March 28, 2022

Go to Dark Gethsemane – for 6 Handbells and Piano

“Go to dark Gethsemane,
ye that feel the tempter’s power;
Your Redeemer’s conflict see,
watch with Him one bitter hour,
Turn not from His griefs away;
Learn of Jesus Christ to pray.”

Go to Dark Gethsemane is a hymn for Lent and Holy Week, telling the story of the events in the Garden of Gethsemane, the days leading up to the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection. The text was written by James Montgomery and first published in the 1820 Selection of Psalms and Hymns. The tune is REDHEAD No. 76, by English organist and composer Richard Redhead.

Our arrangement of Go to Dark Gethsemane uses just six handbells, with piano accompaniment. Again, no need to worry about Larry’s arm being in a sling; he just put it on for the video. After he had his shoulder surgery a couple of years ago, we started playing 6-bell music out of necessity, and we divided the bells between us accordingly. Now that Larry’s shoulder is working properly again, we could obviously take three bells each – but have you ever tried taking a bell away from a 4-in-hand treble ringer? Let’s not go there. Here’s our demo video:

This arrangement is suitable for 2-3 ringers. There are no techniques that need tables or foam, and no bell-sharing between ringers – so if you’re still observing social distancing, this piece could work well. Sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus. We also have an mp3 piano accompaniment track available to purchase separately. This can be useful if you don’t have an accompanist, or for rehearsing at home.

Other accompanied handbell pieces for Holy Week and Easter

We have several other arrangements for small handbell groups and piano accompaniment:

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross – a 6-bell arrangement of one of the most profound hymns of all time, for Holy Week, and particularly for Good Friday.

Now the Green Blade Riseth – this dual-purpose (Christmas and Easter) arrangement of the NOEL NOUVELET tune is yet more proof that 6-bell music need never be boring. Fans of 7/8 will enjoy this one! For 6 handbells with piano accompaniment.

Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise – a joyous arrangement of the LLANFAIR tune, for 6 handbells and piano accompaniment.

Lift High the Cross – a triumphant hymn of celebration for Easter, for 8 handbells and piano accompaniment.

The Strife is O’er – a 6-bell arrangement of the VICTORY tune. Alleluia!

You’ll find lots more music for Lent, Holy Week and spring on the Choraegus site, so please feel welcome to browse. If you have questions about any of the pieces in particular, please ask us.

More information about our music

Our music scores are 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 the 6-bell arrangement of Go to Dark Gethsemane allows you to print and maintain up to three copies for your handbell group (plus the accompaniment score).

Your purchase 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 arranger of the piece (Larry Sue) and the publisher (Choraegus) on video-sharing sites and social media, and in any printed materials such as church service bulletins. We appreciate your help in getting the word out about Choraegus handbell music!

If you haven’t bought music from our site 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. We also have some free music available for download – so if you want to test the score-downloading process without spending any money, that’s a good place to start.

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!

March 21, 2022

The Strife is O’er – for 6 Handbells and Piano

“The strife is o’er, the battle done;
the victory of life is won;
the song of triumph has begun.
Alleluia!“

The Strife is O’er is a popular Easter hymn, celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus. Our arrangement of the VICTORY tune needs just six handbells with piano accompaniment.

Please don’t worry about Larry’s arm being in a sling; he’s not injured. The sling is the one he had for his shoulder surgery a couple of years ago, and he’s wearing it only for the video. What else would he do with his right arm otherwise?

Other handbell pieces for Easter

We have several other Easter arrangements for small handbell choirs:

Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise – a joyous arrangement of the LLANFAIR tune, for 6 handbells and piano accompaniment.

Lift High the Cross – a triumphant hymn of celebration for Easter, for 8 handbells and piano accompaniment.

You’ll find lots more music for Lent, Holy Week and spring on the Choraegus site, so please feel welcome to browse. If you have questions about any of the pieces in particular, please ask us.

More information about our music

Our music scores are 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 the 6-bell arrangement of The Strife is O’er allows you to print and maintain up to three copies for your handbell group (plus the accompaniment score).

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!

October 21, 2021

Away in a Manger – for 6 Handbells and Piano

“Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
the little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head;
the stars in the heavens looked down where He lay,
the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.“

We’ve enjoyed putting together some handbell music that needs only 6 bells, a piano and an optional sling! Here’s an arrangement of the gentle Away in a Manger carol. It’s the CRADLE SONG melody, which is the standard tune used in the UK, rather than the MURRAY tune more familiar to people in the USA.

Please be reassured that Larry put the sling on especially for this video. He’s recovered well from his shoulder surgery, and doesn’t need the sling any more. Whenever we post a 6-bell video, we always receive concerned messages asking what injury Larry has suffered… but honestly, the sling is just to keep his right arm occupied while there aren’t enough bells to need both hands. We refer to it these days as a “concert sling”.

Of course, the alternative would be for Carla to give up one of her bells, so that we’d have three each. But have you ever tried asking anyone to give up a bell?

More information about Away in a Manger

This piece is arranged for just 6 handbells, with piano accompaniment. It’s suitable for 2-3 ringers to play, with no requirement to divide the bells in the same way we did. You can play it with just two bells each, or split between two ringers with three bells each. It’s a gentle melody, and one of our more straightforward 6-bell arrangements.

If you’d like to play Away in a Manger, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus, our music site. An mp3 accompaniment track is also available to purchase separately, for anyone who doesn’t have a pianist available or wants to practise at home.

Another arrangement of this carol

We also have an 8-bell (unaccompanied) arrangement of this carol, available to download from Choraegus.

Things to know about Choraegus sheet music

Please note that sheet music from Choraegus 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. Purchase of a 6-bell arrangement allows you to print and maintain up to three copies for your handbell group (plus the accompaniment score). Purchase also gives permission for recording, broadcasting, live-streaming and online video-sharing. See our licensing agreement for full details. Please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites and social media, as well as in any 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. Just about every question anyone has ever asked us is there, along with lots of answers. Please contact us if you don’t find the information you need, and we’ll be happy to help!

Away in a Manger 6-bell — Our Victorian cottage in Northern Michigan, where we recorded our demonstration video

September 22, 2021

The Angel Gabriel – for 6 Handbells and Piano

“The angel Gabriel from heaven came,
His wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame;
“All hail”, said he, “thou lowly maiden Mary,
most highly favoured lady.”
Gloria!”

The Angel Gabriel is a traditional Basque carol, set to the tune Gabriel’s Message. In modern times, it’s been sung and recorded by artists such as Sting, Charlotte Church and the English band Marillion. Our arrangement is a lively one, proving once again that just because a piece doesn’t use many bells, there’s no reason why it has to be boring! We recorded our demonstration last October, in our chilly northern Michigan cottage. It’s not a perfect rendition, but we were too cold to want to have many attempts at it!

This video features another appearance by Larry’s CONCERT SLING. His shoulder was recovering nicely from surgery at this point, but the sling gives his right arm something to do while Carla hogs four of the six bells.

More information about The Angel Gabriel

The Angel Gabriel is arranged for just 6 handbells, with piano accompaniment. It’s suitable for 2-3 ringers to play, with no requirement to divide the bells in the same way we did. You can play it with just two bells each, or split between two ringers with three bells each. Either way, it’s a fun challenge!

If you’d like to play The Angel Gabriel, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus, our music site. An mp3 accompaniment track is also available to purchase separately, for anyone who doesn’t have a pianist available or wants to practise at home.

Other arrangements of this carol

We also have two 8-bell (unaccompanied) arrangements of this carol, one more challenging than the other. Both arrangements are available to download from Choraegus.

Things to know about Choraegus sheet music

Any questions?

February 8, 2021

6-Bell Easter Music – Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise

It’s time for some 6-bell Easter music! Here’s our new arrangement of Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise, for handbells with piano accompaniment.

It’s been a while since we played any 6-bell music. In recent weeks, we’ve been busy introducing some new 12- and 16-bell music, and putting together a video of our 3-octave arrangement of All Praise to Thee, for Thou, O King Divine. It was fun to dust off Larry’s “performance sling” for this new 6-bell piece!

This arrangement works well as a duet, but a trio could also play it, with social distancing as required. There are no techniques that need tables or foam, and no bell-sharing between ringers. If you’d like to play Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus. We also have an mp3 piano accompaniment track available to purchase separately; useful if you don’t have a willing accompanist, or want to rehearse at home.

More information about our music

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 the 6-bell arrangement of Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise allows you to print and maintain up to three copies for your handbell group (plus the accompaniment score). Your purchase 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.

You might like to look at our step-by-step guide to buying music from Choraegus, especially if you’re new to purchasing music online. 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 you don’t find the answers you need, please contact us, and we’ll be happy to help!

Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise - Easter handbells

January 5, 2021

New 6-Bell Music – When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

Here’s some new 6-bell music to start the new year!

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross is a setting of the HAMBURG hymn tune, for six handbells with piano accompaniment. The arrangement is suitable to be played as a duet, or by a trio of ringers playing two bells each. It does seem early to be thinking about music for Lent, Holy Week and Easter, but we know how quickly the weeks and months go by!

“When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of glory died,
my richest gain I count but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.”

As with all our 6-bell arrangements, this piece involves no bell changes, no picking-up of accidentals mid-piece, and no shared bells. Perfect for social distancing!

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. An mp3 accompaniment track is also available to purchase separately. This can be useful if you want to rehearse at home without a pianist, or if you don’t have an accompanist available for your worship service.

More information (the small print)

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). Purchase also gives permission for recording, broadcasting, live-streaming and sharing on video-sharing sites and social media. See our licensing agreement for full details. Please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites and social media, and in any printed materials.

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 do what we can to help!

6-bell music - When I Survey the Wondrous for handbells

November 23, 2020

New Christmas 6-Bell Music – Once in Royal David’s City

Our latest handbell title for Christmas is this different and fun arrangement of Once in Royal David’s City – because, seriously, who doesn’t need another Christmas carol in 7/8?

As with all our 6-bell arrangements, this piece involves no bell changes, no picking-up of accidentals, and no shared bells. There are no techniques that require tables or foam pads. The arrangement would be suitable for 3 people to play, holding just two bells each.

Interested in playing this piece?

If you’d like to play Once in Royal David’s City, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus, our music site. An mp3 accompaniment track is also available to purchase separately. This can be useful if you don’t have an accompanist available, or for rehearsal purposes.

If you’re looking for an arrangement of this carol that doesn’t need piano accompaniment, we also have an 8-bell arrangement, in two different bell ranges.

Important information to note:

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). Purchase also gives permission for recording, broadcasting, live-streaming and sharing on video-sharing sites, church websites and social media. Please see our licensing agreement for full details. Remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites and social media, and in any printed materials.

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 do what we can to help!

Once in Royal David's City 6-bell Christmas

November 16, 2020

New Accompanied 6-Bell Music – Marvelous Grace

Since Larry had his shoulder surgery in May, his recovery has been going well. He still occasionally feels the need to put the sling back on, but only to demonstrate a new 6-bell arrangement. The newest title available from Choraegus is the hymn Marvelous Grace, also known as Grace Greater Than Our Sin. We recorded this demonstration video at the end of a very long day, and we’d have liked another try at the tricky section – but we hope you’ll get the idea of how it should sound with a little more practice.

This arrangement works well as a duet, but a trio could also play it, with social distancing as required. There are no techniques that need tables or foam, and no bell-sharing between ringers. If you’d like to play Marvelous Grace, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus, our music site. We also have an mp3 piano accompaniment track available to purchase separately; useful if you don’t have a willing accompanist, or want to rehearse at home.

More information about our music

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). Your purchase 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.

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!

November 2, 2020

New Music for Christmas – How Great Our Joy – for 6 Handbells and Piano

Our latest handbell arrangement for Christmas is the traditional German carol How Great Our Joy, also known by the title While by the Sheep. It’s a fun and cheery arrangement for just 6 handbells that will give your small handbell ensemble a great opportunity to practise dynamics!

“While by the sheep we watched at night,
glad tidings brought an angel bright.
How great our joy!
Great our joy!
Joy, joy, joy!
Joy, joy, joy!
Praise we the Lord in heaven on high!
Praise we the Lord in heaven on high!”

As with all our 6-bell arrangements, this piece involves no bell changes, no picking-up of accidentals, and no shared bells. There are no techniques that require tables or foam pads, and it could also be played by three people without needing to use 4-in-hand.

Would you like to play this arrangement?

If you’d like to play How Great Our Joy, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus, our music site. An mp3 accompaniment track is also available to purchase separately; useful if you don’t have an available accompanist, or for rehearsal purposes.

This carol is also available as a (completely different, unaccompanied) 8-bell arrangement, in two different bell ranges.

Please note that our music is designed to be downloaded as PDFs, so 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). Purchase 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. Please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites and social media, and in any printed materials.

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 do what we can to help!

October 22, 2020

Now the Green Blade Riseth / Sing We Now of Christmas – for 6 Handbells and Piano

Now the Green Blade Riseth is our latest 6-bell arrangement. We’ve been arranging and publishing small-group music since 2012 – i.e. before it was cool! One of our goals has always been to write music that’s challenging and interesting enough for skilled handbell musicians to want to play, even when only a very limited range of bells is used. When Larry had shoulder surgery and we started arranging music for just six bells, we wanted to continue this goal. Our latest 6-bell arrangement turned out to be one of the more-challenging pieces in that range. If you’re looking for something different and fun for Christmas or Easter, this piece might work for your group! After all, who doesn’t appreciate a 7/8 time signature? Wait. Don’t answer that.

A versatile arrangement – for Easter and Christmas!

The arrangement was originally written as Now the Green Blade Riseth, but we recorded it with a batch of Christmas music, with a red poinsettia on the music stand. Thus, it became Sing We Now of Christmas as well. One arrangement for two occasions!

As with all our 6-, 8-, 12- and 16-bell arrangements, there are no bell changes and no shared bells. There are no techniques that require tables or foam pads, so any of these arrangements could work for a socially-distant handbell ensemble. They’re also useful for performances where space is limited. Four-in-hand technique is not required; this 6-bell arrangement could also be played as a trio, with each ringer holding two bells.

If you’d like to play this piece, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus, our music site. An mp3 accompaniment track is also available to purchase separately, for anyone who doesn’t have a pianist available, or wants to practise at home.

If you’d looking for an arrangement of this carol that doesn’t need piano accompaniment, we also have standard and “surprisingly easy” 8-bell arrangements available from Choraegus, and a 3-5 octave, level 3- arrangement for full handbell choir.

More information about Choraegus handbell music

Please note that sheet music from Choraegus 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. Purchase of 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. Please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites and social media, and in any 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 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. Please contact us if you don’t find the answers you need, and we’ll do what we can to help!