Tag Archives: 12 bell music

Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow – new 12-bell music

Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow is the latest handbell arrangement from Choraegus. This African-American spiritual is perfect for a Christmas concert or worship service, and is arranged for 12 handbells.

“There’s a star in the East on Christmas morn;
Rise up, shepherd, and follow;
It will lead to the place where the Christ was born;
Rise up, shepherd, and follow.

More information about Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow

As with all Choraegus 12-bell pieces, Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow is suitable for 3-6 ringers. Sheet music is available to purchase and download from Choraegus. Each arrangement is available for three different ranges of handbells, so you can choose which you prefer. Refer the bells-used charts on the Choraegus webpage to make sure you have all the bells you need, and make sure you purchase the right version!

Things to know about Choraegus handbell music

Choraegus handbell music scores are designed to be downloaded as a PDF files. That means you’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Purchasing a 12-bell arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to six copies for your handbell group – so please don’t pay for more copies than you need! 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 of the piece (Choraegus) on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as 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 any of our pieces, 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!

Rise Up Shepherd and Follow - handbells

Handbell Music for Hanukkah

Hanukkah (also Chanukah) is the Jewish festival of lights; an 8-day celebration that’s widely observed throughout the world. We’ve had several requests for handbell music for Hanukkah, and we’re pleased to be able to offer four new 12-bell pieces, available from Choraegus.

The Dreidel Song

Also known as I Have a Little Dreidel, this traditional song describes the creation of the four-sided spinning top that is used to play the game of dreidel during Hanukkah.

“I have a little dreidel, I made it out of clay.
And when it’s dry and ready, oh dreidel I shall play.
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay.
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, oh dreidel I shall play.“

Sevivon Sov Sov Sov

Sevivon Sov Sov Sov is also known as “The Other Dreidel Song”. Dreidel, spin, spin, spin!

Ma’oz Tzur

Ma’oz Tzur is a Jewish liturgical poem, written in the 12th or 13th century and sung during Hanukkah.

“My Refuge, my Rock of Salvation! ‘Tis pleasant to sing Your praises.
Let our house of prayer be restored. And there we will offer You our thanks.
When You will have slaughtered the barking foe.
Then we will celebrate with song and psalm the altar’s dedication.“

Hanukkah, O Hanukkah

Written by Mordkhe Rivesman and first published in 1912, Hanukkah, O Hanukkah is a popular song of celebration.

“Hanukkah, O Hanukkah,
Come light the menorah,
Come to our party,
We’ll all dance the hora.
Gather ’round the table,
We’ll give you a great,
Dreidels to play with
and latkes to eat.”

More information about this handbell music for Hanukkah

As with all Choraegus 12-bell pieces, these Hanukkah arrangements are suitable for 3-6 ringers. Sheet music is available to purchase and download from Choraegus. Click on the titles above to be taken to the Choraegus site to make your purchase, or find them all listed together with other 12-bell traditional songs. Each arrangement is available for three different ranges of handbells, so you can choose which you prefer. Be sure to refer the bells-used charts on the Choraegus webpage to make sure you have all the bells you need, and be certain to purchase the right version.

Things to know about Choraegus handbell music

Choraegus handbell music scores are designed to be downloaded as a PDF files. That means you’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Purchasing a 12-bell arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to six copies for your handbell group – so please don’t pay for more copies than you need! 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 of the piece (Choraegus) on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as 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 any of our pieces, 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!

handbell music hanukkah

Amazing Grace – 12-Bell Version

Larry’s been arranging music for such a long time now… and finally, here is a 12-bell version of Amazing Grace. We’re not quite sure why it took so long for this arrangement to come into being, and we’re certain that the handbell world is already filled with Amazing Grace arrangements. Still, the time has come, and here’s the latest offering from Choraegus.

More about Amazing Grace, 12-bell version

As with all Choraegus 12-bell pieces, Amazing Grace is suitable for 3-6 ringers. Sheet music is available to purchase and download from Choraegus. This arrangement is available for three different ranges of handbells – one version using C5-G6, another for D5-A6, and another for F5-C7. Be sure to refer the bells-used charts on the Choraegus webpage to make sure you have all the bells you need, and be certain to purchase the right version.

Other arrangements of Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace is also available as an arrangement for 8 handbells. There are two versions – one standard and one “Surprisingly Easy”.

Information about Choraegus handbell music

Choraegus handbell music scores are designed to be downloaded as a PDF files. That means you’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Purchasing a 12-bell arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to six copies for your handbell group – so please don’t pay for more copies than you need! 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 of the piece (Choraegus) on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as 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 any of our pieces, 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!

Amazing Grace 12-bell

I Saw Three Ships – a New 12-Bell Arrangement

Continuing our little series of new 12-bell pieces for Christmas, here’s a new arrangement of the English carol I Saw Three Ships – also known as I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In or On Christmas Day in the Morning. This traditional carol has been around since the 17th century!

More about this 12-bell arrangement

I Saw Three Ships is suitable for 3-6 ringers. We demonstrate it using 4-in-hand, but if you have six ringers, they’ll only need two bells each. Sheet music is available to purchase and download from Choraegus. The arrangement is available in two versions – in Bb major (C5-G6) and C major (D5-A6), so be sure to refer the bells-used charts on the Choraegus webpage to make sure you have all the bells you need, and make sure you purchase the right version.

Other arrangements of this carol

This carol is also available for 8 handbells. Two different arrangements are available from Choraegus – a standard version and a “surprisingly easy” version.

Things to know about Choraegus handbell music

Choraegus handbell music scores are designed to be downloaded as a PDF files. That means you’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Purchasing a 12-bell arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to six copies for your handbell group – so please don’t pay for more copies than you need! 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 of the piece (Choraegus) on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as 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!

I Saw Three Ships 12-bell

An Italian Christmas Carol – New 12-bell Music

For anyone looking for something unusual for a small group to play at Christmas – here’s a new 12-bell arrangement of the popular Italian Christmas carol From Starry Skies Descending (original title: Tu Scendi dalle Stelle). Alternative translations are: You Came a Star from Heaven and From Starry Skies Thou Comest. The carol was written in Alphonsus Liguori in 1732.

Here’s our 12-bell version!

More about this 12-bell arrangement

From Starry Skies Descending is suitable for 3-6 ringers. We demonstrate it using 4-in-hand, but if you have six ringers, they’ll only need two bells each. Sheet music is available to purchase and download from Choraegus. The arrangement is available in two versions – in Bb major (C5-G5) and C major (D5-A6), so be sure to use the bells-used charts on the Choraegus webpage to make sure you have all of the bells you need.

If you’re a fan of this unusual Italian Christmas carol… we also have an arrangement that uses just 8 handbells, available to download from Choraegus. This arrangement is available in two versions – one standard and one “surprisingly easy.” Here’s the standard 8-bell version, performed during our 2019 trip to California:

If you haven’t bought music from Choraegus before…

Choraegus handbell music is designed to be downloaded as a PDF file. 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 up to six copies for your handbell group – so please don’t pay for more copies than you need! 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 of the piece (Choraegus) on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as 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!

Italian Christmas carol handbells

My Shepherd Will Supply My Need

My Shepherd Will Supply My Need is our latest 12-bell arrangement. Isaac Watts wrote the hymn text, based on Psalm 23, in 1719. The tune is the 19th-century RESIGNATION.

Our demonstration video features the two sheep we found in 2011 on our first trip to Empire, Michigan. There’s a store there called The Miser’s Hoard, with a fascinating selection of antiques, gifts and home goods. We liked these sheep enough to take a photo of them, but we were still in our long-distance relationship, 5,347 miles apart. Flying back to California and England with sheepish souvenirs couldn’t be a priority for us.

A year later, we were finally able to close the distance. During our first trip to Michigan in the summer of 2012, we went back to The Miser’s Hoard, and bought the sheep… and now they live in our home with us.

Enough about sheep, though. Here’s our demonstration video!

More about this 12-bell arrangement

My Shepherd Will Supply My Need is suitable for 3-6 ringers. As with most of our 12-bell music, the score is available in a choice of two handbell ranges – either C5-G6 or F5-C7. No special techniques are required, and there’s no bell-sharing, and no need for tables. If you’re looking for small-ensemble music for Good Shepherd Sunday, this could work! Sheet music is available to purchase and download from Choraegus.

Buying handbell music from Choraegus

Choraegus handbell music is designed to be downloaded as a PDF file. 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 up to six copies for your handbell group – so please don’t pay for more copies than you need! 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 publisher (Choraegus) of the piece on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as church service bulletins. 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!

My Shepherd Will Supply My Need handbells

Take my Life and Let it Be – New 12-Bell Music

“Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in endless praise,
let them flow in endless praise.”

Our latest 12-bell arrangement is the hymn Take my Life, and Let it Be. The hymn tune is MESSIAH, written by Louis Herold – also used for the hymns Come, Ye Weary Sinners, Come, and Cross of Jesus. This 12-bell arrangement was recently requested by a Choraegus customer, and we were happy to add it to our catalog!

More about this 12-bell arrangement

Take my Life, and Let it Be is suitable for 3-6 ringers, and is fairly straightforward to play. As with most of our 12-bell music, the score is available in a choice of two handbell ranges – either C5-G6 or F5-C7. No special techniques are required, and there’s no bell-sharing, and no need for tables. This makes it great for handbell choirs still observing social distancing! Sheet music is available to purchase and download from Choraegus.

Buying handbell music from Choraegus

Choraegus handbell music is designed to be downloaded as a PDF file. 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 up to six copies for your handbell group – so please don’t pay for more copies than you need! 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 title (Take my Life, and Let it Be) and arranger (Larry Sue) of the piece on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as 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!

Take my Life and Let it Be - handbells

How Can I Keep from Singing? – New 12-Bell Music

How Can I Keep from Singing? – sometimes known by the title My Life Flows on in Endless Song – is a traditional hymn, set to music written by Robert Wadsworth Lowry in the 1860s.

“My life flows on in endless song;
Above earth’s lamentation,
I hear the sweet , tho’ far-off hymn
That hails a new creation;
Thro’ all the tumult and the strife
I hear the music ringing;
It finds an echo in my soul—
How can I keep from singing?“

In more recent years, How Can I Keep from Singing? has been popular with folk singers, and a version (with slightly altered lyrics) was sung by Pete Seeger in the 1960s. Irish musician Enya brought the song back to public attention again in 1991 by including it on her Shepherd Moons album.

Our new 12-bell arrangement is fun to play!

More about this 12-bell arrangement

How Can I Keep from Singing? is suitable for 3-6 ringers. We demonstrate it using 4-in-hand, but if you have six ringers, they’ll only need two bells each. Sheet music is available to purchase and download from Choraegus.

Choraegus handbell music is designed to be downloaded as a PDF file. 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 up to six copies for your handbell group – so please don’t pay for more copies than you need! 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 title (How Can I Keep from Singing?) and arranger (Larry Sue) of the piece on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as 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!

How Can I Keep from Singing? handbells

12- and 16-Bell Music for Christmas

We’ve recently had several enquiries about 12- and 16-bell music for Christmas. This type of music can be useful for small ensembles, or for choirs that still need music suitable for social distancing. Here’s what’s currently available from Choraegus; click on a title to find out more about each piece!

12-bell Christmas music

Angels We Have Heard on High

The Christmas carol Angels We Have Heard on High is sung to the French tune GLORIA. It’s a carol of rejoicing!

Angels, from the Realms of Glory (REGENT SQUARE)

Here’s a moderately challenging arrangement that will add to your Christmas ringing!

As with Gladness Men of Old (DIX)

Here’s our 12-bell arrangement(s) of the 19th-century Epiphany carol As with Gladness Men of Old, sung to the hymn tune DIX. This versatile arrangement can also be played with the title For the Beauty of the Earth – suitable for more than just the holiday season!

Away in a Manger (MURRAY)

There are several tunes for Away in a Manger, but this is the melody that’s most often sung in the USA.

Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella

In the French carol Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella, a young girl is sent to bring a torch/candle to bring light to the stable where the Christ Child sleeps.

Ding Dong, Merrily on High

Ding Dong, Merrily on High is a 16-century tune that we now sing as a Christmas carol. It’s especially popular with handbell people, and audiences too!

In the Bleak Midwinter

Here’s our arrangement of Gustav Holst’s famous Christmas song In the Bleak Midwinter. For handbells and piano.

It Came Upon the Midnight Clear

Edmund Sears wrote the words to It Came Upon the Midnight Clear in 1849, and it’s sung on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean (just with different tunes). This arrangement is to the American melody, CAROL, composed by Richard Storrs Willis.

Still, Still, Still

Our piano-accompanied, twelve-bell version of Still, Still, Still will be a nice addition to your collection of Christmas music! Please note, however, that it’s in G major (i.e. with F#5 and F#6) rather than the usual C major. For handbells and piano.

We Three Kings

We Three Kings tells of special visitors on the first Epiphany. It’s often sung as a carol throughout the Christmas season.

What Child is This/Greensleeves

This versatile English melody can be played with the Christmas title, but also as a secular piece at any time of year!

16-bell Christmas music

From a Distant Home (ISLA DEL ENCANTO)

This joyous Puerto Rican Christmas carol From a Distant Home fits beautifully into sixteen bells!

O Come, O Come Emmanuel (VENI EMMANUEL)

This beautiful Advent carol is an interesting and fun challenge for 16 handbells!

The First Nowell

Our 16-bell arrangement of The First Nowell is an exciting and lively celebration of Christmas!

Sleeping Beauty Waltz

It’s not a traditional Christmas tune, strictly speaking, but if you’re looking for a secular piece for a holiday performance, this arrangement from Tchaikovsky’s ballet could fit the bill!

Wexford Carol

If you’re a fan of unusual Christmas carols, and rich, dissonant chords, you’ll enjoy this arrangement of a traditional Irish Christmas song.

More about Choraegus handbell music

Music from Choraegus is designed to come to you as a PDF file, ready for you to download. You’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. You can purchase music, download it on the same day, and be ready for your next rehearsal without having to wait!

Purchasing a 12-bell arrangement gives you permission to print up to 6 copies of the music for your handbell group. If you purchase a 16-bell arrangement, you can print up to 8 copies. 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.

Purchase also gives permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and video-sharing online. See our licensing agreement for full details. Please be sure to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as concert programs.

Any questions?

We hope you’ll enjoy playing some 12- and 16-bell music this Christmas! If you have any questions about our music, please start by reading our Frequently-Asked Questions. You’ll find just about every question anyone has ever asked us, along with answers! However, if you don’t find the information you need, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help!

16-bell music for Christmas
Christmas bells!

Handbells at Bay View, August 2021

Handbells have been a traditional sight and sound at Bay View for many years. The annual Week of Handbells has been part of our lives since 2010. It’s the event where we first spent time together in person, during our long-distance relationship. It’s also where we celebrated our engagement in 2011 (with a cupcake reception). It was our first destination when we closed the distance and started our life together in 2012.

We were disappointed that the Week of Handbells was postponed in 2020, and canceled again in 2021. However, we understood the reasons; a global pandemic isn’t a trivial thing! The Week of Handbells needs a lot of advance preparation. The musicians spend months before the event learning their music, and the bells and equipment must be borrowed from various people and organizations. Participants have to arrange their travel and accommodation well in advance. The director, Fred Gramann, flies to Michigan from his home in France. The decision not to hold the last two handbell concerts at Bay View was a wise and necessary one.

“Definitely not a concert!”

This year, we decided to invite residents and guests of Bay View to attend a “not-concert” in the Bay View Association grounds. We started by playing some of our 8-bell duets, and we answered questions from audience members, about the techniques involved in playing our instruments, and how our shared love of handbells brought us together when we were living 5,347 miles apart. We played a selection of popular hymns, including Amazing Grace, Great is Thy Faithfulness, and I Stand Amazed. There were also some lively secular pieces – our 8-bell arrangement of Chopsticks, and the popular Irish jig Calliope House.

After our duet presentation, some of our friends from the Bay View Week of Handbells joined us for a sight-read of some of our 12-bell music. We were impressed and thankful that so many of the usual Week of Handbells participants were willing and able to join us. Some are based in northern Michigan, but others had traveled from as far as Illinois, South Dakota and Nebraska! Together we read through some music that most of the ringers hadn’t seen or played before. It was a fun challenge, and everyone did well. Several people commented that they hadn’t played handbells in over a year, so it was great to get back to it! We played Annie Laurie and Leaning on the Everlasting Arms, among others, and ended with a 16-bell arrangement of God Be With You Till We Meet Again.

Handbells at Bay View 2021

Thank you to everyone who helped to make this event possible!

We’re thankful to the Bay View Association for allowing us to use the big events tent for this event. It was reassuring to be able to gather in an outdoor (but sheltered) setting. We provided masks, hand sanitiser and disinfectant wipes to try to make the event as COVID-proof as possible!

We’re also thankful to the musicians who came along to share their musical skills with each other and our audience. Special thanks go to everyone who helped by bringing bells and music stands.

Thanks also to everyone who dropped by to listen, and to everyone who asked questions, applauded, and encouraged us as we played!

Would you like handbell music at your own event?

As a professional handbell duo, we are available for worship services, weddings, memorial services and Christmas events. We’re members of the Bay View Association, and during the summer months you can often find us on our porch at the corner of Woodland and Pine. If you’d like to book us to play handbell duets at your event (and yes, we’re willing to travel outside of Michigan), please get in touch with us!

Handbell duo Bay View 2021