The Bonnie Ship, The Diamond

The Bonnie Ship, The Diamond, 3 octaves, level 2, 2020, Score Exchange

This is an arrangement of a song about an early 19th century Scottish whaling ship known as “The Bonnie Ship, The Diamond,” which for several years headed back and forth on the dangerous journey from Scotland through the pack ice to the Davis Strait between Greenland and Canada. In 1819 the ship got trapped in pack ice and over months, despite valiant efforts of the sailors, who were able to be rescued, the ship was crushed flat by the Greenland ice.

This arrangement for 3-octaves handbells, and optional audience vocal interjections, rainstick, drum and tambourine, is designed to be shorter, and accessible, yet ensuring all ringers have interesting parts, and includes handbell techniques martellato lift, and shake.

Add to the audience participation fun by having the audience (on cue) shout “Heave” and “Yeah” and with some “wobbling” of paper sheet to simulate sails in the wind!

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