Handbell Musicians of America

[Martyn Croft HSA Tasmania]

Martyn Croft HSA Tasmanian State Representative, Australia

I am saddened to read the message sent by Debbie Rice and kindly forwarded to us all by Carmel, telling of the passing of Donald Allured.

At the beginning of my association with handbells, I too, discovered his writings and compositions and as then a raw beginner in the world of ringing, I looked to his wisdom, skill and advice to guide my own thinking and approach. One of the key phrases in is text that I pondered and that became a mainspring for my own endeavours, both as a ringer and as a Musical Director of other ringers, ran something to the effect that: "In handbell ringing, ringing the right note at the right time is only the beginning, not the end."

In his passing we mourn the departure from this world of a major figure in the history of handbell ringing. At the same time, we rejoice in the inspiration that his writings, his music and, supremely, Donald himself have become for so many, throughout the world of handbell ringing.
Martyn Croft
Tasmanian State Representative
Handbell Society of Australasia