Tag Archives: handbell duet

Love Came Down at Christmas – 8 Handbells with Piano Accompaniment

“Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, Love divine;“

This gentle accompanied carol arrangement is the latest addition to the Choraegus handbell catalog. We played it last year at the end of our online Christmas duet concert, recorded in our Victorian cottage in northern Michigan. Christina Rossetti’s lyrics are most often sung to this traditional Irish melody (GARTAN). Here’s our demonstration video:

More information about this arrangement

Love Came Down at Christmas is an accompanied 8-bell arrangement that’s straightforward to play. We demonstrate it as a 4-in-hand duet, but you don’t need any special techniques to play it. This piece is suitable for 2-4 ringers, and sheet music is available to purchase, download and print 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 – 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 handbell 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.

Love Came Down at Christmas

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

Jul, Jul, Strålande Jul – a Swedish Christmas Carol

Jul, Jul, Strålande Jul is a Christmas song from Sweden. Gustaf Nordqvist wrote the music, with lyrics by Edvard Evers. The title translates as “Christmas, Glorious Christmas”, and the carol has been one of the most popular Christmas songs in Sweden since its publication in 1921. There have been many versions of Jul, Jul, Strålande Jul recorded by musicians in Scandinavia and around the world.

Our demonstration video was recorded last December, as part of an online handbell duet concert we put together for a group in Colorado.

More information about this arrangement

Our 8-bell arrangement of Jul, Jul, Strålande Jul is suitable for 2-4 ringers. There are no special techniques written into the score, and there’s no need for bell-sharing or tables.

How to purchase the sheet music

If you’d like to play Jul, Jul, Strålande Jul, 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.

Stralande Jul - handbells

A Christmas Handbell Duet – Away in a Manger

Here’s a Christmas handbell duet that could be perfect for anyone looking for something unusual this holiday season. The melody is a traditional Normandy carol tune that was first published with the Away in a Manger lyrics in 1911. It’s a change from the Murray or Kirkpatrick tunes usually heard with this carol, and we played it for the Kalamazoo Ringers’ online Home for Christmas concert last year!

More information about Away in a Manger

This arrangement is for bells from D5 to A6, with piano accompaniment. It’s not difficult to play, and there’s no requirement for traveling 4-in-hand or any advanced solo-ringing techniques. A piano accompaniment mp3 is available to download separately if you don’t have an accompanist, or if you’d like to practise on your own. The sheet music for this Christmas handbell duet is available to download from Choraegus.

Buying Choraegus handbell music

When you purchase Away in a Manger from the Choraegus site, 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 entitles you to print sufficient copies for your group. If you prefer to split the parts between more than two people, that’s okay; you don’t need to pay for extra copies, as long as you’re only using the music for one ensemble.

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 concerts, 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.

Christmas handbell duet Away in a Manger

Our 6th Surprisingly-Easy 8-Bell Hymn Collection

Some of our most popular 8-bell titles are the Surprisingly-Easy hymn arrangements. We’re pleased to announce the arrival of our 6th Surprisingly-Easy 8-Bell Hymn Collection!

Surprisingly-Easy 8-Bell Hymn Arrangements from Choraegus

We refer to our Surprisingly-Easy arrangements as “All of the music, but without the twiddly bits”. These arrangements are more straightforward to play than the standard versions. They avoid complicated rhythms, and can be played at a tempo you’re comfortable with. If you’re part of an advanced handbell group, these arrangements should be “pick up and play” pieces for you; useful if you need to put together a performance at short notice. They’re ideal for worship services, contain no special techniques, and are suitable for 2-4 ringers to play. If you’re part of a duo, trio or quartet, or your full handbell choir is unable to play together because of COVID-19 restrictions, these hymns could be what you’re looking for.

The hymns included in this 8-bell hymn collection are:

  • All Things Bright and Beautiful
  • Holy is the Lord
  • In Babilone
  • Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
  • Let All Things Now Living (The Ash Grove)
  • My Song is Love Unknown
  • Linstead Market (the tune used for the hymn Let All Talents and Tongues Employ

Each of these arrangements is also available to purchase individually from Choraegus, our music site.

More information about buying music online from Choraegus

As always, we strongly recommend that you read the licensing agreement before buying music from us, especially if this is your first time downloading music from Choraegus. Please also 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 an 8-bell arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to four copies for your handbell group. For more information, we have a step-by-step guide to purchasing music from Choraegus. This music also comes with permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and online video-sharing. Please include the title and arranger (Larry Sue) in any online video link, and in printed materials such as concert programs or worship bulletins.

There are more Surprisingly-Easy 8-Bell Collections available from Choraegus, as well as our standard 8-bell arrangements – some more challenging than others.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about buying or playing our music, please check our Frequently-Asked Questions first. If you don’t find the answer you’re looking for, please get in touch with us, and we’ll be happy to help.

6th Surprisingly Easy 8-Bell Hymn Collection
Also available free – from Choraegus – binder covers for our 8-bell music!

Praise God, Ye Servants of the Lord – Handbells and Piano

Praise God, Ye Servants of the Lord (hymn tune ANDRE) is a 19th century hymn written by William B. Bradbury. The tune is also used for the hymns When Israel Fled from Egypt Land and Heavenly Home. It’s an upbeat, quirky little tune, and here’s our arrangement for 8 handbells with piano accompaniment:

We demonstrate this piece as a 4-in-hand duet, but it’s suitable for 2-4 ringers to play, and quite straightforward. It could be a useful addition to your handbell choir’s summer repertoire, for those times when the full group isn’t available to get together!

Would you like to play this arrangement?

If you’d like to play Praise God, Ye Servants of the Lord, 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, or you need to rehearse alone.

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 an 8-bell arrangement allows you to print and maintain up to four 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 such as church service bulletins.

If you haven’t purchased music online from Choraegus before, you might like to look at our step-by-step guide. 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!

Praise God Ye Servants of the Lord

O Zion, Haste – Handbells and Piano Accompaniment

O Zion, Haste is our latest 8-bell hymn arrangement, for handbells and piano. The tune, TIDINGS, was written by English composer James Walch in 1876. The words to the hymn were written by Mary A. Thomson:

“O Zion, haste, thy mission high fulfilling,
To tell to all the world that God is light.
That he who made all nations is not willing
One soul should perish, lost in shades of night.
Publish glad tidings, tidings of peace;
Tidings of Jesus, redemption and release.“

Here’s our arrangement for 8 handbells with piano accompaniment:

More information about O Zion, Haste

O Zion, Haste is for 8 handbells between G5 and G6. We demonstrate this arrangement as a 4-in-hand duet, but it’s suitable for 2-4 ringers to play. There’s no bell-sharing, and no need for tables or foam, which makes it suitable for a socially-distant ensemble if necessary.

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 to use as a backing track if you need to rehearse or perform without an accompanist.

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 an 8-bell arrangement allows you to print and maintain up to four 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 such as church service bulletins.

If you haven’t purchased music online from Choraegus before, you might like to look at our step-by-step guide. 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!

O Zion Haste handbells

In the Sweet By and By – Handbells and Piano

In the Sweet By and By is a beautiful hymn, written in 1868 by S. Fillmore Bennett, with music by Joseph P. Webster. In recent years it has been recorded by many popular artists, including Elvis Presley, Louis Armstrong and Dolly Parton.

“There’s a land that is fairer than day,
And by faith we can see it afar,
For the Father waits over the way
To prepare us a dwelling place there.

In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.“

Here’s our arrangement for 8 handbells with piano accompaniment:

This piece involves no bell changes, no picking-up of accidentals mid-piece, and no shared bells. It can easily be played without a table or foam. 8-bell music can be very useful during the summer months, when full handbell choirs can’t always get together. We demonstrate this piece as a 4-in-hand duet, but it’s suitable for 2-4 ringers to play.

Would you like to play this arrangement?

If you’d like to play In the Sweet By and By, 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, or you need to rehearse alone.

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 an 8-bell arrangement allows you to print and maintain up to four 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 such as church service bulletins.

If you haven’t purchased music online from Choraegus before, you might like to look at our step-by-step guide. 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!

Sweet By and By handbells

Count Your Blessings – for 8 Handbells and Piano

It’s been a while since we published any new accompanied 8-bell music – so here’s a lively arrangement of Count Your Blessings, for handbells and piano. This piece could work well for a Mother’s Day or spring worship service!

“When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.“

As with all our 8-bell arrangements, this piece involves no bell changes, no picking-up of accidentals mid-piece, and no shared bells. You won’t even need tables or foam!

Would you like to play this arrangement?

If you’d like to play Count Your Blessings, 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 a willing accompanist, or if you want to rehearse at home without the rest of your ensemble.

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 an 8-bell arrangement allows you to print and maintain up to four 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 such as church service bulletins.

If you haven’t purchased music online from Choraegus before, you might like to look at our step-by-step guide. 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!

Count Your Blessings - handbells

I Greet Thee, Who My Sure Redeemer Art – for 8 Handbells

“I greet Thee, who my sure Redeemer art,
My only trust and Savior of my heart,
Who pain didst undergo for my poor sake;
I pray Thee from our hearts all cares to take.”

It’s been a while since we published any new 8-bell music! We have several new arrangements that will be available from Choraegus soon… but first, here’s one that we’ve had for a while. It’s a hymn that dates from the 16th century, with the tune TOULON. Our video is another that we recorded early last year, when Larry was waiting to have shoulder surgery.

As with our other 8-bell pieces, this arrangement has no bell-sharing, no picking-up of accidentals during the piece, and no need for tables. We demonstrate it as a 4-in-hand duet, but there are no special techniques written into the score, so it could also be suitable for a trio or quartet to play.

How to purchase the sheet music

If you’d like to play I Greet Thee, Who My Sure Redeemer Art, 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 you only need to pay once. 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.

Please also note that our music is designed as downloadable 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, 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. Please contact us if you don’t find the answers you need, and we’ll be happy to help.

I Greet Thee, Who My Sure Redeemer Art - handbells