We’ve been having fun discovering how much music can be made with just six handbells (with piano accompaniment and an optional sling). Our most recent arrangements have been hymns or Christmas music, but here’s something a bit different. It’s an arrangement of the traditional song Al die Willen te Kaap’ren Varen. We know it as the “Dutch Pirate Song”!

People often as us about handbell duets for Halloween, and we always seem to be stuck without an answer. This arrangement could definitely work!

Would this arrangement work well for your ensemble?

This arrangement works well as a duet, but could also be played by a trio, with social distancing as required. If you’d like to try it, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus, our music site. An mp3 piano accompaniment track is also available to purchase separately; useful if you don’t have a willing accompanist, or want to rehearse at home.

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 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.

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!