Come, Thou Almighty King is a grand hymn about our need for the Lord to have our loyalty. The tune ITALIAN HYMN was written in 1769 by Felice de Giardini, who had a thoroughgoing musical career as a violinist and composer. Our arrangement for eight handbells provides excitement with a moderate technical challenge, so you …
Category: Eight-Bell
Jan 09
Love is Patient, Love is Kind – a wedding song with a handbell part!
It’s our pleasure to publish Barbara Butcher’s original song Love is Patient, Love is Kind. This accompanied vocal solo based on I Corinthians 13 works perfectly with weddings, and has a very, very simple (and optional) eight-handbell part. Barbara composed a long and a short version. The long version includes a narration/recitation as its middle …
Jan 05
I Wonder as I Wander – Eight handbells
In 1933, John Jacob Niles heard a bit of music from Annie Morgan, a Appalachian girl, and used it as the basis of his song “I Wonder as I Wander”. It brings out the mystery of Christmas in a way unique to the celebration of Christ’s birth. This medium difficulty arrangement for eight handbells provides …
Dec 18
He is Born (IL EST NÉ) – Eight handbells
The French carol He is Born celebrates the birth of the Christ Child calmly and innocently. However, matters change when this pretty melody crosses over the Channel to be expressed as a lively jig! Our arrangement of IL EST NÉ, done Irish style, will fascinate and challenge you. Have fun! Refrain: Il est né le …
Nov 23
Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine (RESONET IN LAUDIBUS) – Eight handbells
Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine is sung to the ancient hymn tune RESONET IN LAUDIBUS from the 15th century. It tells the wonder of the first Christmas from Joseph and Mary’s perspective. Our eight-bell arrangement brings out the gentleness and quietude of the carol. Joseph dearest, Joseph mine, help me cradle the child divine; God reward …
Sep 26
Lo, How a Rose – “Surprisingly Easy”™ version for eight handbells
Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming dates back to sixteenth-century Germany. Its lyric combines the image of Jesus Christ as the Rose of Sharon and the Root of Jesse, plus the traditional impression of celebrating Christmas in winter. It was translated to English by Theodore Baker in the nineteenth century. Our “standard” eight-bell arrangement of …
Jul 17
A new “standard” version of “How Firm a Foundation” for eight handbells!
Some of our titles take more than one form. Our new, more accessible “standard” eight-bell version of “How Firm a Foundation” (labeled “version 2”), for instance, provides a second option for playing a more-challenging-than-easy score if you don’t have enough time to learn the original one with additional fiddly bits. We have a video for …
Jun 15
Oh, How I Love Jesus – for eight handbells
The tune OH, HOW I LOVE JESUS is a simple one; its composer is unknown. It’s been sung for quite a long time as a gentle expression of faith in Christ for young children and mature adults. We hope you’ll enjoy playing our arrangement for eight handbells! There is a name I love to hear, …
Jun 12
Home on the (Free) Range!
Home on the Range is an American cowboy song romanticizing life in the old West. You know… riding horses, herding cattle, sleeping under the stars, and sitting by the campfire at night. There are some of us who think about how much easier that would be than working in the big city with its manic …
Jun 11
Why do each of us hold our bells differently?
If you’ve watched our eight-bell videos, you may have noticed that Carla and I hold our handbells in different ways. The handbell terminology is that she’s using “British four-in-hand”, while I’m using “American four-in-hand”, which is also known as “ring and knock”. The difference will always be there, because we each are sticking with what …