Day 3 of our Handbell Advent celebration brings us “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” arranged by Donald Allured and performed by the wonderful Andante Handbell Ensemble. On it’s face this holiday classic by Bach doesn’t seem that hard, since there’s nothing particularly flashy about this chant-like hymn. But anyone who has tried to play this knows the eight notes…never…stop. Andante presses through the eighth note lines like a machine, never wavering in tempo or dropping a note. Surround that with the gloriously played melody and you have a world class handbell performance.

I also never noticed how much hemiola there was in this piece until I heard this group nail all the triplet over eighth note passages. Now I’m going to be listening for that every time I hear this piece.

Join us again tomorrow for day 4 of Handbell Advent!