[r-t] A Review of Diary Compositions

[Mark Davies]

> All this talk about peal comps - some of the 1/4 peals ones are in need
> of updating.  The surprise major ones come to mind.

Blimey, yes. Don't get me started Alan!

Can you suggest some better arrangements though?

The Don writes,

> the consensus seemed to be in favor of keeping more of the old warhorses,
> in the belief that they would be more useful for people refreshing their
> memories at the last minute.

I find this sort of attitude pretty objectionable to be honest - basically
it means those "old warhorses" will be perpetuated beyond their natural
lifespan. Imagine if you're the sort of conductor who always looks things up
from the Diary. Yes, those compositions will become more and more familiar.
Eventually you won't be willing or able to learn anything else - it's
self-perpetuating. I'm sorry, ringers are conservative enough as it is
without having this kind of encouragement. Think of the suffering of the
bands!

You see, I believe this is one of those things that really stifles
innovation and new thinking. Yes, the Diary should contain compositions that
are easy to learn. But NO it shouldn't contain things purely on the grounds
that old men will remember them from the 60's. Yes, the Diary should contain
easy touches, and yes, it clearly shouldn't be at the bleeding edge of
innovation, but neither should it ignore two decade's worth of fantastic new
compositional ideas that pretty much every band out there is trying these
days.

You know Don, *I'm* not familiar with any of the current compositions in the
Diary, because I've never called them and never will. To me, in its current
form, it's worthless. And I'm sure that's also the case for many other
conductors.

What about choice of methods, too? OK I know I have particular fetishes in
this area, and many people apparently enjoy the barren emptiness of music
off the front in Rutland Major or Cambridge Royal and Max. However, there is
a hell of a lot more Bristol and Yorkshire Major rung than say Lincolnshire,
why cannot we have at least two compositions of the former, and only one of
the latter? Why not a peal of Uxbridge to replace one of the Rutlands?
Moving to Maximus, why nothing for Yorkshire? OK there are two (two!!) for
Cambridge Max, and both apparently true to Yorkshire, but really this is
poor.

So, let's have some suggestions for new methods for the Diary please, and
sample compositions.

MBD