Tag Archives: Larry Sue

America the Beautiful – for Handbells

It’s the time of year when people start looking for patriotic music for handbells. America the Beautiful is a much-loved song, with lyrics written by Katharine Lee Bates in 1893. After the poem’s initial publication in 1895, people sung the words to a variety of traditional folk tunes, including Auld Lang Syne. Eventually it was paired with Samuel A. Ward’s tune MATERNA, and they were first published together in 1910. These days, we can’t imagine singing America the Beautiful to any other tune!

“O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountains majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!“

Here’s our 3-5 octave arrangement, recorded last summer.

More information about this arrangement

America the Beautiful is a Level 4 arrangement, with soaring arpeggios and plenty of challenge in each ringing assignment. Sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus. You can either buy an individual copy (useful for massed ringing events, or for preview), or purchase the full choir license. Purchase of the full choir license gives you permission to print up to 15 copies for your group.

Your purchase of the full choir license also grants permission for you to perform, broadcast and live-stream this piece as part of a concert or worship service without the need for any additional license or fee. As part of that agreement, we do ask that you credit the arranger (Larry Sue) and publisher (Choraegus) in any printed media such as concert programs, and online (in video descriptions) where possible. See our licensing agreement for full details. We appreciate your help in spreading the word about Choraegus handbell music. If you record a video of your group playing any of our pieces, we’d love to see it. You’re welcome to share it with us on our Facebook page!

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.

America the Beautiful for Handbells

Handbell Music for Lent – from Choraegus

We still have snow on the ground here in West Michigan. Even so, we’re already starting to think about handbell music for Lent and Holy Week.

We’ve added quite a few new titles to the Choraegus catalog since the start of the COVID pandemic. We now have a whole new range of pieces for just six bells with piano accompaniment. We’ve continued to arrange 8-bell music, and have also put together some new arrangements for larger handbell ensembles.

Full Choir Handbell Music for Lent

Here’s our most recent full-choir arrangement for Lent – it’s the beautiful hymn A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth. It’s for either 3 or 5 octaves, and we demonstrate the 5-octave arrangement here:

Full choir pieces are available from Choraegus as either individual copies (suitable for previewing), or full-choir licences. Purchase of the full-choir license entitles you to make up to 15 copies of the music for your choir. We also grant permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and online video-sharing for non-commercial purposes.

Music for smaller handbell ensembles

Looking at music for smaller ensembles, we now have two versions of When I Survey the Wondrous Cross! One is for 6 bells and piano, and the other is an entirely different 8-bell version. Here’s the 6-bell arrangement:

And here’s the 8-bell When I Survey the Wondrous Cross:

Other 8-bell arrangements suitable for Lent and Holy Week include a challenging arrangement of Ah, Holy Jesus (HERZLIEBSTER JESU). It’s not the Fred Gramann version, but it’s still interesting to play! We also have arrangements of O Sacred Head, Now Wounded, and Go to Dark Gethsemane. You’ll find these and more listed in the Eight-Bell Hymns section of the Choraegus site.

If you have a 2-octave set, you might find 12- or 16-bell music useful. We have several 12-bell hymn arrangements that are ideal for Lent. Our recent 16-bell arrangement of the LEONI hymn tune could also be suitable for a worship service during that time.

We hope you’ll find something useful on our music site. If you have a request for music that’s not in our catalog, you’re always welcome to suggest it to us. If you have questions, please check our Frequently Asked Questions, or get in touch with us. We’ll be happy to help!

Handbell Music for Lent
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Newness – Spring Handbell Music

Newness is an original composition for 3 or 5 octaves of handbells. Spring is approaching (although it’s going to take a while, here in Michigan), so we thought the time was right to make a demonstration video of the 5-octave version. If you’re looking for spring handbell music that’s suitable for a secular performance or a worship service, this piece could be an option, and it shouldn’t take too long to learn.

More information about Newness

Newness is for 3 or 5 octaves of handbells, with optional handchimes. If all the notes are played on bells, it’s a Level 2 piece. Adding the handchimes adds an extra challenge for several ringers. We found it helpful to be able to play the chimes as 4-in-hand pairs with the bells. When we recorded this piece on 3 octaves, we played the chimes separately, again as 4-in-hand pairs – so that could be an option too, if you have extra ringers. If in doubt, just play the whole thing on bells only!

There’s a lot more spring handbell music available from Choraegus, including titles for Lent and Easter – so take a look, and we hope you’ll find something to interest you!

How to purchase the sheet music

Sheet music for Newness is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus. You can either purchase an individual copy (useful for massed ringing events, or for preview), or purchase the full choir license. Purchase of the full choir license gives you our no-fuss permission to print up to 15 copies for your group.

Your purchase also gives permission for you to perform, broadcast and live-stream this piece as part of a concert or worship service without the need for any additional license or fee, although we ask you to credit the arranger (Larry Sue) and publisher (Choraegus) in any printed media such as concert programs, and online (in video descriptions). See our licensing agreement for full details. We appreciate your help in spreading the word about Choraegus handbell music. If you record a video of your group playing any of our pieces, we’d love to see it. You’re welcome to share it with us on our Facebook page!

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.

Newness spring handbell music

Come Down, O Love Divine – Handbell Music for Pentecost


“Come down, O Love divine,
seek thou this soul of mine,
and visit it with thine own ardor glowing;
O Comforter, draw near,
within my heart appear,
and kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.”

We’re happy to bring you this new recording of Larry’s arrangement of the hymn Come Down, O Love Divine. The tune is DOWN AMPNEY, written by Ralph Vaughan Williams in 1906. This hymn is ideal for Pentecost worship.

More information about this arrangement

Come Down, O Love Divine is for 3 or 5 octaves of handbells, with optional handchimes. It’s a Level 3- arrangement. Sheet music is available to download from Choraegus – available as an individual score, or as a full-choir license.

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.

Come Down O Love Divine handbell music for Pentecost

Gaudete! Handbell Music for Christmas

In the handbell world, we know the importance of preparing early. We started the new year by preparing super-early for Christmas 2022 – with a new recording of the carol Gaudete! Okay, we we’ll admit it; we were actually late with this one. The original plan had been for us to record it before Christmas. However, December turned out busier than we expected it to be, and we had to postpone our recording until we’d finished our holiday handbell performances!

Gaudete! dates back at least as far as the 16th century, and this arrangement is fun to play. It sounds tricky, and it probably is, but once you’ve got the hang of the rhythms and mixed meter, it flows along quite nicely. It has handchimes, an opportunity for singing bell, and we added a lively cajón part too!

How to buy Gaudete! Handbell music from Choraegus

Gaudete! is a Level 4+ arrangement, and sheet music is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus. You can either purchase an individual copy (useful for massed ringing events, or for preview), or purchase the full choir license. Purchase of the full choir license gives you our no-fuss permission to print up to 15 copies for your group.

Your purchase also gives permission for you to perform, broadcast and live-stream this piece as part of a concert or worship service without the need for any additional license or fee, although we ask you to credit the arranger (Larry Sue) and publisher (Choraegus) in any printed media such as concert programs, and online (in video descriptions) where possible. See our licensing agreement for full details. We appreciate your help in spreading the word about Choraegus handbell music. If you record a video of your group playing any of our pieces, we’d love to see it. You’re welcome to share it with us on our Facebook page!

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.

Gaudete handbell music for Christmas

Free Handbell Music – I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

“I heard the bells on Christmas Day,
Their old familiar carols play”

Thank you to everyone who’s bought and downloaded handbell music from Choraegus this year. We appreciate you so much! Now it’s our turn to give something to you – with free handbell music! Did you catch our giveaway of Silent Night (12-bell) on Facebook yesterday? If you missed it, you can still get today’s free gift. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day is arranged for 8 handbells and piano accompaniment – and it can be yours, free of charge, for one day only! You can also get the accompaniment track mp3, to help with rehearsing or for those times when you don’t have a pianist available.

To get your free sheet music, add I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day (and the accompaniment track if you need it) 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). You’ll receive a confirmation screen, with a link to download your music. We recommend saving it to your computer, so that you’ll have it ready for next year! 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!

We wish you a very happy holiday season, and a healthy and music-filled year ahead!

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day handbells

Jesus Paid it All – for 8 Handbells

Jesus Paid it All was written in 1855 by Elvina M. Hall, with music by John T. Grape. The tune ALL TO CHRIST is also used for the hymns Fullness in Christ, I Hear the Saviour Say, and All to Christ I Owe.

More information about this arrangement

Our 8-bell arrangement of Jesus Paid it All 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 Jesus Paid it All is available to purchase, download and print from Choraegus. Purchase of 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. If you record a video of your group playing any of our pieces, we’d love to see it. You’re welcome to share it with us on our Facebook page!

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.

Jesus Paid it All handbells

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

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