Did you ever watch the Kalamazoo Ringers’ online Christmas concert for 2021? If you missed it, the recording is still available to watch on the group’s official YouTube channel! One of the pieces we prepared for that concert was an exciting mixed-meter arrangement of the Christmas carol Hark, the Herald Angels Sing – for one octave of handbells and piano – with an additional flute part available to purchase separately.
Holland-based musicians Gary and Martha Matthews joined us for this performance:
More about Hark, The Herald Angels Sing
This arrangement uses 12 handbells between G5 and G6. We demonstrate it using 4-in-hand, but if you have more than two ringers, that’s not a requirement. The piece starts with a piano introduction, the flute joins in, and then the handbells join the fun, moving through a variety of meters – 7/8, 4/4, 2/4, 6/8, 9/8, 10/8 and 11/8. It’s a super-fun challenge for capable handbell musicians! If you prefer to play this piece without the optional flute part, it works just fine with just the handbells and piano.
Sheet music is available to purchase and download from Choraegus.
About Choraegus handbell music
Choraegus handbell music is designed to be downloaded as PDF files. That means 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 the number copies needed for your handbell group. Please don’t pay for extra copies when one single payment will cover everything! A practice track is also available separately – useful if your ringers need to practise their parts without the full group being available.
Your purchase also gives permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and video-sharing online. See our licensing agreement for full details. Please remember to mention the arranger (Larry Sue) and the publisher (Choraegus) on video-sharing sites, social media and concert programs. We appreciate your help in getting the word out about Choraegus handbell music – and if you make a video of your handbell choir playing this piece, we’d love to see it!
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!
