[r-t] Tritonian S. Max

[Philip Earis]

Jack: "Here is a new London over method with a regular half lead: Tritonian 
S. Maximus &3x3.4x2x3.4x2.5.2x2.7.4x6.9.8x0.E, le 2 [d]"

Thanks for sharing.

I like the way there's a run off the front (either little bell or involving 
the tenors) in every lead of the course.  This is quite an unusual property 
in treble-dodging maximus methods (and Bristol doesn't have this feature, 
for example).

On the flip side, though, the formulaic London overwork coupled with the 
d-group leadend order means runs at the back are rather sparsely 
distributed.  4 of the 11 leads of the plain course don't have any runs over 
the treble, with a further 2 leads just containing a pair of 4-bell runs (in 
Bristol all leads have runs at the back, as indeed will any f-group London 
over treble-dodging max method - one of the rare positive features of 
Newgate etc).

It is also a nice feature that, as you say, "To get the regular half lead I 
made coursing pairs work together in 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, and 9-0 under the 
treble", though this is a slight approximation given bells 2 & 5 find 
themselves together on the front, just 4 changes into the method :-)

On a small point, have you investigated modifying Tritonian to replace the 
2x2 section with x to produce a slightly concentrated alliance method? This 
might allow more compositional possibilities.

More generally, though, does anyone still ring towerbell peals of new single 
surprise maximus methods?  Isn't this a bit like trying to construct a new 
house out of only one, identical building block?

A quick analysis by decade of the date single surprise max methods were 
first pealed on towerbells shows:

Decade  # new S Max Methods rung in single-method peals:
1900s    1
1910s    0
1920s    3
1930s    3
1940s    9
1950s    16
1960s    15
1970s    49
1980s    67
1990s    115
2000s    65
2010s    10

It does look like we're well over "peak single method" peals, at least on 
higher numbers.  Contrary to what some may think, this is no bad reflection 
on the health of ringing.