Just in time for Christmas, we have a new twelve-bell arrangement of Angels, from the Realms of Glory (tune: REGENT SQUARE) for those who need a bit more in the way of holiday handbells. It’s challenging, so be prepared to have fun! Angels from the realms of glory / Wing your flight o’er all the …
Category: Christmas
Nov 30
The First Nowell – for sixteen handbells, reissued!
We took a look at our sixteen-bell arrangement of The First Nowell, and decided to revise it. The result of this work is a score that’s more elegant and, we think, “Christmassy” than the old version. This also gave us a chance to reformat it into a “dual-range”™ package as well, with one version in …
Nov 27
As with Gladness Men of Old (DIX) – Twelve-Handbell Version
Here’s our twelve-bell arrangement(s) of the nineteenth-century Epiphany carol As with Gladness Men of Old, sung to the hymn tune DIX!
Nov 24
Once in Royal David’s City – for six handbells and piano
There are a number of hymns where the lyrics preceded the music by being written as a poem. Once in David’s Royal City was written by Cecil Frances Alexander, and a year after its publication Henry John Gauntlett composed the melody that we know and love. Historical footnote: Mrs. Alexander wasn’t a one-hit wonder… she …
Nov 02
How Great Our Joy (JUNGST) – for six handbells and piano
Joy is celebrated many ways. In this carol, the contrast of soft and loud provides a way to show what handbells can do! While by the sheep we watched at night, glad tidings brought an angel bright. How great our joy! Great our joy! Joy, joy, joy! Joy, joy, joy! Praise we the Lord in …
Oct 26
Hills of the North, Rejoice – for eight handbells and piano
Hills of the North, Rejoice is usually sung in the United Kingdom as an Advent song. Here’s our arrangement for eight handbells and piano. Hills of the North, rejoice, river and mountain-spring, hark to the advent voice; valley and lowland, sing. Christ comes in righteousness and love, He brings salvation from above. Isles of the …
Oct 22
Now the Green Blade Riseth/Sing We Now of Christmas (NOEL NOUVELET) – for six handbells and piano
Here’s a brand new earworm for you – it’s the French tune NOEL NOUVELET in 7/8 meter. There are two hymn titles associated with the melody (Sing We Now of Christmas and Now the Green Blade Riseth), so you can play this two times each year! Now the green blade rises from the buried grain, …
Oct 12
Sussex Carol/On This Night All Christians Sing (SUSSEX CAROL) – for six handbells and piano
The Christmas song Sussex Carol is also known by its first lyric line “On this night all Christians sing”. It’s a joyous melody, and we have a wonderful time playing our arrangement of this Christmas carol for six handbells and piano! On Christmas night all Christians sing to hear the news the angels bring; on …
Oct 08
Good Christian Men, Rejoice (IN DULCI JUBILO) – for six handbells and piano
Rejoice! Rejoice! The melody in our six-bell-plus-piano arrangement weaves around the accompaniment, creating a joyous setting for the English carol. Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice; give ye heed to what we say: Jesus Christ was born today. Ox and ass before him bow, and he is in the manger now. …
Oct 07
“Dual-Range”™ Eight-Bell Music!
We’ve been hearing about how some ringers out there have wondered why our eight-bell music was written in the range G5-G6. The main issue that came up was that playing those pieces as a quartet would result in “nontraditional” ringing assignments (say, G5/A5 rather than A5/B5). Why not, say, write using F5-F6? The reason is …