October 14, 2024

2-Octave Christmas Music from Choraegus

We’re excited to add five new 2-octave Christmas titles to the Choraegus catalogue!

Still, Still, Still is the first of our new arrangements. This Austrian lullaby was first published in 1865. It describes the baby Jesus sleeping in his mother’s arms. We used handchimes for our demonstration video, because we love the gentle sound, but it’s written for handbells, so if you don’t have chimes, you can play it using bells instead. This arrangement is Level 2.

Watch our demonstration video below, or click the link to find the music for Still, Still, Still on Choraegus.

Sussex Carol is a traditional English carol, also known as On Christmas Night All Christians Sing. This Level 3 arrangement is fun to play, and includes thumb-damping and mallets!

Watch our demonstration video below, or find the music for Sussex Carol on the Choraegus website!

In the United States, we usually sing O Little Town of Bethlehem the ST. LOUIS tune. However, in the United Kingdom and other countries, the FOREST GREEN tune is used. Our arrangement uses the FOREST GREEN tune, and is Level 2+. Many other hymns now use the same tune, so this is a versatile carol that you could also play at other times in the church year.

Watch our demonstration video below, or click here to find the O Little Town of Bethlehem on the Choraegus website!

In the Bleak Midwinter is one if the most well-loved Christmas carols. If you have handbells and handchimes, you might enjoy this new arrangement. It’s the CRANHAM tune, written by Gustav Holst, and our arrangement is Level 2. If you don’t have handchimes, you can play the whole piece with just bells, of course.

Watch our demonstration video below, or click on this link to find In the Bleak Midwinter on the Choraegus site!

Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day is our final 2-octave Christmas carol for 2024 (so far). This is another English carol, and it dates from as early as the 16th century! This new 2-octave arrangement is a lively Level 3-.

Watch the demonstration video below, or click to find Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day on the Choraegus website.

More information about this 2-octave handbell music for Christmas

Sheet music for these new 2-octave Christmas arrangements is available to purchase and download from Choraegus. You can either purchase an individual copy (useful for massed ringing events, or for preview), or purchase the full choir license. Purchase of the full choir license gives you our no-fuss permission to print up to 15 copies for your group.

Your purchase of the full-choir license allows you to perform, broadcast and live-stream the piece as part of a concert or worship service. There’s no need for any additional license or fee. We ask that you credit the arranger (Larry Sue) and publisher (Choraegus) in any printed media such as concert programs, and online (in video descriptions). Please see our licensing agreement for full details.

We appreciate your help in spreading the word about Choraegus handbell music. If you record a video of your group playing any of our pieces, we’d love to see it. You’re welcome to share it with us by email or on our Facebook page!

Please note that Choraegus handbell music is designed to come to you as a downloadable PDF file. You’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. If you haven’t purchased music online from Choraegus before, we recommend 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.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about our music, please start by reading our Frequently-Asked Questions. If someone has asked us a question even once, it will be there, along with the answer. Please contact us if you don’t find the information you need, and we’ll be happy to help.

2-octave Christmas handbell music from Choraegus

March 9, 2023

2-Octave Handbell Music – Lift High the Cross

In recent weeks, Larry’s been working on some new 2-octave handbell music. These hymn arrangements were written with the handbell choir at Third Reformed Church of Holland, Michigan in mind; a choir that’s small in number, but high in enthusiasm! The hymn arrangements are designed to be fairly straightforward to play, but still interesting enough for ringers and congregations to enjoy.

Lift High the Cross (CRUCIFER) is a popular Easter hymn:

Be Thou My Vision a beautiful hymn based on an Irish folk tune – SLANE – first published in 1909. It’s also used as the setting for Lord of All Hopefulness. Here’s our 2-octave arrangement:

More information about this 2-octave handbell music

Sheet music for these arrangements is available to purchase and download from Choraegus. Click on the links below!

Lift High the Cross

Be Thou My Vision

You can either purchase an individual copy (useful for massed ringing events, or for preview), or purchase the full choir license. Purchase of the full choir license gives you our no-fuss permission to print up to 15 copies for your group.

Your purchase of the full-choir license allows you to perform, broadcast and live-stream this piece as part of a concert or worship service. There’s no need for any additional license or fee. We ask that you credit the arranger (Larry Sue) and publisher (Choraegus) in any printed media such as concert programs, and online (in video descriptions). Please see our licensing agreement for full details.

Any questions?

2-octave handbell music - Larry and Carla

October 20, 2022

Gaudete – for 16 Handbells

Gaudete – for 16 handbells – is the latest arrangement from Choraegus. This arrangement is part of our continuing effort to show that music for small handbell choirs doesn’t have to be boring, and doesn’t necessary have to be easy to play. Our 16-bell music is designed for 2-3 octave groups looking for something interesting and challenging for 4-8 ringers. This new arrangement of this 16th century sacred Christmas carol is one that we’d be tempted to describe as “fiendish”, but in a good way, of course.

More information about Gaudete – for 16 handbells

This arrangement is available from Choraegus in two handbell ranges – C5 to C7 and G4-G6. Please check the bells-used charts on the Choraegus page for this piece. Our video shows the C5-C7 version, because that’s easier for 4-in-hand. If you have more than four ringers, you can pick whichever version you prefer. There are no bell changes, and no techniques that require tables or foam pads.

Click here to find out more, or purchase sheet music (digital download) on our Choraegus site.

There is also an arrangement of Gaudete! for 3-8 octaves of handbells.

More about Choraegus handbell music

Purchasing this arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to eight copies for your handbell group. – so don’t pay for more copies than you need! 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 arranger of the piece (Larry Sue) and the publisher (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, and we’d love to see a video if you record one with your ensemble!

Please note that our sheet 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.

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. You’ll find just about every question anyone has ever asked us, along with answers. However, if you don’t find what you’re looking for, please ask us!

October 7, 2022

Psalm 22, for 16 Handbells – New Music from Choraegus

Psalm 22 is a 16-century hymn from the Genevan Psalter. It’s often used with the hymn text When We Are Tempted to Deny Your Son, during Lent.

“When we are tempted to deny Your Son,
Because we fear the anger of the world,
And we are few who bear the insults hurled,
Your will, O God, be done.“

Here’s our arrangement of the Genevan Psalm 22 for 16 handbells:

More information about Psalm 22

This hymn arrangement is available from Choraegus in two handbell ranges – D5 to C7 and G4-F6. Please check the bells-used charts on the Choraegus page for this piece, and make sure you have all the bells you need. We demonstrate it as a 4-in-hand piece, but it’s suitable for up to 8 ringers. There are no bell changes, and no techniques that require tables or foam pads.

More about Choraegus handbell music

Please note that our sheet 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.

Any questions?

January 31, 2022

All Things Bright and Beautiful – Handbell Music for 16 Bells

All Things Bright and Beautiful is an English hymn with lyrics written by Cecil Frances Alexander in 1848. It’s sung to several different tunes, the most common being ROYAL OAK. This tune dates back to at least the 17th century, and was first published with the All Things Bright and Beautiful lyrics in 1915.

Here’s our 16-bell arrangement:

More information about All Things Bright and Beautiful

This hymn arrangement is available in two handbell ranges – C5-B6 and G4-F#6, making it possible for 2-octave handbell choirs to play. We demonstrate it as a 4-in-hand piece, but it’s suitable for up to 8 ringers. If your handbell ensemble is playing from music stands, or observing social distancing, this could work!

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

Other arrangements of All Things Bright and Beautiful

We have more arrangements of All Things Bright and Beautiful, all available to download from Choraegus. Theres:

More about Choraegus handbell music

Purchasing this arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to eight copies for your handbell group. – so don’t pay for more copies than you need! 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 (All Things Bright and Beautiful) and arranger of the piece (Larry Sue) on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as concert programs.

Please note that our sheet 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.

Any questions?

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!

All Things Bright and Beautiful - 2 octaves

August 15, 2021

Wexford Carol – New Handbell Music for Christmas

The Wexford Carol is a traditional Christmas carol from County Wexford in Ireland. It’s also known as The Enniscorthy Carol, as William Grattan Flood first heard the tune there in the early 20th century, and transcribed the carol for publication in The Oxford Book of Carols. The lyrics are believed to date back as far as the 12th century, but the tune seems to have been written later; perhaps in the 15th or 16th century. In any case, this is an unusual and interesting carol!

“Good people all, this Christmas time,
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done
In sending His beloved Son
With Mary holy we should pray,
To God with love this Christmas Day
In Bethlehem upon that morn,
There was a blessed Messiah born.”

Our 16-bell arrangement of Wexford Carol is perfect for anyone who’s a fan of unusual Christmas carols. The piece contains full-sounding chords, and some really interesting dissonance, which makes for a mysterious and slightly spooky sound. This was one of the first 16-bell arrangements we recorded with just the two of us – at the end of 2020 – with our skinny Christmas tree in the background!

Note: If a Christmas tree salesman ever tells you, “The tree only looks skinny because it’s cold. It’ll get bigger when it warms up”, you can let them know that it doesn’t work like that for trees.

More information about this 16-bell arrangement

Wexford Carol is suitable for 4-8 ringers. The arrangement contains no bell changes, and needs no bell-sharing, so you can play it without needing tables or foam. There are no special techniques, and there’s no requirement to play 4-in-hand. This arrangement is available in two ranges – either from G4 to Eb6 (2 octaves), or from D5 to Bb6 (3 octaves).

In recent weeks, there have been increasing concerns about COVID-19 cases. This arrangement might be useful if you need to play something for your ensemble to play for Christmas while observing social distancing.

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

More about Choraegus handbell music

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

Please note that our sheet 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.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about our music, please start by reading our Frequently-Asked Questions. Just about every question anyone has ever ask us is there, along with answers! However, if you don’t find the answer you need, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help!

July 23, 2021

Tell Me the Stories of Jesus – for 16 Handbells

“Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear,
Things I would ask him to tell me if he were here.
Scenes by the wayside, tales of the sea,
Stories of Jesus, tell them to me.“

Tell Me the Stories of Jesus continues our little run of 16-bell arrangements. Not to be confused with Fanny Crosby’s Tell Me the Story of Jesus (also available from Choraegus), Stories was written by William Parker in 1885, with music by Frederic Challinor.

More information about this 16-bell arrangement

Tell Me the Stories of Jesus contains no bell changes, and needs no bell-sharing, so you can play it without needing tables or foam. We demonstrate it as a 4-in-hand piece, but it’s suitable for up to 8 ringers to play, holding just two bells each. This arrangement is available in two ranges – either from C5 to F6, or from F5 to C7.

If your handbell ensemble is still observing social distancing, or you need a small ensemble piece for the summer months, this could work!

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

More about Choraegus handbell music

Please note that our sheet 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.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about our music, please start by reading our Frequently-Asked Questions. Just about every question we’ve ever been asked is there, along with answers! However, if you don’t find the answer you need, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help!

June 7, 2021

Battle Hymn of the Republic – Patriotic Handbell Music

People often ask us for more patriotic music,so we’re working on it! Here’s our 12-bell arrangement of Battle Hymn of the Republic, also known (especially outside the U.S.A.) as Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory. This one is a real audience-pleaser, and Fourth of July celebrations are only a month away!

Available in two different handbell ranges

As with all Choraegus 12-bell arrangements, this piece has no bell-sharing, and there are no accidentals to pick up mid-piece. The music is available for C5-G6, or F5-C7, so you can choose which range will work for your ensemble. A practice track is also available for purchase; useful if you need to rehearse without the whole group. As there are no techniques requiring tables or foam, this arrangement can be played from music stands. In recent months, many handbell choirs have been observing social distancing, and 12-bell music can work well for this. It can also be great for handbell choirs during the summer months when the full group isn’t available.

Where to purchase the sheet music

If you’d like to play Battle Hymn of the Republic, the sheet music is available to purchase and download from Choraegus.

When you buy Choraegus handbell music, please note that it’s 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 don’t pay for more copies than you need!

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 and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as concert programs.

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!

May 27, 2021

All Glory, Laud and Honor – 12-Bell Music from Choraegus

All Glory, Laud and Honor is our newest 12-bell arrangement. It’s a traditional Palm Sunday hymn, so we’re a little late for this year. Looking on the bright side, though, there’s plenty of rehearsal time before Palm Sunday 2022! It can also be a useful hymn for general use, especially when a lively tune is needed.

No need for tables or foam!

As with all Choraegus 12-bell arrangements, this piece has no bell-sharing, and there are no accidentals to pick up mid-piece. As there are no techniques requiring tables or foam, this arrangement can be played from music stands. In recent months, many handbell choirs have been observing social distancing, and 12-bell music can work well for this. It can also be great for handbell choirs during the summer months when the full group isn’t available.

The music is suitable for 3-6 ringers, and two versions are available – either using bells C5-G6 (as in our demo video), or using F5-C7.

Where to get the sheet music

If you’d like to play All Glory, Laud and Honor, the sheet music is 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. Please contact us if you don’t find the answers you need, and we’ll be happy to help!

May 20, 2021

Day By Day – for 16 Handbells

Here’s our 16-bell arrangement of the hymn Day By Day. The hymn tune BLOTT EN DAG was composed in 1872 by Oscar Ahnfelt. A while ago, we published a 3- or 5-octave arrangement of this hymn tune, and we enjoyed playing it so much that we decided to make a 16-bell arrangement too.

More information about this arrangement

Day By Day is available in two 16-bell versions – D5-C7 or A4-G6 – so you can choose which range of bells works best for the bells you have. The arrangement contains no bell changes, and needs no bell-sharing. We demonstrate it as a 4-in-hand piece, but it’s suitable for up to 8 ringers to play, holding just two bells each. If your handbell ensemble is playing from music stands, or observing social distancing, this would work!

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

More about Choraegus handbell music

Please note that our sheet 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.