Category Archives: Christmas and Holiday Music

New Handbell Music for Christmas – It Came Upon the Midnight Clear – for 6 Bells and Piano

It Came Upon the Midnight Clear is our latest carol arrangement. Since Larry had his shoulder surgery in May, we’ve been enjoying the challenge of working on some handbell arrangements that can be played using only six bells, with piano accompaniment. Larry doesn’t need to wear his sling any more. However, he’s been putting it on for the last few 6-bell demonstration videos, because why waste a perfectly good sling?

Larry’s arrangement of It Came Upon the Midnight Clear has no bell changes, no shared bells, and needs no tables, so it would work perfectly for a small ensemble to play.

Would this piece work for your small handbell ensemble?

If you’d like to play It Came Upon the Midnight Clear, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus, our music site. An mp3 accompaniment track is also available to purchase separately, for anyone who doesn’t have a pianist available or wants to practise at home.

And look! There are more!

We have several other arrangements of this hymn, all available from Choraegus, and all suitable for socially-distanced handbell groups:

An 8-bell (unaccompanied) arrangement

A 12-bell arrangement

An 8-bell arrangement of the traditional English melody NOEL, also used for this carol

Please note that sheet music from Choraegus is designed to be downloaded as PDFs. You’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Purchase of a 6-bell arrangement allows you to print and maintain up to three copies for your handbell group (plus the accompaniment score). Purchase also gives permission for recording, broadcasting, live-streaming and online video-sharing. See our licensing agreement for full details. Please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites and social media, as well as in any printed materials.

If you haven’t purchased music online from Choraegus before, you might like to look at our step-by-step guide. We designed this to help you navigate the purchase and download process in a (we hope!) stress-free way.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about our music, please start by reading our Frequently-Asked Questions. Please contact us if you don’t find the answers you need, and we’ll do what we can to help!

Christmas and holiday entertainment handbells with handbell duo Larry and Carla

New 6-Bell Music for Advent and Christmas – O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Looking for 6-bell music for Advent? As handbell choirs cautiously plan for the fall rehearsal season, and look forward (perhaps with some uncertainty) to upcoming Christmas performances, we’re pleased to offer another 6-bell arrangement that would work for a handbell duo or trio. It’s the beautiful carol O Come, O Come, Emmanuel – for six handbells and piano.

“O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.”

If you’d like to play O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus, our music site. An mp3 accompaniment track is also available to purchase separately. This could be useful for anyone who doesn’t have a pianist available or wants to practise at home.

Other versions of this hymn, available from Choraegus:

An 8-bell (unaccompanied) arrangement

A “surprisingly-easy” 8-bell arrangement

A 16-bell arrangement

An arrangement for 3-5 octaves of handbells and 3 octaves of handchimes (Level 3+)

Information about Choraegus handbell music

Please note that sheet music from Choraegus is designed to be downloaded as PDFs. You’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Purchase of a 6-bell arrangement allows you to print and maintain up to three copies for your handbell group (plus the accompaniment score). Purchase also gives permission for recording, broadcasting, live-streaming and sharing on video-sharing sites, church websites and social media. See our licensing agreement for full details. Please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites and social media, and in any printed materials.

If you haven’t purchased music online from Choraegus before, you might like to look at our step-by-step guide, designed to help you navigate the purchase and download process in a (we hope!) stress-free way.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about our music, please start by reading our Frequently-Asked Questions. If you don’t find the answers you need, please contact us, and we’ll do what we can to help!

6-bell music for Advent - O Come, O Come Emmanuel

New Handbell Music for Christmas – Angels We Have Heard on High

We’ve been playing one of our 8-bell arrangements of Angels We Have Heard on High since Christmas 2014. A couple of years ago, Larry was inspired to write a completely new arrangement of the same carol, in a different key. We’ve played it for the last couple of Christmases, but for some unknown reason, we’ve never made it available on our music site. Finally, here it is!

This arrangement is a little more challenging than the first arrangement, but it’s fun!

Would you like to play this arrangement?

If you’d like to play Angels We Have Heard on High, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus. There are three demonstration videos on the same page. If you want this one, make sure you select Standard Version 2 when you add it to your shopping cart! Purchasing this arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to four copies for your handbell group – so you only need to pay once. Purchase gives permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming, and sharing online. See our licensing agreement for full details. Please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites, printed materials, and social media.

Please note that our music is designed to be downloaded as PDFs, so you’ll be responsible for printing your own music. You won’t receive anything in the mail. If you haven’t purchased music online from Choraegus before, you might like to look at our step-by-step guide. We designed this to help you navigate the purchase and download process in a stress-free way.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about our music, please start by reading our Frequently-Asked Questions. If you don’t find the answers you need, please contact us, and we’ll do what we can to help!

Angels We Have Heard on High - 8 bells and piano
Christmas bells!

New Handbell Music – 4th Surprisingly-Easy 8-Bell Christmas Collection

We’re pleased to announce the arrival of our 4th Surprisingly-Easy 8-Bell Christmas Collection!

We refer to our Surprisingly-Easy arrangements as “All of the music, but without the twiddly bits” If you’re looking for some new handbell pieces to enhance your worship service, but you don’t want them to take too long to learn, this collection could be the answer. If you’re part of a duo, trio or quartet, or you’re looking for music that your handbell choir can play while social distancing, these hymns could be what you’re looking for. These simple 8-bell arrangements are also ideal for holiday gigs! They’re great for playing at Salvation Army Red Kettles, or in places where space is limited. Forget tables and foam pads; simply take along your bells, sheet music, and music stands, and you’re all set!

What’s in the collection?

This 4th Surprisingly-Easy Christmas Collection includes some of the more unusual Christmas carols from around the world:

  • Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella
  • From Starry Skies Descending
  • O du Fröhliche
  • Pat-a-Pan
  • People, Look East
  • The Angel Gabriel
  • The Friendly Beasts
  • Joy to the World

How to get the sheet music

If you’d like to play any of these arrangements, sheet music for the collection and each individual title is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus, our music site.

As always, we recommend that you read the licensing agreement before buying music from us, especially if this is your first time downloading music from Choraegus. Please also note that our music is designed to be downloaded as PDFs, so you’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Purchasing an eight-bell arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to four copies for your handbell group, and also gives you permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and sharing online.

Other hymn collections and Christmas collections are also available from Choraegus, as well as our standard eight-bell arrangements – some more challenging than others.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about buying or playing our music, please check our Frequently-Asked Questions first. If you don’t find the answer you’re looking for, please get in touch with us, and we’ll be happy to help.

Handbell duo Larry and Carla - Christmas Handbells at Ridge Point Community Church, Holland, MI

New Handbell Music – Kingsfold, arranged for 6 Bells and Piano

Kingsfold is one of the pieces we performed in the virtual concert at the recent HMA Area 12 “Handbell Encounters” conference.

Kingsfold is an old English tune, also known as Dives and Lazarus. We use it as the setting for the hymns I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say and When Life Well Lived Is At An End. It’s also the Christmas carol O Sing a Song of Bethlehem. People in folk circles know the song as the Irish ballad The Star of the County Down, and also as My Love Nell. Yes, it’s a very versatile tune!

Our 6-bell arrangement is suitable for 2 or 3 ringers to play. Handbell groups are looking for ways to keep playing, with fewer people and social distancing – and this is one of the ways!

Would you like to play this piece?

If you’d like to play Kingsfold, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus, our music site. You can also purchase a separate mp3 accompaniment track. This could be useful if you don’t have a willing accompanist, or want to rehearse at home.

Important information about Choraegus music

Please note that our music is designed to be downloaded as PDFs. You’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Purchasing a 6-bell arrangement allows you to print up to three copies for your handbell group (plus the accompaniment score). Purchase also gives permission for recording, broadcasting, live-streaming and sharing on video-sharing sites, church websites and social media. See our licensing agreement for full details. Please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites and social media, and in any printed materials.

If you haven’t purchased music online from Choraegus before, you might like to look at our step-by-step guide. We designed this to help you navigate the purchase and download process in a (we hope!) stress-free way.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about our music, please start by reading our Frequently-Asked Questions. Please contact us if you don’t find the answers you need, and we’ll be happy to help!

New Accompanied 6-Bell Music for Christmas – Silent Night

Too early for Christmas music? Can we have a Silent Night for handbells this early in the year? We’ve definitely heard of “Christmas in July”! This seems like a good time to introduce our latest arrangement for six bells, a piano and an optional sling!

We recorded this version of Silent Night for handbells and piano several months ago, in a desperate attempt to make a Michigan spring day look like Christmas. We failed, of course. No amount of red clothing or poinsettia music-stand decorations will disguise the sunshine outside! Well, at least we tried, and you’ll get an idea of how the music should sound.

Feeling Christmassy?

If you’d like to play Silent Night, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus, our music site. An mp3 accompaniment track is also available to purchase separately, for anyone who doesn’t have a pianist available or wants to practise at home.

Please note that sheet music from Choraegus is designed to be downloaded as PDFs, so you’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Purchasing this 6-bell arrangement allows you to print and maintain up to three copies for your handbell group (plus the accompaniment score), and also gives permission for recording, broadcasting, live-streaming and sharing on video-sharing sites, church websites and social media. See our licensing agreement for full details, and please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites and social media, and in any printed materials such as church service bulletins.

If you haven’t purchased music online from Choraegus before, you might like to look at our step-by-step guide, designed to help you navigate the purchase and download process in a (we hope!) stress-free way.

Looking for a version that doesn’t need piano accompaniment?

If you’re looking for handbell pieces that don’t need accompaniment tracks and can be played by 2 – 4 ringers, we also have an 8-bell version of Silent Night that you might like to try!

Any questions?

If you have any questions about our music, please start by reading our Frequently-Asked Questions. If you don’t find the answers you need, please contact us, and we’ll do what we can to help!

Silent Night - handbells and piano

New Accompanied 6-Bell Music – Creator of the Stars of Night

While Larry’s been recovering from shoulder surgery, we’ve enjoyed working on some music that only needs six bells and piano. Our latest 6-bell arrangement is the Advent hymn Creator of the Stars of Night.

This hymn is based on a 7th-century Latin plainchant Conditor alme Siderum. It’s one of the oldest pieces of music in our repertoire! It proved impossible for us to create a December mood for our demonstration recording. However, we can easily imagine this piece being played at an Advent or Christmas Eve service. It would be extra special by candlelight!

Would you like to play this piece?

This arrangement is straightforward to play as a duet, or by a trio of three ringers if you prefer just two bells each. The sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus, our music site. An mp3 accompaniment track is also available to purchase separately, for anyone who doesn’t have a pianist available or wants to practise at home.

If you’re looking for handbell pieces that don’t need accompaniment tracks and can be played by 2-4 ringers, we also have an 8-bell version of Creator of the Stars of Night that you might also like to try!

Information about Choraegus handbell music

Sheet music from Choraegus is designed to be downloaded as PDFs. You’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Purchasing this 6-bell arrangement allows you to print and maintain up to three copies for your handbell group (plus the accompaniment score). Purchase also gives permission for recording, broadcasting, live-streaming and sharing on video-sharing sites, church websites and social media. See our licensing agreement for full details. Please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites and social media, and in any printed materials.

If you haven’t purchased music online from Choraegus before, you might like to look at our step-by-step guide, designed to help you navigate the purchase and download process in a (we hope!) stress-free way.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about our music, please start by reading our Frequently-Asked Questions. If you don’t find the answers you need, please contact us, and we’ll do what we can to help!

Creator of the Stars of Night - 6-bell music

Handbell Music for 16 Bells – Available from Choraegus

Handbell music for 16 bells can be a worthwhile thing to think about. During this time of social distancing, people have been finding creative ways to keep handbell music in worship services. Larry has been busy writing lots more handbell arrangements, including some that use as few as six bells.

Getting back to handbell rehearsals… cautiously

As people start to venture out more, and limited gatherings are allowed, we’re still conscious of the need to maintain physical distance. Handbell groups are still looking for ways to be able to get back to making music. However, they don’t want ringers to stand close together, or to share bells or equipment. For groups with more than two or three ringers who want to get together, 16-bell music could be be a useful addition to your handbell ensemble’s repertoire.

16-bell music can be played by a quartet, with each person playing four bells each, or by eight people with two bells each, or anything in between. If you have extra people, you can always add some handchimes or percussion! Our sixteen-bell arrangements have no bell changes, so they can be played with a socially-distanced group using music stands, without the need for tables or bell-sharing.

Here are a couple of examples of what’s available:

Well-Tempered Clavier, Prelude No.1 (16-bell version)
Sleeping Beauty Waltz (16 Bell Version)

There are also several hymn arrangements, including Come, Thou Almighty King and It Is Well With My Soul, as well as music suitable for Advent and Christmas.

How difficult is Choraegus 16-bell music?

Our 16-bell arrangements have plenty of challenges, to keep them interesting to play. If you’ve ever tried our 8-bell or 12-bell arrangements, you’ll know that having fewer bells doesn’t necessarily mean the music’s going to be simple! The bells used for each piece are shown on the score, and also on each relevant page on our music site, so you can make sure that you have the necessary bells before you make your purchase. Some arrangements are trickier than others, some are more straightforward – but none are boring!

handbell music for 16 bells, from Choraegus
Wonderful Grace of Jesus – 16-bell arrangement

More information about buying music from Choraegus

Our 16-bell titles are available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus, our music site. As always, we strongly recommend that you read the licensing agreement before buying music from us, especially if this is your first time downloading music from Choraegus.

Please also note that our music is designed to be downloaded as PDFs. You’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Purchasing a 16-bell arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to eight copies for your handbell group. Purchase also gives permission for recording, broadcasting, live-streaming and sharing. See our licensing agreement for full details. Please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites and social media.

If you haven’t purchased music online from Choraegus before, you might like to look at our step-by-step guide, designed to help you navigate the purchase and download process in a (we hope!) stress-free way.

Any questions? Please ask!

If you have any questions about purchasing or playing our music, please start by reading our Frequently-Asked Questions. If you don’t find the answers you need, please contact us, and we’ll do what we can to help. We hope you’ll enjoy playing our 16-bell music!

Handbell Music for Just 6 Bells – a Whole New Adventure!

Larry’s recent shoulder surgery means that his right arm is going to be in a sling for a while. How can we continue playing handbell duets? The solution is obvious: with handbell music for just 6 bells!

Our first 6-bell arrangement is the traditional Scottish Gaelic tune BUNESSAN, first published in 1888 as the setting for Mary Macdonald’s Christmas carol Child in the Manger. It’s most often sung as Eleanor Farjeon’s popular hymn Morning Has Broken, and in recent years, the tune has also been used for Baptized in Water with lyrics by Michael Saward.

Of course, there’s no need to have one arm in a sling to be able to play this piece. The music could be played by three people with two bells each, by a duo with three bells each, or by one 4-in-hand ringer with a less-experienced duet partner. Maybe even by an intrepid 6-in-hand ringer? The arrangement has a flowing piano accompaniment, and sheet music for this is included with the handbell score.

Would you like to play this piece?

If you’d like to play this arrangement, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus, our music site. An mp3 accompaniment track is also available to purchase separately.

Please note that our music is designed to be downloaded as PDFs. You’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Purchasing this arrangement allows you to print and maintain up to three copies for your handbell group (plus the accompaniment score). Purchase also gives permission for recording, broadcasting, live-streaming and sharing. See our licensing agreement for full details. Please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites and social media.

If you haven’t purchased music online from Choraegus before, you might like to look at our step-by-step guide, designed to help you navigate the purchase and download process in a (we hope!) stress-free way.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about our music, please start by reading our Frequently-Asked Questions. If you don’t find the answers you need, please contact us, and we’ll do what we can to help!

handbell music for just 6 bells
Morning has broken – at Bay View, Michigan

Getting into the Holiday Season!

The holiday season tends to start early in the handbell world. We’ve been rehearsing Christmas music with the Kalamazoo Ringers for a number of weeks now. However, we put off starting our own Christmas duet practising until after our Be Still, My Soul concert in Gregory.

The time is now here, and we’re starting to work on Christmas music. We’re getting ready for the first of our holiday performances, at the Kerstmarkt in Downtown Holland, on Friday, November 29th. This European-style market is an annual event here in Holland, and this will be our third year there. It’s always a fun and festive shopping opportunity, and a chance to enjoy delicious food and watch interesting demonstrations by local craftspeople.

If you’re in need of Christmas music for your own handbell ensemble to play, we have plenty of pieces available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus, our music site. We have full-choir pieces, 16-bell pieces, 12- and 8-bell music, and even handbell solos!

We still have some limited availability for holiday handbell performances in December – so if you’d like West Michigan’s smallest handbell choir to come and play at your event, worship service or holiday party, please get in touch. If we can’t fit you into our schedule for this year, let’s plan early for 2020!

Getting into the holiday season - Michigan handbell duo