Aug 17

Nyanyikanlah (NYANYIKANLAH) – for six accompanied handbells

Our piano-accompanied six-handbell arrangement of the Indonesian melody NYANYKANLAH (translated as “Hallelujah!”) provides an opportunity to play as a two-bells-each trio. Another possibility is to play as a duet where one ringer plays four bells and the other (perhaps a younger/newer player!) plays two bells.

The six bells in the score are accompanied by piano; if you don’t happen to have an accompanist available, we also have an accompaniment MP3 available for purchase.

Aug 13

Let All Things Now Living (THE ASH GROVE) – for eight handbells

You’ll enjoy playing this eight-bell arrangement of the ASH GROVE! It’s often encountered in hymnody as Let All Things Now Living.

Let all things now living a song of thanksgiving
to God the Creator triumphantly raise,
who fashioned and made us, protected and stayed us,
who guides us and leads to the end of our days.
God’s banners fly o’er us; God’s light goes before us,
a pillar of fire shining forth in the night,
till shadows have vanished and darkness is banished,
as forward we travel from light into light.

Aug 10

Be Thou My Vision (SLANE) – for eight accompanied handbells

Our piano-accompanied eight-handbell arrangement Be Thou My Vision will work well with your small handbell ensemble (duet, trio, or quartet)!

Historical note: This arrangement came into being because Steve in Maryland bought some music in early July 2020, and mentioned that he was hoping to find an arrangement of Be Thou My Vision for eight accompanied handbells. This score came together a couple of days later, and gave Steve and his ringers a bit over a month to prepare it for their service on August 9, 2020.

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heav’n’s Sun
Heart of my own heart, whate’er befall
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

The eight bells in the score are accompanied by piano; if you don’t happen to have an accompanist available, we also have an accompaniment MP3 available for purchase.

Aug 06

Christ, the Life of All the Living (JESU, MEINES LEBENS LEBEN) – for eight handbells

Trusting in Christ is life… not just avoiding death, or being alive forever, but life that transcends anything that it would be without Him, and a blessed eternity in His glorious presence. Here’s our eight-bell arrangement of this hymn about trusting God.

Christ, the life of all the living, / Christ, the death of death, our foe;
who Thyself for me once giving / to the darkest depths of woe,
patiently didst yield Thy breath / but to save my soul from death;
praise and glory ever be, / blessed Jesus, unto Thee.

Aug 03

Kingsfold – for six handbells and piano

This venerable English tune, placed into the modern hymnody by Ralph Vaughan Williams in 1906, takes on a new introspective feel in our eight-bell arrangement. It also is known as Star of the County Down.

Our piano-accompanied six-handbell arrangement of the hymn tune KINGSFOLD provides an opportunity to play as a two-bells-each trio. Another possibility is to play as a duet where one ringer plays four bells and the other (perhaps a younger/newer player!) plays two bells.

The six bells in the score are accompanied by piano; if you don’t happen to have an accompanist available, we also have an accompaniment MP3 available for purchase.

Jul 27

Hyfrydol – for six handbells and piano

This popular Welsh tune was composed by Rowland Prichard and has been matched to many hymn texts.

Our piano-accompanied six-handbell arrangement of the hymn tune HYFRYDOL provides an opportunity to play as a two-bells-each trio. Another possibility is to play as a duet where one ringer plays four bells and the other (perhaps a younger/newer player!) plays two bells.

The six bells in the score are accompanied by piano; if you don’t happen to have an accompanist available, we also have an accompaniment MP3 available for purchase.

Jul 23

King of the Fairies – for eight handbells

We’ve (finally!) gotten round to releasing our third hornpipe arrangement – have fun!

Jul 20

Silent Night – for six handbells, accompanied

Franz Gruber’s lovely carol has enchanted people for two centuries. In case you happen to visit Oberdorf von Salzburg, Austria, you can see the original Silent Night Chapel there. Or… if you’re in the Great Lakes region, you can see the Silent Night Chapel modeled after it in Frankenmuth, Michigan!

Silent night! Holy night! / All is calm, all is bright
’round yon virgin mother and child! / Holy infant, so tender and mild,
sleep in heavenly peace, / sleep in heavenly peace.

Our piano-accompanied six-handbell arrangement of Silent Night provides an opportunity to play as a two-bells-each trio. Another possibility is to play as a duet where one ringer plays four bells and the other (perhaps a younger/newer player!) plays two bells.

The six bells in the score are accompanied by piano; an additional special feature of this piano part is that it can be played left-handed. If you don’t happen to have an accompanist available, we also have an accompaniment MP3 available for purchase.

Jul 16

Al die willen te kaap’ren varen – for eight handbells

Clearly, there’s a tiny bit of (ancient) gender bias when you announce “all who want to be privateers, must be bearded men”. But eating rancid bread doesn’t sound like much fun. Perhaps it’s a somewhat silly song in today’s world, but our eight-handbell arrangement is fun to play!

Al die willen te kaap’ren varen
Moeten mannen met baarden zijn
Jan, Pier, Tjores en Corneel
Die hebben baarden, die hebben baarden
Jan, Pier, Tjores en Corneel
Die hebben baarden, zij varen mee
 		All those wanting to sail
Must be men with beards
Jan, Pier, Tjores and Corneel
They have beards that have beards
Jan, Pier, Tjores and Corneel
They have beards, they sail with them

Jul 13

Creator of the Stars of Night (CONDITOR ALME SIDERUM) – for six accompanied handbells

This 7th century Latin hymn was translated into English by John M. Neale in 1852.

Creator of the stars of night,
Thy people’s everlasting light,
Jesu, Redeemer, save us all,
And hear Thy servants when they call.

Our piano-accompanied six-handbell arrangement of the 7th-century Latin hymn Creator of the Stars of Night provides an opportunity to play as a two-bells-each trio. Another possibility is to play as a duet where one ringer plays four bells and the other (perhaps a younger/newer player!) plays two bells.

Creator of the stars of night,
Thy people’s everlasting light,
Jesu, Redeemer, save us all,
And hear Thy servants when they call.

The six bells in the score are accompanied by piano; if you don’t happen to have an accompanist available, we also have an accompaniment MP3 available for purchase.