April 30, 2020

New Handbell Music – Het Roosje – for 8 Bells

It’s the time of year when the residents of Holland, Michigan traditionally look forward to the start of the city’s annual Tulip Time Festival. The town displays over 5 million tulips. The city celebrates its Dutch heritage – with parades, music performances and Dutch dancing demonstration.

This year’s 91st Tulip Time Festival has been cancelled because of health concerns for the city’s residents and the hundreds of thousands of visitors who usually flock to the festival. Of course, no one told the tulips, so they will still bloom. Carla took the photo below during the 2019 festival, at Windmill Island Gardens.

Since moving to Holland in the summer of 2016, we’ve enjoyed finding traditional Dutch music that can be played using just 8 handbells. Our latest arrangement is the song Het Roosje, which translates as The Rose.

If you’d like to play this arrangement, you can purchase, download and print the sheet music from Choraegus, our music site.

More information about our downloadable handbell music

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. You’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Purchasing this arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to four copies for your handbell group. Purchase also gives permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and online video-sharing. Please mention the title and arranger of the piece in video descriptions and on 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. If you don’t find the answers you need, please contact us, and we’ll be happy to help!

April 22, 2020

New Handbell Music – I Stand Amazed – for 8 Bells

“I stand amazed in the presence
of Jesus the Nazarene,
and wonder how he could love me,
a sinner, condemned unclean.
How marvelous! How wonderful!
and my song shall ever be;
How marvelous! How wonderful!
is my Savior’s love to me!”

Thank you to everyone who’s been playing our 8-bell music during this time of social distancing. We’ve enjoyed seeing some of your videos! Here’s our most recent 8-bell arrangement – the hymn I Stand Amazed. This one was a fun and not-too-difficult sight-read; you could slow it down a little if you chose to, and it would still work.

Would you like to play I Stand Amazed?

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

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

Ask us questions if you need to!

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 be happy to help!

April 15, 2020

FREE Handbell Music – Alouette – for 8 Bells

While we’ve been under Michigan’s “stay home” order, we’ve enjoyed working on lots of new music to be published on Choraegus. We’ve been disappointed not to be able to give any performances this spring, but thankful that we have bells at home and plenty of music to play! Our most recent piece is a fun little arrangement of the traditional French tune Alouette – for 8 bells.

You can get the sheet music completely free!

We’re pleased to offer Alouette – for 8 bells – for free, as a thank-you to everyone who’s been playing our music during this time of social distancing. You can find it in the Freebies section of our music site, where there’s also free music for Happy Birthday, Auld Lang Syne and Dona Nobis Pacem. If you need them, there are also printable covers for anyone storing their 8-bell music in binders.

There’s no obligation to make any other purchase from Choraegus to get the free handbell music. Of course, we hope you’ll take a look at other titles we have to offer, but if you’d rather just grab the free music and go, we don’t mind at all. It’s a good way to try our 8-bell music without having to spend any money! Alouette could be a good piece for practising 4-in-hand as a duet, but could also be played by a (socially-distant?) quartet group.

How to get the music

To get your free sheet music, add it to your cart on the Choraegus site. Next, click on the yellow “Check out with PayPal” button (don’t worry; PayPal won’t ask you to make any payment). Enter your details, and click “Confirm Order” (there’s no need to click on the PayPal button a second time). Then check your email inbox! If the download link doesn’t arrive, check your spam folder, and it might be there. If anything goes wrong, please let us know, and we’ll find another way to get your music to you.

As always, we recommend that you read the licensing agreement before buying music from us (or claiming your free music), especially if this is your first time downloading music from Choraegus. You won’t receive anything in the mail, and will be responsible for printing your own music.

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 be happy to help!

April 9, 2020

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross – for 8 Bells

Continued thanks to everyone who’s been playing our music in these recent weeks of social distancing. We’ve enjoyed seeing some of your videos!

These are challenging times for church musicians!

This Holy Week and Easter are challenging in many ways for church musicians. Handbell choirs can’t get together to practise or play the pieces they prepared. Churches are closing their buildings, and holding virtual services. Yet people gather faithfully online, in the knowledge that the church is not the building but the believers. Handbell musicians are still finding ways to participate in services, albeit in smaller groups than before. We’ve loved attending “Zoom Church” here in Holland in the last few weeks! Larry has also been a “socially-distant cantor”, recording hymns for each of the services, and we’ve even managed to sneak bells into a couple of the recorded hymns for Easter Sunday

Last night, someone asked us if we had an arrangement of When I Survey the Wondrous Cross?” The answer was, “Hmm. I don’t think so”. A couple of hours later a new arrangement had appeared, and we were (while still at least partially awake) making a demo recording to share. This is obviously more of a sight-read than a polished performance, but you’ll get the idea.

If you’d like to play When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus, our music site.

Buying downloadable handbell music from Choraegus

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. You’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Purchasing this arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to four copies for your handbell group. Purchase also gives permission for you to perform and broadcast this piece as part of your worship service.

If you’re interested in other 8-bell music suitable for Lent, Easter and Holy Week, we have a list of other hymn suggestions, and most of these pieces are also available on Choraegus.

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 be happy to help!

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross - handbells

April 1, 2020

New Handbell Music – My Song is Love Unknown

Our 8-bell music has recently been described as “perfect arrangements for these weird times”. That made us smile! We’re thankful to everyone who’s continued to purchase music from us at a time when many handbell groups are unable to rehearse.

We recently shared a rehearsal video of My Song is Love Unknown on our Facebook page. Several people asked if the arrangement would soon be published – so here it is!

More information about Choraegus handbell music

Sheet music for My Song is Love Unknown is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus.

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. You’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Purchasing this arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to four copies for your handbell group, with permission for performance and live-streaming as part of a worship service.

More Lent and Easter handbell music

If you’re interested in other 8-bell music suitable for Lent, Easter and Holy Week, we have a list of other hymn suggestions, and many of these pieces are also available on Choraegus.

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!

March 25, 2020

New Handbell Music – Go to Dark Gethsemane – for 8 Bells

Thank you to everyone who’s been playing our music in these recent weeks of social distancing. We know that many churches have been busy preparing for online services during Holy Week and Easter! Here’s our new 8-bell arrangement of the hymn Go to Dark Gethsemane.

Would you like to play this arrangement?

If you’d like to play Go To Dark Gethsemane, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus.

As always, we recommend that you read the licensing agreement before buying music from us. If this is your first time downloading music from Choraegus, you might like to look at our step by step guide.

Choraegus handbell music will come to you as a PDF file in a download link. You’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Purchasing this arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to four copies for your handbell group. Purchase also gives permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and online video-sharing. Please mention the title and arranger in your video description and on any printed materials.

If you’re interested in other 8-bell music for Lent, Easter and Holy Week, you might also like to look at our list of hymn suggestions. Many of these pieces are available to purchase and download from Choraegus.

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!

March 23, 2020

Choraegus Handbell Music in a Time of Social Distancing

These are challenging times for musicians, as we practise social distancing to help slow down the spread of COVID-19. As members of Kalamazoo Ringers, we were disappointed when the decision was made to stop rehearsing for the season. We were all sorry to have to cancel our spring concerts and mini-tour to Ohio. Yes, it was the right decision, but wow, we’d worked hard on all that concert repertoire. We’d really been looking forward to sharing it!

Painful times indeed. However, we still have to do the responsible thing and take care of the health of our family, friends and wider community. So, social distancing it is. Add to that – plenty of hand-washing, catching up with our to-do list, and a bit of rest and relaxation!

Keeping busy as a handbell duo

As a handbell duo, we’re in the fortunate position of being able to continue our own handbell rehearsals as usual. We have bells in our home, and many hours’ worth of 8-bell music. We definitely don’t expect to be bored! We’re working on more 8- and 12-bell music, and will continue making new arrangements available from Choraegus.

We’re happy to find that many people are finding our 8- and 12-bell music useful, at a time when many groups can’t get together to rehearse and perform. Churches are increasingly holding services online. Live-streaming is becoming the new way for people to gather in worship together. For handbell choirs that can’t get together to rehearse, 8-bell music could be the answer! We have an extensive selection of hymns, in both standard and surprisingly-easy versions. There’s still time to purchase and download music to share online for Holy Week, Easter, or during the summer months. This could also be a great opportunity to work on 4-in-hand skills!

Music in a time of social distancing — An example of an 8-bell hymn arrangement – Just As I Am (standard version)

The answers to some of your questions

People have been asking us additional questions about playing our music during this time of social distancing, so we’ll answer some of them here:

YES — If you purchased music from Choraegus, you have permission to play the music as part of an online worship service or online performance. Please see the licensing agreement for a few exceptions where additional permission may be necessary.

YES — We give permission for you to live-stream music purchased from Choraegus during a worship service, or to record it as part of the service, for sharing on church websites and/or social media.

YES – If you can’t get together with other musicians to play our music, and you’d like to play all the parts yourself and edit them together, you have permission to do this.

YES – You are allowed to upload any video you make to YouTube or another video-sharing site for the purposes of sharing with others online (see requirement below about crediting the source of the music).

YES — If you can’t get together with a fellow musician to rehearse music, and need to use pre-existing recordings, you are welcome to use our own YouTube videos as part of your worship service, or share our videos on social media or by email.

Things you need to do

Please give the title of the piece, and credit the arranger in your church bulletin or online recording, under the terms of our published licensing agreement. If you post/share a video on YouTube or other video-sharing/social media site, please include a link to www.choraegus.com in the video description.

Questions for us?

If you have any other questions, check our our list of frequently-asked questions. If you don’t find the answer you need, please contact us, and we’ll be happy to help.

We hope you enjoy playing our music, and we thank you all for your support at this time. Take care, and stay healthy!

handbell music in COVID-19 times — At Los Altos Lutheran Church, CA (Photo: Carl S. Gutekunst) – May 2018

March 18, 2020

New Handbell Music – Song of Hope (Canto de Esperanza)

Here’s our latest arrangement for 8 handbells – the popular hymn Song of Hope. The lyrics to this hymn were written by Alvin L. Schutmaat, a Michigan-born missionary to Latin America, and the melody (hymn tune ARGENTINA) is a traditional folk tune.

Song of Hope – recorded when we still had snow on the ground!

“¡Dios de la esperanza, danos gozo y paz!
May the God of hope go with us every day,
Al mundo en crisis, habla tu verdad.
Filling all our lives with love and joy and peace.
Dios de la justicia, mándanos tu luz,
May the God of justice speed us on our way,
Luz y esperanza en la oscuridad.
Bringing light and hope to every land and race.”

Larry wrote this 8-bell arrangement for the TRC Ringers at Third Reformed Church here in Holland.

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.

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. If you’re new to Choraegus handbell music, we recommend our step-by-step guide!

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 this arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to four copies for your handbell group.

Any questions for us?

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 music!

March 5, 2020

New Handbell Music – Gwerzy, for 8 Bells!

Some 8-bell pieces are very easy to play, requiring little rehearsal time. Gwerzy is not one of those pieces. Colm O’Snodaigh and Dee Armstrong, of the Irish band Kíla, kindly gave us permission to arrange Gwerzy for handbells. It’s fun to play, for anyone who enjoys a bit of a challenge.

We first performed this arrangement in California at the 2019 Bay Area Spring Ring. We announced it to the audience as a work-in-progress. To be honest, it will probably always be a work-in-progress for us! We had originally planned to record a 100%-accurate and polished performance of this piece before offering it for purchase. We’ve now decided to let others join in the fun, without waiting for something that might never happen!

Gwerzy – at the 2019 Bay Area Spring Ring in California

If you’re feeling ~~insane~~ courageous enough to try this arrangement, you’ll find the sheet music to download from Choraegus.

Things to know about Choraegus handbell music

If you’re new to Choraegus, you might appreciate our step-by-step guide. We designed this to help our customers buy and download music in a (we hope!) stress-free way.

We’re happy to answer questions!

Gwerzy handbells — Together in California, May 2019

February 27, 2020

Our 4th Surprisingly-Easy 8-Bell Hymn Collection

Some of our most popular 8-bell titles are the Surprisingly-Easy hymn arrangements. We’re pleased to announce the arrival of our 4th Surprisingly-Easy 8-Bell Hymn 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. When you’re part of a duo, trio or quartet, or your handbell choir is enthusiastic but small in number, these hymns could be what you’re looking for. If your handbell ensemble takes a break during the summer, but there are people who say that they wish they could keep going – these arrangements will help to keep even the most overenthusiastic musicians occupied!

What’s included in this 8-bell hymn collection?

The hymns included in this fourth collection are:

Abide with Me
Come, Christians, Join to Sing
I Sing the Mighty Power of God
In the Garden
My Faith Looks Up to Thee
We Gather Together
What a Friend We Have in Jesus

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.

More information about Choraegus downloadable handbell music

As always, we strongly recommend that you read the licensing agreement before buying music from us. 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 an eight-bell arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to four copies for your handbell group. If you haven’t bought music from Choraegus before, we recommend our step-by-step guide!

There are more Surprisingly-Easy 8-Bell Collections available from Choraegus, as well as our standard eight-bell arrangements – some more challenging than others.

Do you have questions for us?

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.