Our new arrangement of the traditional English melody STOWEY is multipurpose: As the folk melody STOWEY As the hymn When a Knight Won His Spurs: When a knight won his spurs, in the stories of old, He was gentle and brave, he was gallant and bold With a shield on his arm and a lance …
Tag: 3-5 octaves
With the passage of time, handbell choirs have grown in size and acquire more and more octaves of bells. Sets of three to five octaves are pretty typical as of the 21st century. Four-octave sets, strangely, are relatively uncommon.
Note that some pieces in the Choraegus catalog are for three or five octaves.
May 03
Rock of Ages (TOPLADY, Handbells, 3 octaves, Level 3-)
Rock of Ages is one of the most beloved hymns of all time. It focuses on God’s absolute reliability and how those who put their complete trust in Him possess the salvation that He offers. Our arrangement for handbell choir has been updated recently, so do take a look! Rock of Ages, cleft for me, …
Apr 15
Peace (Handbells, 3-5 octaves, plus handchimes, 2 octaves, Level 2+)
Turmoil is a standard of life for many. We have the varied components of our lives competing for our attention, often all at the same time, and so there are times when that competition puts us into mental paralysis. Getting nothing done can become an all-too-regular occurrence! The good news is that Christ offers peace …
Apr 08
Happy (Handbells, 3-5 octaves, plus handchimes F6-C7, Level 4)
We’ve rearranged this Low Ding Zone original composition for (a normal) handbell choir! With a light, bouncy melody and plenty of action everywhere else on the staff, your handbell choir will have a great time playing this piece. By the way… please note that it’s not to be confused with the Pharrell Williams song from …
Apr 05
The Heavens Declare Your Glory – for 3-5 octaves of handbells
J.S. Bach wrote hundreds – thousands – of works during his amazingly productive lifetime. They were such works of groundbreaking genius (“Why shouldn’t harpsichordists use their thumbs?”) that the repertoire he created continues to be a large part of our modern musical life. Even if you can’t name a Bach work by title, you’ll probably …
Apr 01
Kingsfold (KINGSFOLD) (Handbells, 3-5 octaves, Level 2)
The English tune KINGSFOLD has been matched with many hymn texts, such as O Sing A Song of Bethlehem, I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say, and I Sing the Mighty Power of God. There are others as well (and probably there are more that will be added to the list!), so as long as …
Mar 29
Vårvindar friska
The post title is “fresh spring winds” in Swedish. It’s a pretty folk song that has been matched with one or two hymn texts more recently. That means it will work well with a variety of opportunities! Our arrangement is Level 3+, and it’s tremendous fun to play! Purchasing the handbell choir version of this …
Mar 25
Fairest Lord Jesus (Handbells, 3-5 octaves, plus handchimes, 2 octaves, Level 3-)
Jesus is the one who calls His people from their former sinful life to a life destined for heaven. In between those two, believers have the joy of showing what that salvation means to them. Fairest Lord Jesus is one of those hymns that speaks volumes of this. We’re pleased to publish our new handbell …
Mar 22
Day By Day (BLOTT EN DAG) – for handbells, 3-5 octaves, Level 3
God isn’t just interested in what happens in our lives; He pays attention to every moment of every day we live. That’s why we can rely on Him completely in all circumstances and situations. Here is our handbell choir arrangement of the hymn Day by Day. Day by day and with each passing moment, strength …
Mar 15
Celebration – for handbells, 3-5 octaves, Level 1
I directed a beginning handbell choir at Saint Francis High School in Mountain View, California in 2006-2007. Alas, we only had our loaner bells for a year (thank you, Area 12!), and then had to pass them on to another fortunate group. This piece, Celebration, was a great starter for new ringers. It’s active and …