Name: Ring Wild Bells
Start: 2026-05-02T16:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-05-02T17:15:00-05:00
Location: St. Philip Presbyterian Church

CRASH! BANG! BOOM! Sounds as words. In the vivid imagination of Edgar Allan Poe, exquisite language evokes the ringing of bells in an astonishing way. Whether it’s the tinkling of Silver Bells, the molten-golden notes of Wedding Bells, the shrieking, brazen Alarum Bells, or the low tolling of the Iron Bells, Poe’s onomatopoetic verses place its listeners inside a world of wonder and resonance. Composer and conductor, David York took up the challenge to turn Poe’s magical poetry into a suite of songs for chamber choir and handbells. Commissioned by Bells of the Cascades in 2001 and subsequently performed by numerous ensembles across the nation, “The Bells” will be heard for the first time in this region when Houston Bronze Ensemble collaborates with members from Houston Masterworks Chorus for their Spring concert, “Ring Wild Bells.”
Houston Bronze Ensemble is proud to reprise “Te Recuerdo” by Jason Krug, commissioned by Wilson Van Tine and premiered in 2015. In addition to modern hits by Matthew Compton, Alex Guebert, Michael Joy, Kevin McChesney, and William Payn, you’ll hear masterful transcriptions of true blue classics - Bach’s “Little Fugue” and George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.”
Always family friendly and fascinating to watch and hear, a concert of Houston Bronze Ensemble is a display of virtuosic handbell ringing and an inspiring demonstration of human achievement. Concerts are free to all. Donations encouraged.