Dec 24

If you’d like to play and hear bells on Christmas Day – Secret Santa redux!

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day is a pre-Civil War song that sets a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to the tune WALTHAM by John Baptiste Calkin. The theme is “peace on earth, good will to men”, and the words reflect on how hopelessness will give way to glory.

And on Christmas Day 2021, you can get this arrangement free of charge from Choraegus!

The score for our piano-accompanied eight-handbell arrangement of I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day comes as a package containing versions in D major (D5-D6) and G major (G5-G6). The D major version is in the key to which the song is most often sung; the G major version uses a more easily-managed set of bells, especially if you’re playing four-in-hand (but is not in a comfortable range for most vocalists).

Our arrangement comes with three verses. There are separate accompaniment MP3s available for both transpositions. Note: If you choose to play our arrangement as a sing-along program element and want to sing all five verses, it will be easy for you to work out which verses you’d like to repeat with a (live) accompanist.

I heard the bells on Christmas day / Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat / Of peace of earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come, / The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along th’unbroken song / Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head: / “There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong, and mocks the song / Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: / “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, / With peace on earth, good will to men.”

Till, ringing, singing on its way, / The world revolved from night to day
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime, / Of peace on earth, good will to men.

The eight bells in the score are accompanied by piano; if you don’t happen to have an accompanist available, we also have an accompaniment MP3 available for purchase.

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.

Find Larry and Carla on Facebook!

Dec 24

Secret Santa

Just for today (Christmas Eve 2021), we have a little gift for you. Our new twelve-bell version of Silent Night is free of charge!

Merry Christmas from Choraegus!

Larry & Carla

Dec 01

Happy Birthday to Us!

Thank you to those of you who have purchased and played our music! We’ve enjoyed seeing your videos, and have sometimes even been able to been there to see you from the audience. We appreciate having a part in your performances, and even more, in your ministries. Perhaps it underscores the thought that we’re all in this together, and that this is a way we can team up to make this world better.

Tomorrow (December 2, 2021), Choraegus will celebrate 26 years of bringing music to the people. We’d like to invite you to celebrate with us. For one day – Choraegus’ birthday – you can get 26% percent off everything in our store. All you have to do is apply the coupon code CHORAEGUS26 when you check out, and our e-store will crunch all the numbers for you.

Kindly remember that time zones are a way of life for us, so the magic 24-hour day will be based on Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5).

We look forward to hearing from you!

Nov 29

Jesus Paid It All (ALL TO CHRIST) – for eight handbells

The message of Jesus Paid It All goes far beyond the title. True enough, He gave Himself to pay the penalty of our sins, but the hymn text also intimates that we have an infinite debt to Him that goes along with receiving the free gift that He offers. Of course… it’s impossible to repay an infinite debt, and so the chorus says:

I hear the Savior say, Thy strength indeed is small,
Child of weakness, watch and pray; find in Me thine all in all.”

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

Here’s our eight-bell version of this hymn.

Purchasing this 8-bell arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to four 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.

Nov 08

The Lord Bless You and Keep You (BENEDICTION) – for Sixteen-Handbells

Peter Lutkin composed this famous benediction in 1900. It’s a favorite farewell song at the Bay View Association, a Chautauqua institution located near Petoskey, Michigan. Our arrangement is written in the same key as the original, so your congregation or vocal ensemble can sing the SATB parts along with the handbells.

The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord lift his countenance upon you,
and give you peace;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you,
and be gracious unto you.
Amen.

(The Lord Bless You and Keep You begins at 1:28)

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.

Nov 04

Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken (AUSTRIAN HYMN) – for eight handbells

Here’s the grandiose hymn that also serves as the national anthem of Germany. It was composed by Haydn (possibly with a Croatian song as source material), and today it still inspires Christians around the world.

We’ve added our “standard” arrangement for eight handbells to our repertoire!

Purchasing this 8-bell arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to four 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.

Oct 21

Away in a Manger (CRADLE SONG) for six handbells and piano

The Christ Child has been born, and sleeps in the manger. This gentle arrangement for six handbells and piano tells the Christmas story with a quiet elegance.

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
the little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head;
the stars in the heavens looked down where He lay,
the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

Our piano-accompanied six-handbell arrangement of the Christmas carol Away in a Manger (hymn tune: CRADLE SONG) provides an opportunity to play as a two-bells-each trio. Another possibility is to play as a duet where one ringer plays four bells and the other (perhaps a younger/newer player!) plays two bells.

The six bells in the score are accompanied by piano; if you don’t happen to have an accompanist available, we also have an accompaniment MP3 available for purchase.


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.

Oct 18

The Heavens Declare Your Glory (FAITHFUL) – for eight handbells

Our arrangement of this joyous hymn is generally appropriate for worship services. It also can be played at Easter as O Joyous Easter Morning.

The heavens declare your glory, the firmament your power;
day unto day the story repeats from hour to hour.
Night unto night replying, proclaims in every land,
O LORD, with voice undying, the wonders of your hand.

The sun with royal splendor goes forth to chant your praise,
and moonbeams soft and tender their gentler anthem raise.
O’er every tribe and nation the music is outpoured,
the song of all creation to you, creation’s Lord.

All heaven on high rejoices to do its Maker’s will;
the stars with solemn voices resound your praises still.
So let my whole behavior, each thought, each deed I do,
be, LORD, my strength, my Savior, a ceaseless song to you!

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.

Find Larry and Carla on Facebook!

Oct 14

Gesu Bambino (Handbells, 3 or 5 octaves with piano, Level 3)

Gesu Bambino (“the Christ Child”) is a Nativity song from 1917. It’s a lullaby for the Child, but also a call to worship for all others as He awaits them at the Bethlehem manger. Pietro A. Yon, the composer, created the melody so that it would mesh perfectly with VENITE ADOREMUS (“O come, let us adore Him”).

This piano-accompanied arrangement for three or five octaves is Level 3. The score package includes a full score which the pianist can use, and a separate handbell part for the bell choir. For the director’s convenient review, the handbell part is available separately.

Additionally, the piano accompanimnent is available as an MP3.

Nell’umile capanna
nel freddo e povertà
è nato il Santo pargolo
che il mondo adorerà.

Osanna, osanna cantano
con giubilante cor
i tuoi pastori ed angeli
o re di luce e amor.

Venite adoremus
venite adoremus
venite adoremus
Dominum.

When blossoms flowered ‘mid the snows
Upon a winter night,
Was born the Child, the Christmas Rose,
The King of Love and Light.

The angels sang, the shepherds sang,
The grateful earth rejoiced;
And at His blessed birth the stars
Their exultation voiced.

O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

(Martens lyric)

Purchasing the score package of this arrangement grants permission to print and maintain up to fifteen copies for your handbell ensemble and full score copies for director and accompanist; purchasing the handbells-only review score 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.

Oct 11

We have an add-on flute part for Ding Dong, Merrily on High!

Some years ago, Carla and I created an accompanied eight-bell arrangement of Ding Dong, Merrily on High. Well, that was so much fun that when we were preparing to perform a miniconcert with Gary and Martha Matthews, we added a flute part so that Martha, flutist extraordinaire, could be part of the fun – and now it’s available as an add-on item from Choraegus!