European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 28, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 16 the stars and stripes monday april 28, 1986 Paula Hanmann right is one of More than to Bell ringers who performed at the european handball festival at Ramstein a. The handball choirs Range in age and experience level. Even children below can join. By Paul Cozby Kaiserslautern Bureau if Paula Hanmann was nervous about he upcoming Solo she did t show  two octave set of gleaming brass handbills Lay on Bright red cloth which covered the table before her. With White gloved hands she grabbed a Large Bell Here a Small Bell there to play the hymn he shall feed his flock. The Low notes and High notes rung in Quick succession resonated through the Ramstein elementary school auditorium. For Hanmann the ensuing applause capped a trip from Oslo Norway to Germany for her performance at the 2nd annual european handball festival at Ramstein a. I was an original member of the Bell choir at Ramstein she said. When i left Here last june i told myself i was t going to miss  More than 100 Bell ringers in six choirs came from England Belgium France Norway and Germany to participate in the festival. The choirs ranged in age group and experience level but All were formed from military personnel and dependents stationed throughout Europe. Loren Yates 21, plays the Organ by ear but can t read music. A Friend got him interested in the Wei Brocken choir. I just went to see what it was. I was an alternate at first he said. Not Reading the music in t a problem. I the Sweet sounds of is photos by l. A Ament Lewis or. Keep time by tapping my foot and Mark on the Sheet where i m supposed to ring handball choirs got their Start in England when ringers of massive and loud Steeple Bells faced complaints from those living near the churches. To practice the Bell ringers developed hand held Bells. Choirs evolved As Bells were added to increase the Range of notes. The Art did not reach the United states until the 1920s, and it was Only in the 1950s that musicians began composing and arranging Large bodies of work for Bell choirs. The ringers hold Bells in each hand with the Mouth of the Bell pointed up and the Edge resting against a shoulder. White gloves Are mandatory Normal Oil from human skin will take the brass finish off and ruin the Bell. Ringers produce a note by thrusting the Bell out sharply which snaps the rubber Clapper into the brass. Varying the motion of the Arm can alter the sound by adding a vibrato increasing the length of time the note resonates or sharply ending the note. A Complete set of Bells covers two octaves and costs about $2,000, said Lee Ann Davis publicist for the festival. Larger choirs will have several sets. Befitting the Church Steeple origins much of the music for handball choirs is adapted from hymns. But Ramstein s Junior High choir played a Medley of patriotic songs and a quartet formed of ringers from various choirs rang twinkle twinkle Little Star on a set of dutch Bells. The festival got its Start when american Bell choir enthusiasts in Europe sought a solution for the Lack of literature and instruction available Here. As members of the american Guild of English handball ringers choirs in Europe belonged to the new York area of that organization. But festivals in the United states were too costly to attend said fran Hadley who came to Ramstein from shape Belgium. The Benefit of festivals is that smaller choirs get to learn from the bigger choirs Hadley said. We were missing that  the choir at shape organized and hosted the first festival last year. A third gathering already is planned for Frankfurt next year