of how "Reperqussio" sounds when played.  However, the heavyweight gong this choir uses is, in my opinion, a bit too brash and overpowering for a handbell tune played in a church.  My 22" Wuhan blended more gently without the harsh, long-lasting overtones.  In the closing measures of the piece, the gong is struck three times in a row.  By the third strike a large gong like the one this Methodist church used is drowning out the poor little handbells whereas in my case, the Wuhan produced a "striking" gong effect without drawing all the attention away from the main feature of the performance: the bells!

In addition to playing the gong part, I also covered the handbells G, A-flat and B-flat (4) which, I must say, makes me rather multitalented, ambidexterous and repercussatory.

Okay, repercussatory is not really a word, but neither is reperqussio for crying out loud.

If your church would like to play this piece and you need to borrow a gong, shoot the old - and I do mean elderly - misplacedmtnman a request in the comments section and he'll fix you up.  He also has a darbuka, a didgeridoo and a berimbau if anyone's interested, but no one usually is.