May 21, 2020

Introducing our 5th 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 5th 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” If you’re looking for some new handbell pieces to enhance your worship service, but you don’t want them to take too long to learn, this collection could be the answer. If you’re part of a duo, trio or quartet, or your handbell choir is unable to play together because of social distancing, these hymns could be what you’re looking for.

The hymns included in this fifth collect ion are:

Beach Spring
Children of the Heavenly Father
Faith of Our Fathers
I Vow to Thee, My Country
Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us
Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus
Sweet Hour of Prayer

If you’d like to play any of these arrangements, sheet music for the collection and each individual title is available to purchase, download and print 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 eight-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 to broadcast and/or livestream and share online as part of a worship service.

There are more Surprisingly-Easy 8-Bell Collections available from Choraegus, as well as our standard eight-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.

5th Surprisingly Easy 8-Bell Hymn Collection — Also available from Choraegus – binder covers for our eight-bell music!

May 14, 2020

New Handbell Music – How Firm a Foundation

Our continued thanks to everyone who’s been playing our music. We appreciate you all so much! Our latest eight-bell arrangement is the hymn How Firm a Foundation. This hymn was published in 1787 and has remained popular through the centuries. The words remind us that no matter what we’re going through, God is with us, and we can rely on the solid foundation of His strength and support.

“Fear not, I am with thee; O be not dismayed,
for I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.”

“When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
for I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.”

If you’d like to play How Firm a Foundation, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus, our music site.

Information about Choraegus handbell music

As always, we 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. 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 four copies for your handbell group, and to use this piece in online and live-streamed worship services.

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.

Questions about our music?

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!

How Firm a Foundation - 8-bell arrangement

May 7, 2020

New 8-Bell Music – Zeg Kwezelken, Wilde Gij Dansen

Here in Holland, Michigan, our city’s 91st annual Tulip Time Festival has been cancelled because of coronavirus. But that doesn’t stop us from playing Dutch music on handbells! Our latest 8-bell arrangement is the traditional song Zeg Kwezelken, Wilde Gij Dansen; a melody written in 1848.

Would you like to play this 8-bell piece?

If you’d like to play Zeg Kwezelken, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus, our music site.

As always, we 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. 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 four copies for your handbell group. Purchase also gives you permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and online video-sharing.

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. If you don’t find the answers you need, please contact us, and we’ll do what we can to help!

April 30, 2020

New Handbell Music – Het Roosje – for 8 Bells

It’s the time of year when the residents of Holland, Michigan traditionally look forward to the start of the city’s annual Tulip Time Festival. The town displays over 5 million tulips. The city celebrates its Dutch heritage – with parades, music performances and Dutch dancing demonstration.

This year’s 91st Tulip Time Festival has been cancelled because of health concerns for the city’s residents and the hundreds of thousands of visitors who usually flock to the festival. Of course, no one told the tulips, so they will still bloom. Carla took the photo below during the 2019 festival, at Windmill Island Gardens.

Since moving to Holland in the summer of 2016, we’ve enjoyed finding traditional Dutch music that can be played using just 8 handbells. Our latest arrangement is the song Het Roosje, which translates as The Rose.

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

More information about our downloadable handbell music

As always, we 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. 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 four copies for your handbell group. Purchase also gives permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and online video-sharing. Please mention the title and arranger of the piece in video descriptions and on printed materials.

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 18, 2020

New Handbell Music – Song of Hope (Canto de Esperanza)

Here’s our latest arrangement for 8 handbells – the popular hymn Song of Hope. The lyrics to this hymn were written by Alvin L. Schutmaat, a Michigan-born missionary to Latin America, and the melody (hymn tune ARGENTINA) is a traditional folk tune.

Song of Hope – recorded when we still had snow on the ground!

“¡Dios de la esperanza, danos gozo y paz!
May the God of hope go with us every day,
Al mundo en crisis, habla tu verdad.
Filling all our lives with love and joy and peace.
Dios de la justicia, mándanos tu luz,
May the God of justice speed us on our way,
Luz y esperanza en la oscuridad.
Bringing light and hope to every land and race.”

Larry wrote this 8-bell arrangement for the TRC Ringers at Third Reformed Church here in Holland.

Would you like to play this piece?

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

As always, we recommend that you read the licensing agreement before buying music from us, especially if this is your first time downloading music from Choraegus. If you’re new to Choraegus handbell music, we recommend our step-by-step guide!

Please also 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 this arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to four copies for your handbell group.

Any questions for us?

If you have any questions about purchasing or playing 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. We hope you’ll enjoy playing our music!

March 5, 2020

New Handbell Music – Gwerzy, for 8 Bells!

Some 8-bell pieces are very easy to play, requiring little rehearsal time. Gwerzy is not one of those pieces. Colm O’Snodaigh and Dee Armstrong, of the Irish band Kíla, kindly gave us permission to arrange Gwerzy for handbells. It’s fun to play, for anyone who enjoys a bit of a challenge.

We first performed this arrangement in California at the 2019 Bay Area Spring Ring. We announced it to the audience as a work-in-progress. To be honest, it will probably always be a work-in-progress for us! We had originally planned to record a 100%-accurate and polished performance of this piece before offering it for purchase. We’ve now decided to let others join in the fun, without waiting for something that might never happen!

Gwerzy – at the 2019 Bay Area Spring Ring in California

If you’re feeling ~~insane~~ courageous enough to try this arrangement, you’ll find the sheet music to download from Choraegus.

Things to know about Choraegus handbell music

As always, we strongly recommend that you read the licensing agreement before buying music from us. Please also 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 this arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to four copies for your handbell group.

If you’re new to Choraegus, you might appreciate our step-by-step guide. We designed this to help our customers buy and download music in a (we hope!) stress-free way.

We’re happy to answer questions!

Gwerzy handbells — Together in California, May 2019

February 19, 2020

New Handbell Music – Come, All You People, Praise Our God

“Come, all you people, praise our God
and tell his glorious works abroad,
who holds our souls in life;
he never lets our feet be moved
and, though our faith he often proved,
upholds us in the strife.“

Here’s the latest addition to our 8-bell repertoire: Come, All You People, Praise Our God. This hymn tune (ODAWA) – by gospel songwriter Charles H. Gabriel – was first published in 1912.

Sheet music is available from Choraegus

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

As always, we recommend that you read the licensing agreement before buying music from us. If this is your first time purchasing music from Choraegus, we recommend our step-by-step guide!

Please also 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 this arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to four copies for your handbell group.

We’re happy to answer your questions!

February 6, 2020

New Handbell Music – Beach Spring – for 8 Bells

Here’s one of our new favorite 8-bell arrangements – Beach Spring – for 8 bells. Many popular hymn texts have been set to this tune. For example, Come Ye Sinners Poor and Needy, Lord Whose Love Through Humble Service and Lord, Dismiss Us With Thy Blessing. It’s a very versatile tune, suitable for services throughout the church calendar.

Our demonstration video was recorded on just our third attempt at playing this piece. It’s less polished than we’d have liked, but the notes are accurate, so it should give you a good idea of how the piece sounds. We had a request to publish this arrangement quickly, but at some point we’ll hope to record a better demonstration video!

Sheet music is available from Choraegus

If you’d like to play Beach Spring for 8 bells, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus, our music site.

As always, we recommend that you read the licensing agreement before buying music from us. If this is your first time purchasing Choraegus music, we also recommend our step-by-step guide! Please also 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 this arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to four copies for your handbell group.

We also have a 12-bell arrangement of Beach Spring, available from Choraegus.

Any questions?

January 30, 2020

New Handbell Music – At the Cross – for 8 Bells

Here’s our new 8-bell arrangement of the hymn At the Cross. The hymn tune is HUDSON, and this one is particularly suitable for Good Friday as well as throughout the church year.

“Alas! and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For sinners such as I?

At the cross, at the cross, where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Nz8wFlZ4DQ

Sheet music is available from Choraegus

If you’d like to play At the Cross, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus, our music site.

As always, we recommend that you read the licensing agreement before buying music from us. If you haven’t downloaded music from Choraegus before, we recommend our step-by-step guide!

Other titles for Lent, Holy Week, Good Friday and Easter

If you’re looking for the alternative MARTYRDOM hymn tune, we have an eight-bell arrangement of that too. You’ll find it under the title Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed.

If you’re interested in other 8-bell music suitable for Lent, Easter and Holy Week, we have a list of other hymn suggestions. Many of these pieces are also available on Choraegus.

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!

January 22, 2020

New 8-Bell Music – Mfurahini, Haleluya

Mfurahini, Haleluya is the traditional Swahili title for the popular hymn most commonly sung as Christ Has Arisen, Alleluia. This lively tune is from Tanzania, and is particularly suitable for Easter! We recorded the video a couple of weeks ago, before the snow arrived here in West Michigan.

For extra entertainment value, watch the video carefully. You might notice a black squirrel running across the garden behind us. It’s not the first time one of our rehearsal videos has featured a squirrel!

How to get the sheet music for Mfurahini, Haleluya

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

As always, we recommend that you read the licensing agreement before buying music from us. If you haven’t bought music from Choraegus before, we recommend our step-by-step guide. We designed the guide in an attempt to make the purchasing process stress-free!

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. A single purchase of this 8-bell title gives you permission to print up to 4 copies for your group. Please don’t pay for more copies than you need!

If you’re interested in other 8-bell music suitable for Lent, Easter and Holy Week, we have a list of other hymn suggestions. Many of these titles are available from Choraegus.

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!