Angels We Have Heard on High is based on the nineteenth-century French song Les Anges dans nos Campagnes and is traditionally sung to the hymn tune GLORIA. The lyric tells us of how the angels came from heaven to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child. Our three-octave handbell arrangement is a very accessible Level …
Tag: Larry Sue
Larry Sue is the owner, composer/arranger, and publisher at Choraegus. He and his wife Carla are West Michigan's Smallest Handbell Ensemble.
Sep 22
Smiles (Handbells, 5-8 octaves, plus handchimes, 2 octaves, Level 5)(Bay View Week of Handbells 2023)
The song Smiles has a long and wonderful history. T. Will Callahan wrote the lyrics in a Bay View cottage near the end of World War I, and it went on to be a tremendous hit, selling about 5,000,000 print copies (before the existence of public radio, or television, or the internet). The connection to …
The Dreidel Song – Twelve handbells
Hanukkah is the Jewish “Festival of Lights”. It commemorates the dedication of the rebuilding of Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem. In particular, the candles of the menorah remember the miracle where a consecrated jar containing one day’s worth of oil was touched by God and provided enough for eight days of light in the temple. The …
Ma’oz Tzur – Twelve handbells
Hanukkah is the Jewish “Festival of Lights”. It commemorates the dedication of the rebuilding of Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem. In particular, the candles of the menorah remember the miracle where a consecrated jar containing one day’s worth of oil was touched by God and provided enough for eight days of light in the temple. Ma’oz …
Sevivon Sov Sov Sov – Twelve handbells
Hanukkah is the Jewish “Festival of Lights”. It commemorates the dedication of the rebuilding of Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem. In particular, the candles of the menorah remember the miracle where a consecrated jar containing one day’s worth of oil was touched by God and provided enough for eight days of light in the temple. Sevivon …
Hanukkah, O Hanukkah – Twelve handbells
Hanukkah is the Jewish “Festival of Lights”. It commemorates the dedication of the rebuilding of Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem. In particular, the candles of the menorah remember the miracle where a consecrated jar containing one day’s worth of oil was touched by God and provided enough for eight days of light in the temple. Hanukkah, …
Sep 11
Four Twelve-Bell Hanukkah Songs!
A friend asked if we could come up with some twelve-bell music for Hanukkah. We’re happy to say that we found four songs that worked nicely! Hanukkah, O Hanukkah – a lively, happy song about the Jewish Festival of Lights, the annual holiday commemorating the miracle of God’s provision and sustenance. The symbol for this …
Aug 14
Escape from No-Note Island, for five to seven octaves of handbells, Level 5
Here’s the story behind this new original handbell composition, Escape from No-Note Island: Handbell compositions are usually written for note ranges that constitute complete octaves of bells. Having this agreed-on convention between manufacturers, composers, publishers, and performers makes it easier to maintain consistency within the ringing art. For instance, “five octaves” refers to the range …
Escape from No-Note Island (Handbells, 5 to 7 octaves, Level 5)
Handbell compositions are usually written for note ranges that constitute complete octaves of bells. Having this agreed-on convention between manufacturers, composers, publishers, and performers makes it easier to maintain consistency within the ringing art. For instance, “five octaves” refers to the range C3-C8. Because of this, we start with a common knowledge about the music …
Aug 07
The Twelve Days of Christmas – for handbell trio!
The Twelve Days of Christmas has been a holiday favorite for a long time, so much so that there’s an annual update about the cost of a partridge in a pear tree, two turtle doves, three French hens… For the dedicated true love person, it details a serious financial enterprise! Our arrangement for handbell trio, …
