Apr 15

“Tigress Rag” for piano!

Scott Joplin, who is often regarded as the “King of Ragtime Music”, wrote for a variety of instrumental ensembles, but his primary instrument was the piano.

So… the thought finally arose: Choraegus has the Tigress Rag as a piece for five to seven octaves of handbells. It was the second-place finisher in the “All That Jazz” composition contest created by the Bells of the Sound in 2011! However, handbell music typically has more simultaneous notes than a person’s normal complement of fingers, so the handbell score doesn’t work very well for a solo pianist.

So… we now have a solo piano version of the Tigress Rag. Do take a look!

Mar 07

The Boys of Bluehill

Hornpipes and jigs were two of the exciting additions to our repertoire over the past three or four years. In case you haven’t played many of them and were wondering about thematic structure, jigs often (but not always!) have the pattern AA, BB, CC, DD, etc. and can be chained together to add to the time the dancers are dancing. Hornpipes often (but not always!) have an AABABA structure. Both are in compound triple meter (but very occasionally not, such as Wrong Foot Forward), and have a happy lilt.

We’ve added a new hornpipe, The Boys of Bluehill. No one seems to know its exact origin, or which boys or hills it’s about, but we know you’ll enjoy playing it!

Feb 17

Easter is on the way

Yes… it still is two months before Easter, but church musicians usually have to think a bit ahead so that they can get their practice time before playing in church.

So we’re releasing our new eight-bell arrangement of Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed. It’s the Ralph Hudson version which sets Isaac Watts’ words to the tune MARTYRDOM, adding the refrain “At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light…”. It’s a hymn that’s been around for over a century of Holy Weeks.

We hope you’ll give it a try, and that you’ll use it to enhance your Easter service as we consider the infinite sacrifice Jesus paid for us on the cross.

Jan 08

Epiphany

And a wonderful Epiphany to you!

We’re starting 2017 by publishing a new eight-bell arrangement of the German Epiphany carol O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright. Philipp Nicaolai composed the tune at the end of the sixteenth century, and about 150 years later J.S. Bach harmonized it.

We wish you a happy 2017, and hope that your musical endeavors will be joyous ones!

Dec 19

A Carol A Day!

We’ve been posting new recordings of some of our eight-bell Christmas music on the Larry and Carla Facebook page. Do take a look – the dates below will take you to the Facebook posts, and the titles will take you to the pages on this site where you can purchase music!

December 26: Angels from the Realms of Glory
December 25: Joy to the World
December 24: Away in a Manger (American version)
December 23: Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming
December 22: O Holy Night
December 21: Once in Royal David’s City
December 20: O Little Town of Bethlehem
December 19: Sussex Carol
December 18: Of the Father’s Love Begotten
December 17: Good Christian Men, Rejoice
December 16: Jolly Old Saint Nicholas
December 15: Still, Still, Still
December 14: The First Nowell
December 13: The Wassail Song
December 12: The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came
December 11: Los Peces En El Rio
December 10: ‘Twas in the Moon of Wintertime
December 9: See, Amid the Winter’s Snow
December 8: Angels We Have Heard on High
December 7: The Seven Joys of Mary
December 6: Whence is that Goodly Fragrance Flowing?
December 5: Jingle Bells
December 4: The Snow Lay on the Ground
December 3: People, Look East
December 2: Savior of the Nations, Come
December 1: O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Nov 24

Ding Dong, Merrily on High

It’s not too late to add one more piece to your eight-bell Christmas repertoire! This time we have something different: A handbells-and-keyboard collaboration on Ding Dong, Merrily on High. There are both piano and organ accompaniments available, and we’re sure you’ll enjoy them!

Oct 03

More Music!

If you haven’t heard, Above the Line Publishing has decided to call it quits. However, their catalog of music isn’t going away! I’ve moved quite a few titles to Choraegus. Most of them are for a full-sized handbell choir; there are a few ensemble pieces and solos as well – do take a look!

Aug 27

Wedding Music!

Bells are for weddings!

We’ve just released three classical pieces which are wonderful wedding ceremony repertoire:

Of course, they also are well-suited to a church service or concert – regardless of where you perform, we hope you’ll enjoy playing them!

Aug 09

Barney

No… not the purple dinosaur!

It’s been more than a month since the last post, so bringing out a new piece of music is way-y-y overdue. The new eight-bell piece is the Irish jig Barney Brannigan. It’s a lively, bouncy slip jig that’ll have you dancing even as you’re ringing it!

Jul 03

Children of the Heavenly Father

We have a new eight-bell arrangement, Children of the Heavenly Father. As far as our eight-handbell pieces go, this one is on the easier side – but it’s still fun to play and hear. We hope you’ll give it a try!