How Firm a Foundation
Commissioned by a church in Texas for its 125th anniversary, this arrangement of the American folk hymn tune has been set for 3, 4 or 5 octaves of bells. After a short introduction the melody enters in the bass bells with the mid-range bells on chords and the upper bells "dancing" around with ornamentation. A little later the registers "trade" textures. A quicker section involves the use of mallets on tabled bells in the lower voices and the upper bells on the melody in octaves. A broad section finishes the work.