Tag Archives: handbell music

Shall We Gather at the River – a New Arrangement for 8 Handbells and Piano

Following on from our popular arrangement of Be Thou My Vision, here’s our latest 8-bell title, Shall We Gather at the River?, arranged for handbells and piano. This beautiful hymn was written in 1864 by Robert Lowry.

“Shall we gather at the river,
Where bright angel feet have trod;
With its crystal tide forever
Flowing by the throne of God?

Yes, we’ll gather at the river,
The beautiful, the beautiful river;
Gather with the saints at the river
That flows by the throne of God.”

This arrangement has no bell changes, and no tables are required. It could work well for playing in a worship service, with ringers playing from music stands, spaced apart to allow for social distancing.

Interested in playing this arrangement?

If you’d like to play Shall We Gather at the River, 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; perfect if you don’t have a willing accompanist, or want to rehearse at home.

Please read the following information:

Choraegus 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 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, 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, designed to help you navigate the purchase and download process in a (we hope!) stress-free way.

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!

Shall We Gather at the River - handbells

Free Handbell Music – The Spider Song – for 8 Bells

Here’s some free handbell music, as a thank you to everyone who’s purchased music from Choraegus this summer. It’s been a strange season for us, and for many other handbell musicians, as so many spring and summer performances were cancelled, and the upcoming fall/Christmas season still feels a little uncertain. We’ve been thankful that we have bells at home and plenty of music to play.

Handbell duets on the porch

We’ve also been enjoying spending time at our Victorian summer cottage in northern Michigan, where we can play handbell duets on the porch, to the sound of cars and trucks thundering past on US-31. The residents in 1887 never had to worry about traffic noise!

The Spider Song - free handbell music

Yay! Free music!

This week we have another free 8-bell arrangement to offer you. Whether you call it Incy Wincy Spider or Itsy Bitsy Spider, you should recognise this early 20th-century children’s song. You can find our arrangement in the Freebies section of our music site. You’ll also find free music for Happy Birthday, Auld Lang Syne, Dona Nobis Pacem, and Alouette. In addition, there are printable covers for anyone who’s storing their 8-bell music in binders.

There’s no obligation to make any other purchase from Choraegus to get the free handbell music. Of course, we hope you’ll take a look at other titles we have to offer, but if you’d rather just grab the free music and go, we don’t mind at all. It’s a good way to try our eight-bell music without having to spend any money! The Spider Song (or any of our other 8-bell pieces) could be a good way for a duo, trio or quartet to play some music that doesn’t have any bell changes, accidentals, or techniques that need tables or foam; perfect for social distancing!

To get your free sheet music, add The Spider Song to your cart on the Choraegus site, and click on the yellow “Check out with PayPal” button (don’t worry; PayPal won’t ask you to make any payment). Enter your details, and click “Confirm Order” (there’s no need to click on the PayPal button a second time). Then check your email inbox! If the download link doesn’t arrive, check your spam folder, and it might be there. If anything goes wrong, please let us know, and we’ll find another way to get your music to you.

More information (the small print)

As always, we recommend that you read the licensing agreement before buying music from us (or claiming your free music), especially if this is your first time downloading music from Choraegus. You won’t receive anything in the mail, and will be responsible for printing your own music.

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!

free handbell music - the Spider Song

New Handbell Music – 6-Bell Nyanyikanlah

Nyanyikanlah is our latest 6-bell arrangement. It’s a traditional Indonesian Batak melody that’s fun to play! It’s the setting for Hallelujah! Sing Praise to Your Creator, with English lyrics by David James Diephouse and Indonesian lyrics (Nyanyikanlah nyanyian baru bagi) by Tilly Lubis.

This cheerful 6-bell arrangement works well as a duet, but could be played with a trio of three ringers too. Perfect for social distancing!

How to get the sheet music for Nyanyikanlah

If you’d like to play Nyanyikanlah, the sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus. An mp3 piano accompaniment track is also available to purchase separately. This can be helpful if you don’t have a willing accompanist, or want to rehearse at home.

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), 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, 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.

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

Nyanyikanlah - handbell music

New 8-Bell Music – King of the Fairies

King of the Fairies is a traditional Irish hornpipe that’s one of the arrangements we enjoy playing during street performances. It’s one of those pieces that can be played with the repeated sections or without, depending on how long you want to play for! It’s another one of our pieces that could also work well for a socially-distanced handbell quartet, with no bell-sharing, and no need for tables.

In the last few weeks, we’ve been thinking a lot about street performances – normally a regular part of our summer. With Larry having shoulder surgery a couple of months ago, and the global pandemic, we haven’t yet done any street performances this year. Who knows? Maybe we’ll get out into the streets with our bells at some point before the cold weather arrives!

Would you like to play this arrangement?

If you’d like to play this arrangement, the sheet music is now available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus. Purchasing this arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to four copies for your handbell group. Purchase also allows you to perform the piece, broadcast and/or live-stream it, and share a performance video on social media etc.

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. 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.

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!

New Accompanied 6-Bell Music for Christmas – Silent Night

Too early for Christmas music? Can we have a Silent Night for handbells this early in the year? We’ve definitely heard of “Christmas in July”! This seems like a good time to introduce our latest arrangement for six bells, a piano and an optional sling!

We recorded this version of Silent Night for handbells and piano several months ago, in a desperate attempt to make a Michigan spring day look like Christmas. We failed, of course. No amount of red clothing or poinsettia music-stand decorations will disguise the sunshine outside! Well, at least we tried, and you’ll get an idea of how the music should sound.

Feeling Christmassy?

If you’d like to play Silent Night, 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.

Please note that sheet music from Choraegus 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 this 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, 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.

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.

Looking for a version that doesn’t need piano accompaniment?

If you’re looking for handbell pieces that don’t need accompaniment tracks and can be played by 2 – 4 ringers, we also have an 8-bell version of Silent Night that you might like to try!

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!

Silent Night - handbells and piano

New Accompanied 6-Bell Music – Creator of the Stars of Night

While Larry’s been recovering from shoulder surgery, we’ve enjoyed working on some music that only needs six bells and piano. Our latest 6-bell arrangement is the Advent hymn Creator of the Stars of Night.

This hymn is based on a 7th-century Latin plainchant Conditor alme Siderum. It’s one of the oldest pieces of music in our repertoire! It proved impossible for us to create a December mood for our demonstration recording. However, we can easily imagine this piece being played at an Advent or Christmas Eve service. It would be extra special by candlelight!

Would you like to play this piece?

This arrangement is straightforward to play as a duet, or by a trio of three ringers if you prefer just two bells each. 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’re looking for handbell pieces that don’t need accompaniment tracks and can be played by 2-4 ringers, we also have an 8-bell version of Creator of the Stars of Night that you might also like to try!

Information about Choraegus handbell music

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. Purchasing this 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.

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

Creator of the Stars of Night - 6-bell music

New 8-Bell Music – Calliope House

Calliope House is a fun addition to our 8-bell repertoire. It’s a jig written by Dave Richardson of the Irish band Boys of the Lough. The piece was originally written in honor of George Balderose, the founder of the Pittsburgh Folk Music Society, who used to host house concerts in his home – Calliope House.

This tune is, oddly, more difficult to play than it looks. We usually save it for street performances. Somewhere on Facebook there’s a video entitled The Perils of Street Performing. The video shows us playing this piece on a ridiculously-windy day in Downtown Holland.

Anyway, we brought the piece out for this slightly jet-lagged performance at our All the Way from Holland concert in the California Bay Area in May 2019. The third page has a tendency to trip us up when we haven’t quite had enough sleep, and this performance was no exception. Still, we always enjoy playing it, and we love a challenge, of course.

Would you like to play this arrangement?

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

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

Calliope House, 8-bell handbells
In concert in California – May 2019

New Handbell Music for 6 Bells – Beach Spring

Continued thanks to everyone who’s been playing Choraegus handbell music during these unusual times of lockdown and social distancing. We appreciate your support and encouragement, particularly as Larry has been recovering from shoulder surgery in recent weeks. We were surprised at how much we missed being able to pick up our bells and play our usual 8-bell duets. Writing and playing music for just 6 bells has been a great alternative for us as Larry heals from surgery. The most recent arrangement we’d like to share with you is Beach Spring.

This versatile hymn tune is used as the setting for Come and Find the Quiet Center, Lord Dismiss Us With Thy Blessing and Lord, Whose Love Through Humble Service, and many others!

This arrangement can be played as a duet, or by a trio of three ringers if you prefer just two bells each. Our 6-bell music can be useful for handbell duos where one ringer is more experienced with 4-in-hand technique than the other. We’re keeping the piano accompaniments interesting too, so that your pianist need never feel bored!

How to get the sheet music for Beach Spring

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. It’s useful if you don’t have a willing accompanist or want to rehearse at home.

Other versions are available!

If you’re looking for handbell pieces that don’t need accompaniment tracks and can be played by 2 – 6 ringers, we have a 12-bell version of Beach Spring and an 8-bell version too!

More information about Choraegus handbell 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), 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 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 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 do what we can to help!

Beach Spring - 6-bell handbells

New 8-Bell Music from Choraegus – I Want Jesus to Walk With Me

Thanks to everyone who’s been playing our music during this time of social distancing. Our latest 8-bell arrangement is the hymn I Want Jesus to Walk With Me. We recorded our demo video in March, before Larry had his shoulder surgery… and wow, doesn’t it look cold outside those windows? Now that summer has arrived in Michigan, we’re used to seeing the trees much less bare-looking!

This African-American spiritual is a song of lament, but also an assurance that Jesus walks beside anyone who’s suffering. It’s often heard during Lent and Holy Week, but can be used year-round in worship services.

“I want Jesus to walk with me,
I want Jesus to walk with me,
All along my pilgrim journey,
Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me.

In my trial, Lord, walk with me,
In my trials, Lord, walk with me,
When the shades of life are falling,
Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me.

In my troubles, Lord walk with me,
In my troubles, Lord walk with me,
When my life becomes a burden,
Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me.”

Would you like to play this piece?

This arrangement is straightforward to play, and could also be suitable for a handbell trio or quartet. The sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus. 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 – and to use this piece in online and live-streamed worship services. 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.

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.

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

I Want Jesus to Walk With Me - 8 handbells

New Handbell Music – He Leadeth Me – for 8 Bells

We’ve had to take a break from playing our eight-bell music while Larry recovers from his recent shoulder surgery. We’ve actually been surprised at our much we’ve missed our rehearsals! Our latest eight-bell arrangement is the hymn He Leadeth Me. This hymn was written by Joseph Gilmore, based on the text of Psalm 23, with music by William Bradbury.

“He leadeth me: O blessed thought!
O words with heavenly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be,
still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.“

This hymn remains popular today, and is often sung at remembrance and memorial services, and on Good Shepherd Sunday.

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.

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 – so you only need to pay once. You can also use this piece in online and live-streamed worship services. 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.

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