This soothing, plaintive song is about Prince Charles’ escape to the Isle of Skye after his defeat in the Battle of Culloden in 1746. Our arrangement for eight handbells and piano is fairly easy; you’ll enjoy playing it! Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing, Onward! the sailors cry; Carry the lad that’s …
Tag: 8-bell
Starting in 2012, we (Larry and Carla Sue) developed a large repertoire of music for eight handbells which we perform as four-in-hand duets. These pieces ranged from fairly simple to maniacally difficult, and eventually led to the creation of their “Surprisingly Easy”™ eight-bell arrangements so that there would be more options for the ringing world at large.
As eight-bell repertoire works well with a two-in-hand quartet (two bells each) or a four-in-hand duo, or with a trio where the bells are divided 4-2-2 or 3-3-2. We've even seen one instance of playing eight-bell music with eight ringers with one bell apiece, a la Sacred Harp.
Nov 05
O Give the Lord Wholehearted Praise (GERMANY) – for eight handbells
This hymn first appeared in W. Gardiner’s Sacred Melodies in 1815. Here’s our eight-bell arrangement! O give the LORD wholehearted praise. / To him thanksgiving I will bring; with all his people I will raise / my voice and of his glory sing. His saints delight to search and trace / his mighty works and …
Oct 29
Funeral Tango – for eight handbells
This somewhat twisted Chopin arrangement/tango/twelve-bar blues came to life as part of the final Low Ding Zone concert series. We’re pleased to offer our seriously boiled-down eight-bell arrangement of this work. Red rose is optional, of course.
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 19
For All the Saints (SINE NOMINE) – for eight handbells and piano
Ralph Vaughan Williams wrote the music for this hymn in 1906. Strangely (or not!), the hymn tune is SINE NOMINE, which is Latin for “without name”. Whether or not it actually has a name, therefore, is for the philosophers to sort out… but the hymn is probably most often used on All Saints’ Day when …
Oct 15
Now Thank We All Our God (NUN DANKET) – for eight handbells
In the U.S., Now Thank We All Our God is one of the hymns that makes an annual appearance in November (because of the national Thanksgiving holiday, of course)… but it really can (should?) be played all year round! Here’s a new eight-handbell arrangement for you to play!
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 …
Oct 05
Come, Ye Thankful People, Come (ST. GEORGE’S WINDSOR) – for eight handbells and piano
Come, Ye Thankful People, Come is most often sung in the United States at Thanksgiving. It’s a harvest-is-over song that uses bringing the crop from the fields as an illustration of God bringing His saints home after they’ve completed their earthly responsibilities. Here’s our arrangement of this hymn for eight handbells and piano. Come, ye …
Oct 01
Chopsticks – for eight handbells
There’s a famous story about how a little boy found his way onto the great Ignacy Paderewski’s piano bench before a concert, and, oblivious to the audience, began playing Euphemia Allen’s world-famous 1877 hit Chopsticks. The ticket-holders in the seats were shocked, and angrily wanted the child removed. Paderewski, however, walked up behind the bench …
Sep 24
Blessed Assurance (ASSURANCE) – for eight handbells and piano
Our arrangement of Blessed Assurance for eight handbells and piano will work well with your small handbell ensemble (duet, trio, or quartet)! Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of his Spirit, washed in his blood. This is my story, this is my …