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Bells: in British and European scores usually tubular bells (chimes) or real bells; in American usage, orchestral bells means the glockenspiel — the score’s instrument list decides.
Labels the bells staff — Bells, Tubular Bells or Chimes — on the first system, with an abbreviation thereafter; older scores may use the composer’s own language (Cloches, Glocken, Campane). Tubular bells are normally written at pitch in the treble clef, while a glockenspiel labelled bells sounds two octaves above the written notes.
Also spelled: Bell
Decide which bells you mean and name them in the instrument list: tubular bells (a chromatic set of about an octave and a half from middle C) for church-bell effects, glockenspiel for bright, high sparkle, cast bells only where they can be obtained. Bells ring on, so mark damping where the resonance should stop, and avoid fast passages on tubular bells — each note is a separate hammer stroke.
Tchaikovsky, 1812 Overture, Op. 49, part headed “Cloches” (bells): this edition prints the note “The bells should be big; their intonation neutral; they should be struck so as to simulate festive ringing.”
Bells is one of 1755 terms in the Gradus musical dictionary: the words, abbreviations and instrument names that appear in printed scores, plus the vocabulary composers use to talk about them.
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