Compositions of Spliced Surprise Royal

5040 6-14 Spliced Surprise Royal

by Graham A C John

23456 W  H 6 Methods          7 Methods          8 Methods         
24356    s AKAKAK.            AKAKAK.            BKBKBK.
32456    - POHLPAOOA,         POHLPAOON,         PONLPAOOA,
45326 -  - HOLHH,PHLL,        HONHH,PHLL,        NONHN,PNLL,
34526    - OHHPOLLHL,         OHHPONLHL,         ONHPONLNL,
53426    - HLHAHOLLH,         HLHAHOLLH,         HLHAHOLLN,
42536 -  - HLOAH,PHLA,        HLONH,PHNA,        HLOAH,PHNA,
54236    - LHPHLOAHL,         LHPHLOAHN,         LHPHLOAHN,
23546 -  - PAAOP,HPPH,        PANOP,HPPH,        PAAOP,NPPH,
52346    - APLLAAHPP,         APLLANHPP,         APLLAAHPP,
35246 ss � LHOOL.KAKAKA.HPHP, LHOOL.KAKAKA.HPHP, LHOOL.KBKBKB.HPHP,
43256 -    OPALO,LOAO         OPANO,LONO         OPANO,LOAO
25436 -  - LAPPL,LLAH,        NNPPN,LNAH,        NAPPN,LNAH,
34256 -  s ALLHA,HAOO.        NNLHN,HNOO.        ANLNA,HAOO.
23456    - KAKAKA,            KAKAKA,            KBKBKB,           

23456 W  H 9 Methods          10 Methods         11 Methods        
24356    s SKSKSK.            SKSKSK.            SKSKSK.
32456    - POALPAOOB,         PWALPAOWB,         PWULPAOWB,
45326 -  - AONHA,PALL,        AONHA,PALL,        UONHU,PULL,
34526    - OAHPONLAL,         OAHPONLAL,         OUHPONLUL,
53426    - HLHAHOLLA,         HLHAHWLLA,         HLHAHWLLU,
42536 -  - HLOBH,PHNA,        HLOBH,PHNA,        HLOBH,PHNA,
54236    - LHPHLOAHN,         LHPHLOAHN,         LHPHLOAHN,
23546 -  - PABOP,APPH,        PABWP,APPH,        PABWP,UPPH,
52346    - APLLABHPP,         APLLABHPP,         APLLABHPP,
35246 ss � LHOOL.KSKSKS.HPHP, LHWOL.KSKSKS.HPHP, LHWOL.KSKSKS.HPHP,
43256 -    OPANO,LOBO         WPANW,LWBO         WPANW,LWBO
25436 -  - NBPPN,LNAH,        NBPPN,LNAH,        NBPPN,LNAH,
34256 -  s BNLAB,HBOO.        BNLAB,HBOW.        BNLUB,HBOW.
23456    - KSKSKS,            KSKSKS,            KSKSKS,           

23456 W  H 12 Methods         13 Methods         14 Methods        
24356    s SKSKSK.            SKSKSK.            SKSKSK.
32456    - QWULQAOWB,         QWULQAOWB,         QWUIQAOWB,
45326 -  - UONHU,PULL,        UONDU,PULL,        UONDU,PULI,
34526    - OUHQONLUL,         OUHQONLUL,         OUHQONIUL,
53426    - HLHAHWLLU,         HLDAHWLLU,         HIDAHWLIU,
42536 -  - HLOBH,QHNA,        DLOBD,QDNA,        DLOBD,QDNA,
54236    - LHPHLOAHN,         LDPHLOADN,         LDPHLOADN,
23546 -  - PABWP,UPQH,        PABWP,UPQH,        PABWP,UPQH,
52346    - APLLABHPQ,         APLLABHPQ,         APILABHPQ,
35246 ss � LHWOL.KSKSKS.HQHP, LHWOL.KSKSKS.DQHP, IHWOI.KSKSKS.DQHP,
43256 -    WQANW,LWBO         WQANW,LWBO         WQANW,LWBO
25436 -  - NBQPN,LNAH,        NBQPN,LNAD,        NBQPN,INAD,
34256 -  s BNLUB,HBOW.        BNLUB,HBOW.        BNLUB,HBOW.
23456    - KSKSKS,            KSKSKS,            KSKSKS,           

Methods               6     7    8    9   10   11   12   13   14
Aldsworth         1,080   720  720  720  720  360  360  360  360
Horsleydown       1,080 1,080  720  720  720  720  720  360  360
Inkersall (K)       360   360  360  360  360  360  360  360  360
Llandaff          1,080   720  720  720  720  720  720  720  360
Pudsey              720   720  720  720  720  720  360  360  360
Solihull (O)        720   720  720  720  360  360  360  360  360
Narborough                720  720  360  360  360  360  360  360
Birmingham                     360  360  360  360  360  360  360
Superlative no 2                    360  360  360  360  360  360
Wexham                                   360  360  360  360  360
Butterwell (U)                                360  360  360  360
Queensgate                                         360  360  360
Dodford                                                 360  360
Idlicote                                                     360
Changes of method   107   111  114  116  119  119  122  122  125

In the 1988 Christmas issue of The Ringing World, Roddy Horton�s tenors together, 14 methods all-the-work (atw) Spliced Surprise Royal was published. His composition is based on sets of three methods rotated through three courses to achieve atw. In the accompanying review, PJS says that the composition unavoidably includes two methods rung in full courses. When reading this at the time, I thought the word �unavoidably� to be suspect and soon satisfied myself that it was indeed possible to avoid full courses in a standard peal length.

Obviously, if fifteen courses were rung rather than fourteen, then five groups of three methods can be used to solve the problem. Although this results in a composition which is a course too long, it is the key to the solution. By choosing a method which has a lead order equivalent to two leads of its partner method, a six lead course is produced. For example, a course of Group A methods can be shortened by the addition of a B group method, giving ABABAB. Three of these courses gives atw and omits nine leads (i.e. the fifteenth method).

There is, of course, a snag with this approach. The plan relies on using three courses rotated by three calls at the same position, but one of the calling positions has been thrown out with the omitted method. This has to be overcome by singling in the third course between different calling positions.

Following resolution of this problem, another factor to consider is whether the distribution of the other methods can be improved, since each set of three methods tend to occur in adjacent courses. One answer to this is to use a larger related group of courses, such as the 12 courses with the six home. This contains four sets of three courses related by Wrongs and four sets related by Homes. One set can be used for the calls and the other for the method rotation. However, this solution only separates the three courses in each set. Ideally, it would be better to disperse the methods within the courses if possible.

Tenors together, atw sets of leads exist for many complete groups of related courses, of which the three course group for Royal is just one example. This composition uses a twelve method atw group where the nine leads of each method are spread among seven of the twelve courses of the group. This combined with the technique described above for the remaining two methods, allows an atw composition to be produced with excellent distribution and a change of method every lead.

Having worked out the arrangement of hypothetical methods which gives atw, the next job was to find out which real methods fit the composition. Unfortunately, having fifteen courses with the six home increases the falseness and severely restricts the method choice. Nevertheless, a reasonable variety of line has been included. Arrangements of the composition with 6-13 methods are included for those bands wishing to build up to 14 methods.

January 1995.


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