Larry’s latest 2-3 octave handbell arrangement is the traditional Scottish tune Kelvingrove. This popular traditional melody was first published in The Harp of Kenfrewshire, a collection of songs published in Scotland around 1820. The author’s name is given as John Sim.
“Let us haste to Kelvin Grove, bonnie lassie, O, Through its mazes let us rove, bonnie lassie, O: Where the rose in all her pride, Paints the hollow dingle side, Where the midnight fairies glide, bonnie lassie, O.”
Kelvingrove as church music
In recent years, the Kelvingrove tune has become popular in churches, with the title Will You Come and Follow Me? (The Summons) and lyrics written in 1987 by John L. Bell and Graham A. Maule. Here’s a video by the Carillon Choir at Third Reformed Church of Holland, Michigan:
Would you like to play Kelvingrove?
This arrangement of Kelvingrove is for 2-3 octaves of handbells. If you’d like to play it, the sheet music is available to purchase from Choraegus.
If you haven’t purchased music from Choraegus before, we recommend reading our step-by-step guide. We designed this in an attempt to make the purchasing process as stress-free as possible!
Please note that Choraegus handbell music will come to you as a digital download; a PDF file. You’ll be responsible for printing your own sheet music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. The advantage of having downloadable sheet music is not having to wait to receive it. You can make your purchase, print out the music, and be ready to start rehearsing with your handbell choir! For 2-3 octave handbell music, your purchase (pay once only) entitles you to print and maintain up to 15 copies for your group.
Any questions?
Please let us know if you have any questions, and we’ll be happy to help!
“I vow to thee my country, all earthly things above, Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love. The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test, That lays upon the altar the dearest and the best. The love that never falters, the love that pays the price, The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice.
And there’s another country I’ve heard of long ago, Most dear to them that love her, most great to them that know. We may not count her armies, we may not see her king, Her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering. And soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase, And her ways are ways of gentleness and all her paths are peace.”
I Vow to Thee, My Country is a much-loved British patriotic hymn. Sir Cecil Spring Rice wrote the lyrics, and Gustav Holst set them to music. The melody is adapted from a section of Jupiter from Holst’s orchestral suite The Planets. Nowadays, you might recognise it as the hymn tune THAXTED.
A much-loved patriotic hymn
I Vow to Thee, My Country has strong associations with Remembrance Sunday. Its patriotic text has ensured that it remains popular today. It was sung at the funeral of Sir Winston Churchill in 1965, and at the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1981. It was also sung at the funeral of the Princess of Wales in 1997, and at the memorial service ten years later. In 1982, Michael Perry wrote an alternative text for the THAXTED melody; O God Beyond All Praising.
We first performed our arrangement of I Vow to Thee, My Country on our last Sunday at Los Altos United Methodist Church, before we moved from California to Michigan. We played it in concert for the first time in Warner Robins, Georgia and again in concert at the Handbell Musicians of America Area 5 Festival on Mackinac Island, and at the recent Area 8 Festival in Omaha, Nebraska. It’s not the easiest of our 8-bell arrangements! The middle section took us a while to learn, and still has the ability to surprise us sometimes. Still, it’s been a fun challenge.
Would you like to play this piece?
If you’d like to play I Vow To Thee, My Country, the sheet music is available for purchase and download from Choraegus. If you haven’t bought music from Choraegus before, we recommend our step-by-step guide. Please also note that our music is designed to be downloaded for you to print at home. You won’t receive anything in the mail. Purchasing this 8-bell arrangement gives you permission to print up to 4 copies for your group; you only need to pay once.
Any questions?
If you have any questions, please check our Frequently-Asked Questions! If you don’t find the answer you’re looking for, please contact us, and we’ll be happy to help!
Finlandia is our latest arrangement for 8 handbells.
Some of the history of Finlandia
The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius wrote Finlandia in 1889. It was originally the Finlandia Hymn; part of a symphonic poem. Sibelius then reworked it as a standalone piece, as part of his Masonic Ritual Music. The Finnish poet Veikko Antero Koskenniemi wrote words for it in 1941, and it became popular as a national song for Finland, although not the official national anthem.
In 1752, Katharina Amalia Dorothea von Schlegel had written a hymn in German: Stille meine Wille, dein Jesus hilft siegen. In 1855, Jane Laurie Borthwick translated it into English as Be Still, My Soul.
“Be still, my soul, the Lord is on thy side; Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide; In every change He, faithful, will remain. Be still, my soul, thy best, thy heavenly friend Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.”
Another popular hymn sung to the Finlandia tune is We Rest on Thee, written in England by Edith G. Cherry in 1895. This Is My Song is another hymn that uses the same tune, with words written in 1934 by Lloyd Stone. It’s also the tune used for Gweddi dros Gymru (A Prayer for Wales), which is widely considered to be the second Welsh national anthem.
With thanks to Los Altos United Methodist Church for allowing us to rehearse and record this piece in their beautiful sanctuary.
Would you like to play Finlandia?
If you’d like to play this arrangement the music is available for purchase and download from Choraegus.
When you buy music from Choraegus, please remember that it will come to you as a digital file (PDF). You’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Your purchase of this 8-bell arrangement will entitle you to print up to 4 copies for your handbell group. Please see our licensing agreement for full details.
If you’re new to buying music from Choraegus, you might find our step-by-step guide helpful!
Any questions?
If you have any questions about buying or playing our music, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help!
During our trip to England in February, we enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with a few of our friends from the world of handbells. We’ve already posted about our rehearsal with Pizzazz Handbell Trio and Quartet. We also had the chance to visit our friend Meg from Inspiration International. This is a Berkshire-based handbell project that’s very important to us.
More about Inspiration International
Inspiration International is a project which grew from the community work of Inspiration – an initiative of Finchampstead Handbell Ringers in Berkshire, England. The group’s mission is to enrich the lives of the young and elderly in the Berkshire community. We take handbell music into the lives and homes of those who sometimes feel forgotten by society. Pioneered by Meg, the leader of Finchampstead Handbell Ringers, the group has visited and entertained the residents of many care homes in the area. They have volunteered to share their handbell music with social groups and at community events.
Carla first worked with Meg and Sally from Inspiration when she needed to take a trio of handbell musicians to perform at Heathrow Airport in 2011. The group entertained airport travellers during the busy Christmas rush. Meg and Sally were happy to be involved, and they had a great time sharing their music at the airport.
The trio at Heathrow Airport, Christmas 2011
After that, Carla joined Meg and Sally in taking their handbell music to people in the Berkshire community. They visited many care homes and community groups. Space is often limited in care homes, so it was a huge advantage to be able to perform as a small group playing 4-in-hand. The group was honoured to be nominated for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2012.
When Sally decided to focus on other projects for a while, Meg and Carla started playing duets. That’s when Larry started arranging music for eight bells!
Meg and Carla at the “All the Bells” event in Wokingham, 2012
Carla’s move to California, and Meg’s continued work in the community
When Carla moved to California in August 2012, it was a challenge to see how we could continue the “Inspiration” project across the miles. We really wanted to find a way! So, using the powers of modern technology, we’ve been working together to prepare and record music that Meg can use for performances. From the original Inspiration grew the new Inspiration International. Meg continues to visit care homes and community groups in Berkshire. She adds her live handbell-playing to pre-recorded tracks made more than 5,000 miles away in California.
A happy reunion in England
It’s a rare treat for us to be able to get together and rehearse as a group! Of course, we were determined to find some time to catch up with Meg during our visit to England in February. We enjoyed a lovely home-cooked meal, and caught up on some of the news and chit-chat. Then we dropped Meg right in at the deep end with some brand-new and unpublished 12-bell music!
Here’s a video of one of the pieces we tried; it’s the traditional Scottish melody Flow Gently, Sweet Afton. It’s not a note-perfect demonstration, but it should give you an idea of how the piece could sound, with a little more rehearsal time!
Would you like to play this piece?
If you’d like to play this arrangement, the music is available for purchase and download from Choraegus. Please see our step-by-step guide and licensing agreement for full information about buying our music online.
If you’re interested in finding out more about Inspiration International, please check out the group’s Facebook page!
“Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer! That calls me from a world of care, And bids me at my Father’s throne Make all my wants and wishes known. In seasons of distress and grief, My soul has often found relief, And oft escaped the tempter’s snare By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!”
Our latest 8-bell piece is this peaceful melody, written by William Bradbury in 1861. We recorded the video in the beautiful sanctuary of Los Altos United Methodist Church.
More information about this arrangement
If you’d like to play this piece, the music is available for purchase and download from Choraegus.
When you buy music from Choraegus, it will come to you as a digital download; a PDF file. That means you’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail. Your purchase of this 8-bell arrangement allows you to print up to 4 copies for your handbell group. Please see our licensing agreement for full details.
If you haven’t bought music from Choraegus before, we recommend our step-by-step guide. We designed this in an attempt to take the stress out of ordering music online.
Any questions?
If you have questions about buying or playing our handbell music, please check our Frequently-Asked Questions. You just might find your answer there! If you don’t find the information you’re looking for, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.
“One day when heaven was filled with His praises, One day when sin was as black as could be, Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin— Dwelt among men, my example is He!
Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me; Buried, He carried my sins far away; Rising, He justified freely forever: One day He’s coming—O glorious day!“
Charles Howard March composed this beloved hymn tune, to words by John W. Chapman. It was published in 1911. The hymn tells the life of Christ, in a song that’s particularly popular at Easter. Our 8-bell arrangement is fun and challenging!
Where to get the sheet music
If you’d like to play this arrangement, the music is available from Choraegus.
Please note that Choraegus handbell music is downloadable. That means you won’t receive anything in the mail! You’ll receive a download link with your music, and you’ll need to click on the link to receive the music score. If you’re new to buying music from Choraegus, you might like to read our step-by-step guide. We designed this to take the stress out of the online purchasing process.
Your purchase of this 8-bell arrangement entitles you to print up to 4 copies of the music for your group. Please don’t pay for more copies than you need! See our licensing agreement for full details.
Any questions?
If you have any questions about buying or playing our music, you might like to read our Frequently-Asked Questions. If you don’t find the answers you’re looking for, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.
“O worship the King all-glorious above, O gratefully sing his power and his love: our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days, pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.“
Here’s our first new handbell piece for 2016! It’s the English hymn O Worship the King. William Croft composed this hymn tune (HANOVER), in the early eighteenth century. The tune is also used as the setting for the hymn You Servants of God, your Master Proclaim.
If you’d like to play this piece, the music is available for purchase and download from Choraegus.
Important things to know about Choraegus handbell music
Choraegus handbell music comes in a digital (PDF) format. When you buy the music, you’ll receive a download link, and you’ll be responsible for printing your own music. You won’t receive anything in the mail!
Your purchase of this 8-bell hymn arrangement will entitle you to print up to 4 copies for your handbell group. Please read our licensing agreement for full details. If you haven’t bought Choraegus music before, we recommend our step-by-step guide. This will take you through the process in a (we hope!) stress-free way.
Any questions?
If you have questions about buying or playing Choraegus handbell music, you might like to look at some of our Frequently-Asked Questions. If you don’t find the answers you’re looking for, please contact us, and we’ll be happy to help.
Here’s a little video of our warm-up session at the Chapel of the Chimes, Oakland, where we played duets at their Annual Night of Remembrance on December 9th. Apologies for the background noise (which does improve slightly as the video goes on). We made this recording while people were running around, setting everything up for the evening’s event.
We enjoy playing our handbell duets at the Chapel of the Chimes. It’s a beautiful building, and this annual event is always enjoyable and moving.
Nearly at the end of our holiday performances
We’re coming to the end of our Christmas and holiday performances now. We’ll be performing at a private holiday party on Saturday. Afterwards, we’ll be playing at the Sundar Shadi Holiday Display in El Cerrito, returning for a second performance on December 23rd. The Holiday Display is an outdoor event, and we can’t play our handbells in the rain. Please keep an eye on our Facebook page for any changes, postponements or cancellations in the event of bad weather.
Would you like to book us for a holiday event?
Perhaps it’s too late to book us for a holiday event this year, but it’s never too early to plan for next year! If you’re organising a Christmas event, and you’d like to consider handbell music, please get in touch with us!
Thank you to everyone who visited Choraegus and showed an interest in playing We Three Kings. Lots of people downloaded this free 8-bell arrangement, and we hope it will be a useful addition to your Christmas repertoire!
We’ve been asked if there will be more free handbell music – and the answer is yes. Keep an eye on the Freebies section of our music site for future offerings. In the meantime, lots of other handbell arrangements and original compositions are available to download for a very reasonable price. If you enjoy playing We Three Kings, you might like our other 8-bell titles for Christmas, suitable for 2-4 ringers. There are also 12-bell pieces, and arrangements for full handbell choir. No matter the size or ability of your handbell ensemble, you should find something of interest. All Choraegus music is available to download and print at home. You never need to wait for a handbell score to arrive in the mail; it will come to you as a PDF file, so you can print it and get started on making music!
Any questions?
If you have any questions about buying, downloading or playing Choraegus handbell music, please check 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!
We Gather Together is also known as We Praise Thee, O God, Our Redeemer. It’s the perfect hymn to celebrate Thanksgiving!
We played this new arrangement for the very first time yesterday. Here’s our rehearsal video.
Would you like to play this arrangement?
If you’d like to play We Gather Together, the sheet music is available for purchase and download from Choraegus.
Please note that Choraegus handbell music will come to you as a PDF file, ready for you to download and print. You won’t receive anything in the mail! Purchasing this 8-bell piece gives you permission to print up to 4 copies for your handbell group. Please see our licensing agreement for full details, and ask us if you have any questions. Don’t pay for more copies than you need!
If you haven’t bought Choraegus handbell music before, you might like to look at our step-by-step guide. We designed this guide to help make the process as stress-free as possible.
Any questions?
If you have any questions about buying or playing our music, you might like to check out some Frequently-Asked Questions. If you don’t find the information you’re looking for, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.
