Walking Home, an original work for three to five octaves of handbells, brings to mind that feeling you have when the time to leave work or school has arrived. The special feeling of knowing that you’re headed back to your safest place goes with you and inspires your walk – and the melody in your …
Tag: handbell choir
A handbell choir is an ensemble of handbell musicians, each of whom usually has a specific subset of the entire set of bells assigned to them. The group members play the entire score by their combined efforts via a unique type of teamwork where expression and musicality are dependent on the ensemble members fusing their efforts to form a greater whole.
The sets of handbells played by handbell choirs vary in size, usually stated as an integral number of octaves. For instance, a three-octave bell choir uses notes from C4 to C7, while a seven-octave choir plays C2-C9.
Handbell choirs also use additional instruments, the most notable being handchimes. Handchimes bring a different sound to the mix, and are used for effect and contrast. Other ancillary instruments include, flute, trumpet, clarinet, and percussion; of the percussion family, the cajón is perhaps one of the more popular recent additions.
Jul 06
We have one book!
We have one book in our e-store, the Bass Ringer’s Notebook. It covers many topics withing the first of ringing bass handbells, and Handbell Musicians of America recognizes it as a useful reference on the subject. You may ask what need there would be for such a volume. After all, “a handbell is a handbell …
Jun 28
Premiere performance video of “Smiles”!
We premiered our arrangement of Smiles by Lee S. Roberts and J. Will Callahan at the 2023 Bay View Week of Handbells. Smiles came into being in 1917 or 1918 at Mr. Callahan’s Bay View cottage; the bit of Michigan woodland next to the cottage that Callahan formerly owned commemorates the occasion with a sign. …
Jun 24
A Sparrow on Christmas Morning (Handbells, 3-5 octaves, plus handchimes, 3 octaves, Level 3+)
Otto Kotilainen’s Finnish carol A Sparrow on Christmas Morning tells the story of a sparrow that has exhausted his summer food supply. In danger of starving in the winter cold, he visits a young girl who offers him a seed to eat. The sparrow gratefully accepts the offer, and then reveals that he, her deceased …
Jun 06
New 3-octave Christmas music!
Handbell folks find it’s never too early to start thinking about what we’re going to play for the Christmas (technically, Advent + Christmas + Epiphany) season. The world around us associated handbells with Christmas, so we have to be ready to play in church, at Christmas parties, and even outdoor events such as parades. Today …
May 23
Why is handbell music notated an octave lower?
In case you didn’t already know, handbell music is notated an octave lower than the bells actually sound. For instance, the “middle C” that handbell ringers read really is the C that’s on the third space (counting upward) of the treble staff. The convention in place, however, is to name a particular note by its …
May 12
ENGELBERG (Handbells, 2 octaves, Level 2+)
We’ve published a new arrangement of the hymn tune ENGELBERG today. In case you’re happier with hymn titles, ENGELBERG has been paired with several texts: All Praise to Thee, for Thou, O King Divine When in Our Music God is Glorified We Know that Christ is Raised This arrangement is for two octaves of handbells, …
May 02
What’s our easiest handbell choir piece?
Sometimes we’re asked which of our pieces for handbell choir is the easiest. Hands down, it’s Celebration. This piece is AGEHR Level 1; for those of you not familiar with what that means, the score has nothing smaller than a quarter note. The piece itself is composed of big block chords; if you’re ringing it, …
Mar 26
Blessed Assurance (ASSURANCE) (Handbells, 3-5 octaves, Level 3-)
Blessed Assurance is one of Fanny Crosby’s all-time classic hymns. It speaks of faith, dependence, and triumph through having an absolute reliance on God and His power. Our arrangement is for three to five octaves, and will be a welcome addition to your ensemble’s repertoire. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of …
Feb 28
To God Be the Glory (TO GOD BE THE GLORY) (Handbells, 3 or 5 octaves, Level 4)
Fanny Crosby and William Doane were a “dynamic duo” of hymn-writing in the decades on either side of the year 1900. She wrote the words, and he composed the music. One of their best-known hymns is To God Be the Glory Personal note: This was the favorite hymn of Larry’s great-aunt Pat. Our new arrangement …