Jan 08

“Surprisingly Easy”™ Eight-Bell pieces

As we continued to venture into the world of eight-handbell arrangements, we noticed that there was a need for some more accessible works in the genre. So we started adding our “Surprisingly Easy”™ arrangements. In general, our guideline is that a “Surprisingly Easy”™ score a) is easier than the “standard” score, if it exists, and b) usually doesn’t divide the beat into more than two halves (for instance, an eighth note in 4/4). The essential idea is that a solid ensemble won’t have to spend too many rehearsals before one of these arrangements is ready to go.

Here’s a comparison of our two eight-bell arrangements of Amazing Grace. If you’re shopping for eight-bell music, we put both versions on the same webpage so you can compare them and more easily decide which one is right for you.

Standard version:

 “Surprisingly Easy”™ version:

Purchasing this 8-bell arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to four copies for your handbell group (plus the accompaniment/instrumental score(s), if part of the purchase) – so you only need to pay once. Purchase also gives permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and video-sharing online. See our licensing agreement for full details, and please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as concert programs.

Jan 07

One of our very first eight-bell pieces!

Today’s arrangement is our Holy Manna for eight handbells. It was one of the first four-in-hand duets written when we (finally!) were together in California, and it still is one of our favorite concert pieces.

A story: Carla moved to the US in 2012, and just after we arrived home in California, the organist at church called to ask if we might play for our church’s services. Okay – no problem! And then “Can you play three pieces?” As our repertoire was still in its infancy, we were just barely able to reply, “Well… we HAVE three pieces.” So that Sunday, we played literally everything we had, and this was one of those three pieces.

Purchasing this 8-bell arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to four copies for your handbell group (plus the accompaniment/instrumental score(s), if part of the purchase) – so you only need to pay once. Purchase also gives permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and video-sharing online. See our licensing agreement for full details, and please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as concert programs.

Jan 06

Epiphany!

For epiphany, here’s one of our newest eight-bell arrangements. It’s of the Swiss Christmas carol Es ist für uns eine Zeit angekommen (“For unto us a time is come”). It’s a lively song of rejoicing at the Christ Child’s birth.

Purchasing this 8-bell arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to four copies for your handbell group (plus the accompaniment score, if part of the purchase) – so you only need to pay once. Purchase also gives permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and video-sharing online. See our licensing agreement for full details, and please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as concert programs.

Jan 05

Merry Twelfth Day of Christmas!

For the twelfth day of Christmas, I’ve decided to take a slightly different tack in this post. In 1892, Tchaikovsky was commissioned to write a series of twelve pieces for a music magazine. The collection is called The Seasons.

Sometime ago, I arranged The Seasons for two octaves of handbells. When Carla and I recorded them, we found that they were some of the most unusual – and challenging – two-octave pieces we’d ever tried. In the same way, they also were some of the greatest fun we’d had working on music.

Here’s December from Tchaikovsky’s suite of monthly pieces!

Purchasing the handbell choir version of these arrangements grants permission to print and maintain up to fifteen copies for your handbell ensemble; purchasing the single copy version grants permission to print and maintain one copy. Purchase also gives permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and video-sharing online. See our licensing agreement for full details, and please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as concert programs.

Jan 04

Merry Eleventh Day of Christmas!

We’ve made it through most of the twelve days Christmas, and are approaching Epiphany. As a prelude to that, here’s our twelve-bell arrangement of What Child is This?. Enjoy!


Purchasing this 12-bell arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to six copies for your handbell group – so you only need to pay once. Purchase also gives permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and video-sharing online. See our licensing agreement for full details, and please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as concert programs.

Jan 03

Merry Tenth Day of Christmas!

Today is the tenth day of Christmas (as opposed to the commercial interests who would have us just get it over with and move on to Mother’s Day… possibly with a short stop at Valentine’s Day as we head there!). We’ve had loads of fun with our eight-bells-plus-piano-plus-optional-flute arrangement of Hark! the Herald Angels Sing.

By the way, it’s also available for three to five octaves of handbells. And if you want an additional adventure, the piano and flute parts will also work with the handbell choir version (think: BIG Christmas program)!

You’ve probably noticed that the time signatures are, uh, unusual. Funny… it seemed so logical when I was writing it! But although it definitely gets away from the “normal” feel of the Christmas carol, it truly is a lot of fun to play once you know where the meter changes are. As Martha, our flutist, said, it’s a great white-water ride down a wild river!

Purchasing this score gives you permission to print and maintain the number of copies needed by your ensemble – so you only need to pay once. Purchase also gives permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and video-sharing online. See our licensing agreement for full details, and please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as concert programs.

Jan 02

Merry Ninth Day of Christmas!

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many handbell groups closed down for a couple of years, because it was considered risky to gather. So they played it safe, hoping to weather the storm and bring everyone back together after the disease was better understood (and yes, vaccinations had been developed). Kalamazoo Ringers was no exception, and like other conmmunity ensembles and church choirs kept the music going via online video concerts.

One of the pieces we contributed to the cause was our handbell duet arrangement of Away in a Manger using the NORMANDY hymn tune. It’s relatively easy (well, it had to be, since we were putting music together on relatively short notice!), and has a delightfully mysterious feel. Enjoy.

Purchasing this arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain the number of copies needed your handbell ensemble (plus the accompaniment score) – so you only need to pay once. Purchase also gives permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and video-sharing online. See our licensing agreement for full details, and please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as concert programs.

Jan 01

Merry Eighth Day of Christmas!

The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came is a mysterious tune that’s just on the border between Advent and Christmas. We first arranged it for eight bells, and then during my recovery from shoulder surgery for six bells and piano. Here’s the video or the six-bell version!

Purchasing this 6-bell arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to three copies for your handbell group (plus the accompaniment score) – so you only need to pay once. Purchase also gives permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and video-sharing online. See our licensing agreement for full details, and please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as concert programs.

Dec 31

Merry Seventh Day of Christmas!

We’ve had a great time writing music for small handbell ensembles, and were so very pleased to note that a number of ringers were using our six-, eight-, and twelve-bell scores and sharing their videos with us (well, and the world!). We’ve been writing music for sixteen handbells as well; these arrangements are perfect for a four-in-hand quartet.

Here’s our sixteen-bell arrangement of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (VENI EMMANUEL)!

Purchasing this 16-bell arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to eight copies for your handbell group – so you only need to pay once. Purchase also gives permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and video-sharing online. See our licensing agreement for full details, and please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as concert programs.

Dec 30

Merry Sixth Day of Christmas!

We went to a Holland Symphony Christmas concert a few years back, and enjoyed it very much. On the program was the Swedish carol Jul, Jul Strålande Jul (Christmas, Glorious Christmas), performed by soprano voice and orchestra. It was truly charming, and thoughtful, and just plain wintry, and so we worked out how to play it with eight bells!

Purchasing this 8-bell arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to four copies for your handbell group (plus the accompaniment score, if part of the purchase) – so you only need to pay once. Purchase also gives permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and video-sharing online. See our licensing agreement for full details, and please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as concert programs.