Tag Archives: Choraegus

The Lord Bless You and Keep You – Benediction – for 16 Handbells

“The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord lift His countenance upon you,
and give you peace;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you,
and be gracious unto you.
Amen.” 

Over the weekend, we closed up our summer cottage at Bay View, northern Michigan, and drove home to Holland. It’s a bittersweet time for us; the weather’s been getting colder, and there’s a limit to how long it’s comfortable to stay in a mostly-uninsulated Victorian cottage. But on the other hand, the autumn colours are still beautiful, and our summer cottage has been a peaceful retreat for us in recent months. We’ve spent a lot of time there this year, and we really didn’t want to leave!

Bay View is a beautiful place in every season. Here’s our video showing some of the views we’ve enjoyed this year. There are two 16-bell arrangements used in the video – God Be with You Till We Meet Again, and our new arrangement of The Lord Bless You and Keep You, which starts 1:28 into the video.

More information about The Lord Bless You and Keep You

This is the BENEDICTION hymn tune, written by Peter C. Lutkin. We sing this at the end of our annual concert at the Bay View Week of Handbells – and our arrangement is suitable as an accompaniment to choral singing. The arrangement is suitable for 4-8 ringers, and contains no bell changes. If your handbell ensemble is playing from music stands, or observing social distancing, this could work!

If you’d like to play either this arrangement, or God Be With You Till We Meet Again, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus. 

More about Choraegus handbell music

Purchasing either of these arrangements gives you permission to print and maintain up to 8 copies for your handbell group. Purchase also gives permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and online video-sharing for non-commercial purposes such as worship services. 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.

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 the information you need, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help!

A dusting of snow at Bay View in November 2021, signalling that it’s time to close the cottage for the winter!

Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken – for 8 Handbells

Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken is our most recent 8-bell arrangement. It’s an 18th-century English hymn, written by John Newton, who also wrote Amazing Grace. The tune used for this arrangement is Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser, written by Joseph Haydn – most often referred to in hymnals as AUSTRIA.

More information about this arrangement

Our 8-bell arrangement of Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken is suitable for 2-4 ringers. We demonstrate it as a 4-in-hand duet, but there’s no requirement to use 4-in-hand. There’s no bell-sharing, and no accidentals to pick up mid-piece, so if you have a small ensemble, this piece can be played with no need for tables or foam pads. Perfect for social distancing!

How to purchase the sheet music

Sheet Music for Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken (standard version) is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus. There’s also a Surprisingly Easy™ arrangement of this hymn – so you have a choice! Purchasing either of these arrangements gives you permission to print up to four 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. We appreciate your help in spreading the word about Choraegus handbell music!

Choraegus handbell music is designed to come to you as a PDF file, which you’ll need to download. 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.

PS If you missed the outtake video of Still, Still, Still that we shared on our Facebook page, now might be a good time to watch it! We apologise for the advertising on our YouTube videos. We didn’t ask for it, and don’t make any money from it. It’s one of the reasons for our gradual switch to Vimeo!

Glorious Things of Thee handbells

The Heavens Declare Your Glory – 8-Bell Music

The Heavens Declare Your Glory is J.S. Bach’s hymn tune FAITHFUL. It’s a versatile hymn for use in worship year-round! Here’s our new 8-bell arrangement:

More information about this arrangement

Our 8-bell arrangement of The Heavens Declare Your Glory is suitable for 2-4 ringers. We demonstrate it as a 4-in-hand duet, but there’s no requirement to use 4-in-hand. There’s no bell-sharing, and no accidentals to pick up mid-piece, so if you have a small ensemble, this piece can be played with no need for tables or foam pads. Perfect for social distancing!

How to purchase the sheet music

Sheet Music for The Heavens Declare Your Glory (8-bell version) is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus. Purchasing this arrangement gives you permission to print up to four 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. We appreciate your help in spreading the word about Choraegus handbell music!

Choraegus handbell music is designed to come to you as a PDF file, which you’ll need to download. 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.

Looking for full-choir music?

If you’re looking for music for 3-5 octaves, you might enjoy our full-choir arrangement of The Heavens Declare Your Glory. This version is also 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. 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.

The Heavens Declare Your Glory 8-bell

Gesu Bambino – for Handbells and Piano

Gesù Bambino is an Italian Christmas carol, written by Pietro Yon in 1917. Frederick H. Martens translated it into English for his carol When Blossoms Flowered ‘mid the Snow.

“When blossoms flowered ‘mid the snows
Upon a winter night,
Was born the Child, the Christmas Rose,
The King of Love and Light.“

We’re pleased to bring you our demonstration video of this new arrangement from Choraegus.

More information about Gesu Bambino

This arrangement is for 3 or 5 octaves of handbells, with piano accompaniment. It’s a Level 3 arrangement, with a lilting mood – perfect for Christmas worship. There are no shared accidentals, so if your handbell choir is still observing social distancing, the ringers could play from spaced-apart tables. If you’d like to play our arrangement of Gesu Bambino, you can purchase and download the sheet music from Choraegus.

Buying Choraegus handbell music

When you buy handbell music from Choraegus, the music score will come to you as a PDF file. That means you’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. When you’ve downloaded your music, your one-time payment (for the full-choir copy) entitles you to print up to 15 copies for your group. Please read our licensing agreement for full information about this. If you’re new to buying music from Choraegus, we recommend our step-by-step guide. We designed this to take you through the process in a (we hope) stress-free way!

Purchasing this arrangement gives you no-fuss permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and online video-sharing. Please take some time to read about what you’re allowed to do with Choraegus handbell music. In these times of live-streaming and online worship services, it’s particularly important that we all understand and follow the laws concerning performance licensing and copyright.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about buying or playing Choraegus handbell music, please look at our Frequently-Asked Questions. Just about any question anyone has ever asked us is there – with answers. If you don’t find the information you’re looking for, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

Gesu Bambino handbells

Ding Dong, Merrily on High – for Handbells, Piano and Flute

Our lively arrangement of Ding Dong, Merrily on High was part of last year’s Kalamazoo Ringers online Christmas concert. We had a great time collaborating with Gary Matthews on piano, with the super-talented Martha Matthews playing a brand-new flute part. We promised that the flute part would be available to purchase in time for Christmas 2021 – and here it is!

More information about this arrangement

Ding Dong, Merrily on High is an 8-bell arrangement, available with either an organ or piano accompaniment, and now an additional optional part for flute. The flute really adds some extra sparkle! The organ accompaniment was created by T. Paul Rosas from California. Sheet music is available to purchase and download from Choraegus.

Buying handbell music from Choraegus

Your Choraegus music score will come to you in a download link, as a PDF file. You’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. You can order the music, download and print it on the same day, and be ready to rehearse!

Purchasing this arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to four copies for your handbell group, plus the accompaniment score/s – so you only need to pay once. Purchase also gives permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and video-sharing online. You can find full details in our licensing agreement, and in our instructions about what you’re allowed to do with Choraegus music. 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 enjoy playing our music, please share our website link with other musicians, and help us to get the word out!

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’s ever asked us is there, along with answers. Please contact us if you don’t find the information you need, and we’ll be happy to help.

Ding Dong Merrily on High handbells

Jesus, Good Above All Other – for Handbells, 2-3 Octaves

“Jesus, good above all other,
gentle child of gentle mother,
in a stable born our brother,
give us grace to persevere.

Jesus, cradled in a manger,
for us facing every danger,
living as a homeless stranger,
make we thee our King most dear.”

We were recently going through some old memory cards from our video camera, and we found a forgotten-about recording we’d made of this gentle hymn. The tune is QUEM PASTORES – a 15th century tune, sometimes shortened to Quempas, also used for Christmas to describe the shepherds and their journey to Bethlehem. In more recent years, the melody has also been used for the hymn Like a Mighty River Flowing – so it’s a very versatile tune!

Here’s the recording we made, many months ago. It’s a little unpolished, since it was one of our first attempts at playing full-choir music with just the two of us. Still, you should get a reasonable idea of how the piece sounds:

More information about this arrangement

Jesus, Good Above All Other is for 2-3 octaves of handbells. The handchimes add something extra, but if you don’t have handchimes, the notes can all be played on handbells with no problem. It’s a Level 2+ arrangement, in 6/8 – and it’s one of our most straightforward full-choir arrangements. If you’d like to play it, you’ll find the sheet music available to download from Choraegus – available either as an individual score or as a full-choir score.

Buying Choraegus handbell music

When you purchase handbell music from Choraegus, the music score will come to you as a PDF file. That means you’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. When you’ve downloaded your music, your one-time payment (for the full-choir copy) entitles you to print up to 15 copies for your group. Please note that this only applies to the full-choir licence. If you buy an individual copy as a preview score, you’ll need to come back and purchase the full-choir version in order for your group to play it. Please read our licensing agreement for full information about this. If you’re new to buying music from Choraegus, we recommend our step-by-step guide, designed to take you through the process in a (we hope) stress-free way!

Purchasing this arrangement gives you no-fuss permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and online video-sharing. Please take some time to read about what you’re allowed to do with Choraegus handbell music. In these times of live-streaming, and online worship services, it’s particularly important that we all understand and follow the laws concerning performance licensing and copyright.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about buying or playing Choraegus handbell music, please look at our Frequently-Asked Questions. If you don’t find the information you’re looking for, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

Jesus Good Above All Other, handbells

Praise the Lord, Sing Hallelujah – for Handbells


“Praise the Lord, sing Hallelujah,
from the heavens praise God’s name!
Praise the Lord, our great creator;
all you angels, praise proclaim.
All you hosts, together praising,
sun and moon and stars on high.
Praise the Lord, O heav’ns of heavens,
and the floods above the sky.”

The hymn tune PRAISE JEHOVAH was composed by William J. Kirkpatrick in 1899. We enjoyed putting together a recording of this hymn, also known to us as “Doesn’t this sound a bit like I’ve Been Working on the Railroad?”

More information about this arrangement

I’ve Been Working on Praise the Lord, Sing Hallelujah is for 3-5 octaves of handbells, with optional handchimes. We always enjoy the way the chimes sound, although if you don’t have them, the piece still works. It’s a Level 2+ arrangement.Sheet music is available to download from Choraegus – available as an individual score, or as a full-choir score.

Buying Choraegus handbell music

When you purchase handbell music from Choraegus, the music score will come to you as a PDF file. That means you’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. When you’ve downloaded your music, your one-time payment (for the full-choir copy) entitles you to print up to 15 copies for your group. Please read our licensing agreement for full information about this. If you’re new to buying music from Choraegus, we recommend our step-by-step guide. We designed this to take you through the process in a (we hope) stress-free way!

Purchasing this arrangement gives you no-fuss permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and online video-sharing. Please take some time to read about what you’re allowed to do with Choraegus handbell music. In these times of live-streaming, and online worship services, it’s particularly important that we all understand and follow the laws concerning performance licensing and copyright.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about buying or playing Choraegus handbell music, please look at our Frequently-Asked Questions. If you don’t find the information you’re looking for, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

Praise the Lord Sing Hallelujah handbells

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

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!

Angel Gabriel handbells

Swiss Handbell Music for Christmas – Es ist für uns eine Zeit angekommen

There was once a time… for a glorious few hours on a November evening… when we thought we might be able to start planning a performance for a super-exciting event in New York City. We were asked if we had any Swiss handbell music for the occasion, and we started thinking. Sadly, the performance was not to be, but we still made an arrangement of this Swiss Christmas carol. The thing with inviting bookings for the holiday season is that you never know when you might need to play Christmas carols from other countries. We like to be prepared!

Es ist für uns eine Zeit angekommen translates as Unto Us a Time has Come. It’s a lively traditional carol from the Lucerne region of Switzerland. We performed it for the first time last Christmas, for an online concert (but not in New York City).

More information about this arrangement

Our 8-bell arrangement of Es ist für uns eine Zeit angekommen is suitable for 2-4 ringers. We demonstrate it as a 4-in-hand duet, but there’s no requirement to play 4-in-hand, and no need for tables. Our 8-bell music is useful for small-group ringing, or for social distancing.

How to purchase the sheet music

If you’d like to play some Swiss handbell music, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus. Purchasing this arrangement gives you permission to print up to four 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.

Choraegus handbell music is designed to come to you as a PDF file, which you’ll need to download. 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.

Swiss handbell music Christmas

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!