6. Performance Reporting

A.
Definitions
1.
Performance Title

A Performance Title takes the following form:

a) If the Performance was in a single Method / Variation:

  1. The number of Changes in the Performance;
  2. 'Variable Cover' if the Performance included a Variable Cover Composition (see Section 3.H.2);
  3. The Name of the Method / Variation rung;
  4. The Class Descriptor (if any) of the Method / Variation rung;
  5. The Stage Name of the Method / Variation rung.

b) If the Performance was in more than one Method / Variation:

  1. The number of Changes in the Performance;
  2. 'Variable Cover' if the Performance was of a Variable Cover Composition (see Section 3.H.2);
  3. 'Spliced' if the Performance was of a Spliced Composition (see Section 3.G.2);
  4. Optionally, 'Mixed' if the Performance included more than one Method / Variation, but was not of a Spliced Composition;
  5. The components of the Class Descriptors of the Methods rung that are common to all Methods in the Performance, if any, stated in the same order as given in 5.B.1;
  6. Optionally, 'Plain' can be included if the Methods / Variations rung in the Performance do not all have the same Class Descriptor, but are all members of the Plain Class of Methods. 'Plain' is included in the same position as Bob and Place in 5.B.1;
  7. Optionally, 'Treble Dodging' can be included if the Methods rung in the Performance do not all have the same Class Descriptor, but are all members of the Treble Dodging Class of Methods. 'Treble Dodging' is included in the same position as Treble Bob, Surprise and Delight in 5.B.1;
  8. The Stage Name(s) of the Methods / Variations rung in the Performance, listed in order of lowest Stage to highest Stage, with a comma inserted between Stage Names, except for the last pair of Stage Names which instead have 'and' inserted between them;
  9. Optionally, and in round brackets, the number of Methods / Variations rung in the Performance (if not included here, this information goes at the beginning of the Performance Detail -- see Section 6.A.2).

c) In order for Performance Titles not to mislead, if the highest Stage of Method / Variation rung in the Performance exceeds the Effective Stage of the Performance, then:

  1. Layout b) above is always used, even for a single Method / Variation Performance;
  2. The Effective Stage Name is used for b) 8 above, instead of the Stage Name(s) of the Method(s) / Variation(s) rung.

Examples: See Section 6.A.2 below for examples of Performance Titles.

2.
Performance Detail

The Performance Detail takes the following form:

a) If the Performance was in a single Method / Variation and the Effective Stage of the Performance was the same as the Stage of the Method / Variation, then the Performance Detail is left blank.

b) If the Performance was in more than one Method / Variation, or was in a single Method / Variation where the Effective Stage of the Performance was less than the Stage of the Method / Variation:

  1. The number of Methods / Variations rung in the Performance if this was not included at the end of the Performance Title;
  2. The number of Changes rung of each Method / Variation, together with the Name and, if not apparent from the Performance Title, the Class Descriptor and Stage of each Method / Variation;
  3. The number of Changes of Method / Variation ('com', 'cov', or 'com/v') in the Performance;
  4. Optionally, key features of the Composition such as 'atw' for 'all the work', and 'eld' for 'each lead different'.

c) Where a multi-Method Performance comprised multiple Round Blocks where each Round Block was a whole multiple of an Extent in Length (e.g. a Peal of 7 single Extent Round Blocks of Minor), the Performance Detail may optionally, and instead of b) 1 to 3 above, list the number(s) of the Extents in the order they were rung, and the Methods / Variations that were rung in each Round Block.

d) As an optional alternative to using the full Class Descriptor in the Performance Detail, the following abbreviations may be used instead:

  • Diff = Differential
  • L = Little
  • B = Bob
  • P = Place
  • S = Surprise
  • D = Delight
  • TB = Treble Bob
  • TP = Treble Place
  • A = Alliance
  • J = Jump

The above are combined as needed -- e.g. a Little Alliance Method is LA, a Differential Treble Place Method is Diff TP, etc.

Examples: Following are some examples of Performance Titles and Performance Details:

  • Performance Title: 1260 Plain Bob Minor
  • Performance Detail: [None required]
  • This is the most straightforward scenario, where a single Method was rung in a Performance.
  • Performance Title: 1251 Variable Cover Stedman Triples
  • Performance Detail: [None required]
  • Here a single Method was rung in a Performance, and the Performance included a Variable Cover Composition.
  • Performance Title: 5024 Spliced Surprise Major
  • Performance Detail: 8m: 640 each Bristol, Pudsey, Rutland, Superlative, Yorkshire; 608 each Cambridge, Lincolnshire, London; 120 com; atw
  • Since all the Methods rung in this Performance have a Surprise Class Descriptor, Surprise is included in the Performance Title and the Performance Detail only needs to include the Method Names.
  • Performance Title: 5040 Spliced Surprise Minor
  • Performance Detail: 9m: (1) Carlisle; (2-3) Beverley, Surfleet; (4) London, Wells; (5) York, Durham; (6) Norwich; (7) Cambridge
  • This is an example of a Performance comprising multiple Round Blocks where each Round Block was a whole multiple of an Extent in Length. Since the Performance was of Minor, the first Round Block was 720 Changes, the second Round Block was 1440 Changes, and the remaining Round Blocks were all 720 Changes.
  • Performance Title: 1280 Spliced Treble Dodging Major
  • Performance Detail: 3m: 416 each Cambridge Surprise, Megan Delight; 448 Imperial Treble Bob; 2 com; atw
  • In this example the Methods rung do not have the same Class Descriptor, but they are all Treble Dodging Methods. Treble Dodging may therefore optionally be included in the Performance Title (or otherwise the Performance Title is 1280 Spliced Major), and the Method Names and Class Descriptors are included in the Performance Detail.
  • Performance Title: 5000 Spliced Royal (8m)
  • Performance Detail: 800 each Dr No Diff S, Kananga S, Zorin S; 640 Largo A; 600 Jaws LA; 560 each Drax LA, Elektra A; 240 Nick Nack Diff; 139 com; atw
  • In this example the Methods rung do not have the same Class Descriptor, and they are not all either Plain or Treble Dodging Methods. Therefore no Class Descriptor is used in the Performance Title, and the Method Names and Class Descriptors are included in the Performance Detail. In this example, abbreviations for Class Descriptors have been used (Diff S for Differential Surprise, LA for Little Alliance, etc), and the number of methods rung has been included in round brackets at the end of the Performance Title, rather than at the beginning of the Performance Detail.
  • Performance Title: 1320 Mixed Plain Doubles
  • Performance Detail: 6m/v: (1-2) Grandsire; (3-4) St Simon's Bob; (5-6) St Martin's Bob; (7) April Day; (8) Kennington; (9-11) Plain Bob
  • This example comprises 4 Methods and 2 Variations. The two Variations, April Day and Kennington, are based on Plain Bob, and so are members of the Plain Class. Variations do not use Class Descriptors, so this Performance doesn't have a common Class Descriptor that can be used in the Performance Title. However, Plain may optionally be included in the Performance Title since all Methods and Variations rung are members of this Class. Mixed has also optionally been used in the Performance Title since this is a multi-Method Performance, but doesn't include a Spliced Composition. (Given the optional terms, this Performance Title could be any of: 1320 Mixed Plain Doubles, 1320 Mixed Doubles, 1320 Plain Doubles, or 1320 Doubles.)
  • Performance Title: 5040 Plain Doubles and Minor
  • Performance Detail: 2m: 2880 St Clement's Bob Minor; 2160 Grandsire Doubles; 6 com
  • Since this example is a multi-Stage Performance, the Stage Names are included in the Performance Detail. Also, although Plain Bob and Grandsire are both members of the Bob Class of Methods, Grandsire is an exception (see Section 5.F.1) in which the Bob Class Descriptor is not used. Bob therefore cannot be used in the Performance Title, but since St Clement's and Grandsire are both part of the Plain Class of Methods, Plain may optionally be included in the Performance Title (otherwise the Performance Title is 5040 Doubles and Minor).
  • Performance Title: 1392 Variable Cover Spliced Cinques and Maximus
  • Performance Detail: 2m: 528 Stedman Cinques; 864 Bristol Surprise Maximus; 3 com
  • This example shows the format for a Performance that was Variable Cover, Spliced, and multi-Stage.
  • Performance Title: 240 Triples
  • Performance Detail: 1m: 240 Martyrs Link Major
  • Martyrs Link has one Stationary Bell, and in this example, the Stationary Bell was not affected by any Calls. The Effective Stage of the Performance was therefore Triples. Since the Effective Stage is lower than the highest Stage of Method rung, the Performance Title and Performance Detail are constructed as above.
3.
Performance Norm

An aspect of a Performance that would reasonably be assumed unless stated otherwise.

4.
Ringing Style

One of the following styles in which method ringing is performed:
a) Towerbell Style: Full-circle ringing with rope and wheel, using handstroke and backstroke actions;
b) Handbell Style: Alternating upstrokes and downstrokes -- usually upstrokes for handstrokes and downstrokes for backstrokes;
c) Keyboard Style: Bells sound via presses on a keyboard, such as with Online Ringing (see Section 6.A.7) or a carillon;
d) Other Style: To be specified in Performance Reports, such as ringing on the frame or tapping bells;
e) Mixed Style: More than one of the above styles were used in a Performance.

5.
Distributed Ringing

Ringing in which the ringers were not all present in the same location.

6.
Simulator Ringing

Ringing that involves the use of, or takes place via, a computer-based ringing simulator.

Further explanation: The minimum involvement of a simulator is usually to play recorded or synthesised bell sounds when ringing real bells whose clappers are tied (e.g. for sound control purposes). This extends up to the simulator providing a simulation of a full ringing environment (e.g. visual and aural aspects), and possibly also simulating one or more of the ringers.

7.
Online Ringing

A subset of Simulator Ringing that takes place over a computer network.

Further explanation: Online Ringing often occurs with the ringers in different locations, in which case it is also Distributed Ringing. However, Online Ringing can also occur with all ringers in the same location, such as when a group of ringers, each with a laptop and headset, ring on a simulator such as 'Ringing Room' while all in the same room.

8.
Automated Ringing

Ringing in which the sounds of one or more bells were controlled, by whatever means, without human action.

Example: Automated Ringing occurs when a bell strikes at a time determined by a computer program.

Further explanation: Note that fully automated ringing (i.e. with no human ringers) is not considered a reportable Performance under the Framework.

B.
Content
1.

A Performance Report should include the following:
a) The Ringing Style used;
b) Whether any Automated Ringing was used;
c) The Location where the Performance was rung (not applicable for Distributed Ringing);
d) In the case of Simulator Ringing / Online Ringing, or ringing facilitated by other electronic means, the name of the ringing simulator (or other means) that was used to facilitate the ringing;
e) The date on which the Performance was rung;
f) The Performance Title;
g) The Performance Detail;
h) The names of the ringers in the Performance and the number(s) of the bell(s) each rang (and in the case of Automated Ringing, make clear which bells were not rung by human ringers);
i) In the case of Distributed Ringing, the approximate location of each ringer;
j) The names of any umpire(s) present.

Further explanation: In the case of Mixed Style for a), the Performance Report should include the Ringing Style used for each bell.

The Location in c) above should be sufficient to identify unambiguously where the performance was rung, eg: St Stephen, Ambridge, Borsetshire; Casterbridge Town Hall, Wessex; 23 Railway Cuttings, East Cheam.

In the case of a Performance on a boat or other moving object, the general location should be provided for c), with more detail provided in the footnote. E.g. Location: River Thames aboard the Ursula Katherine; Footnote: From Blackfriars Bridge to Woolwich.

For d), an example of other electronic means might be a distributed handbell band that is connected via telephone conference call.

If a Performance spans midnight, the date in e) above should be the date on which the Performance ended. In this case, bands may wish to include the start date (and perhaps the start or end time) in the footnote of the Performance Report.

For Distributed Ringing, the approximate location of each ringer in i) might be given as town / city, and county / state / country, as applicable.

2.

A Performance Report may also include additional information such as:
a) The society for which the Performance was rung;
b) Details of the Composition used in the Performance, or a reference to it;
c) The name(s) of the composer(s);
d) The time the Performance took to ring;
e) The weight and note of the tenor (towerbells) or the size and note of the tenor (handbells); and/or
f) Dedications and other footnotes.

Further explanation: Inclusion of the Composition per b) above is encouraged in all Performance Reports. Ideally the reader of a Performance Report should have enough information to be able to reproduce the Rows that were rung.

Time per d) above is encouraged for all Lengths, and should be included for Peal Lengths.

Where applicable, tenor weight / size and note per e) above is encouraged for all Lengths, and should be included for Peal Lengths. Tenor weight / size is normally not applicable for Online Ringing and/or ringing with dummy bells.

3.

The Performance Report of a Performance including one or more Methods / Variations that are not in the Methods / Variations Libraries should include the specification(s) and proposed Name(s) of those Method(s) / Variation(s).

C.
Performance Norms
1.

A Performance Report should state any aspect of the Performance that differed from a Performance Norm. Established Performance Norms are listed below, but the report should include any other aspect of the Performance that would not reasonably be assumed, and could be expected to alter some ringers' view of it.

2.

The following are considered Norms for all reported Performances:
a) The Performance was a Round Block that started and ended in Rounds;
b) The Performance was a True Touch, or a Touch with Accepted Truth;
c) The Performance was rung without interval;
d) For Performances using Handbell Style (see Section 6.A.4), the bells were retained in hand throughout the Performance;
e) The same person or persons rang each bell or bells continuously throughout the Performance;
f) Neither ringers nor conductor(s) used any physical aids to memory during the Performance;
g) No person not ringing provided any assistance in the execution of the ringing during the Performance, e.g. making calls, detecting or correcting errors;
h) If the name of a ringing simulator (or other means) is included in the Performance Report per 6.B.1 d), the norm is that simulated sound was used; otherwise the norm is that simulated sound was not used;
i) In any given Row of the Performance, all bells rang at the same stroke (i.e. all handstroke or all backstroke);
j) If Cover Bell(s) were used, these were in the highest Place(s) of the Rows;
k) Jump Changes were not used;
l) Only one Method, Variation or Call was used to define any one Change in the Performance;
m) A Performance with only one ringer was witnessed by an umpire;
n) The Performance was not part of a failed longer attempt; and
o) The Performance can be described using this Framework.

Further Explanation: For norm b), note that Accepted Truth encompasses True. See Section 3.J for definitions of these terms.

For norm c), the ethos of ringing is one of continuous performance. In the tower there is a clear distinction - the ringing either keeps going or it stops. But with handbell and keypress performances, and especially Distributed Ringing with keypresses, extended pauses are physically possible despite the ringers not intentionally stopping and re-starting. Rather than attempt to define a cutoff time, the Framework relies on the good judgement of the band in applying this norm.

For norm g), assistance such as passing someone a bottle of water, opening a window, or turning on a light is not considered assistance in the execution of the ringing.

For norm k), if Methods with Jump Changes were used, this will be evident from 6.B.1 f) or g) above, since these Methods include 'Jump' in their Titles. Therefore disclosure relating to Jump Changes is only required if Jump Calls (i.e. Calls involving Jump Changes) or Variations with Jump Changes were used, but Jump Methods (i.e. Methods involving Jump Changes) were not. (Note that Variations don't use Class Descriptors, so a Variation with Jump Changes won't have 'Jump' in its Title.)

Re: norm l), a 12-bell Performance could involve two Minor Methods rung on the front 6 and back 6 bells respectively. This is an example of a departure from norm l), and explanation should be provided in the footnotes.

For norm m), one person could (e.g.) ring a Performance of Minimus four in hand. The umpire provides corroboration that the Performance took place as reported. Note that if this norm is not followed (i.e. no umpire was present for a single person performance), this will be evident from 6.B.1 h) and j) above, so in practice no further disclosure is required.

For norm n), if, for example, an attempt to ring 7 Extents of Minor was lost in the 5th extent, the first 4 Extents are not normally considered to constitute a successful Performance. Similarly, if 7 Extents of Minor are rung but the 1st Extent is found to be false, the last 6 Extents are not normally considered to constitute a successful Performance. However, norm n) does not apply to Performances that were called round earlier than was intended at the outset of the attempt. It also does not apply to false starts, or to anything rung before or after the intended Performance.

Re: norm o), a Performance might start in the middle of a Row, or different Rows in a Performance might involve different numbers of bells ringing. These are examples of departures from norm o), and explanation should be provided in the footnotes.