Author's posts

Accompanied twelve-bell music for Christmas!

We usually play unaccompanied eight-handbell music. Maybe that’s because it’s easier to get together to practice; only two of us have to head to the rehearsal room. However, we do realize that many of you may have larger groups, or might want to include a pianist. So we have a couple of new Christmas arrangements …

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Elysium

Elysium was commissioned from our friend Susan Nelson by Laurie and Rusty Sanders. It’s a thoughtful, pensive piece for three to five octaves of handbells plus optional flute descant. After a very brief time on “out of print” status, we’ve brought it back in the Choraegus catalog. Do check it out!

The Bass Ringer’s Notebook, Second Edition

Exciting news! When Above the Line Publishing decided to ride off into the sunset, it took the original Bass Ringer’s Notebook with it. Quite a few bass handbell ringers already had copies, but there were those who still were looking for a copy of their own. The need still existed! We’re thrilled to announce that …

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Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us

We’ve gotten a lot closer to settling into life in Michigan – it’s been part of the adventure that started when we moved from California in 2016. Now everything is pretty much in place in our new home, and the blue spruces in the woods are happily growing new bits as spring rolls into summer. …

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“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 …

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Warner Robins, Georgia

We’re heading to Warner Robins, Georgia today! It’s a city about 70 miles south of Atlanta that grew up around an Air Force base. The purpose of our trip is to put on a concert at the Christ United Methodist Church there. The entire program will be our own eight-bell music, including selections such as …

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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 …

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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 …

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Faster service!

Good news! We’ve done some work on our e-store, and have upgraded it so that when you pay for music, the web page indicating the purchase is complete also has your download links. This means you won’t have to wait for an email with those links before you can get your music (note: our site …

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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 …

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