Jan 25

Lead On, O King Eternal (LANCASHIRE) – Sixteen-Handbell Version

Our friend Daniel got a short-notice announcement that his school wanted a handbell choir for their graduation ceremony, specifically this hymn. So… here’s a fairly easy sixteen-bell arrangement of Lead On, O King Eternal!

Lead on, O King eternal, the day of march has come;
Henceforth in fields of conquest Thy tents will be our home.
Through days of preparation Thy grace has made us strong;
And now, O King eternal, we lift our battle song.

Lead on, O King eternal, till sin’s fierce war shall cease,
And holiness shall whisper the sweet amen of peace.
For not with swords’ loud clashing or roll of stirring drums
With deeds of love and mercy the heavenly kingdom comes.

Lead on, O King eternal; we follow, not with fears,
For gladness breaks like morning where’er Thy face appears.
Thy cross is lifted o’er us, we journey in its light;
The crown awaits the conquest; lead on, O God of might.

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.

Jan 21

Come, Thou Almighty King – rereleased for sixteen handbells!

We’ve revised our sixteen-bell score of Come, Thou Almighty King! We’ve also made a “clone” video so you can see and hear it.

Come, thou Almighty King, help us Thy name to sing, help us to praise.
Father, all glorious, o’er all victorious, come and reign over us,
Ancient of Days.

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.

Jan 18

Skye Boat Song – Twelve-Handbell Version

This soothing, plaintive song is about Prince Charles’ escape to the Isle of Skye after his defeat in the Battle of Culloden in 1746. Today we’re releasing our twelve-bell arrangement of this song.


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 14

Lift High the Cross (CRUCIFER) – eight handbells and piano

Lift High the Cross undoubtedly is most sung in churches at Easter (and maybe on through Pentecost), but the message of salvation through Christ rings true the whole year round. This arrangement, for eight handbells and piano, will be a welcome addition to your repertoire.

Refrain: Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim
till all the world adore his sacred name.

Come, Christians, follow where the Master trod,
our King victorious, Christ the Son of God.

O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree,
your death has brought us life eternally.

So shall our song of triumph ever be:
praise to the Crucified for victory!

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 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 11

Holy, Holy, Holy – for sixteen handbells

Holy, Holy, Holy has been a window into the throne room of the transcendent Lord for many believers. The text reminds us that He is perfect and unapproachable because of our sinfulness, but it also tells us that God allows those who have put their eternal trust in His perfect gift of salvation to enter His presence.

Our arrangement for sixteen handbells comes in C5-C7 and G4-G6 versions, they can be played, respectively with a three-octave or a two-octave set of bells or chimes.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty!
God in three persons, blessed trinity!

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.

Jan 05

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (HAMBURG) – for six accompanied handbells

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross is, perhaps, one of the most profound hymns of all time. Its lyrics convey the message of salvation in Jesus Christ with an unmatched economy of words:

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Our piano-accompanied six-handbell arrangement of When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (tune: HAMBURG) 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.

Dec 24

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Choraegus

The snow started falling this morning at our place. Millions of tiny bits of ice surround us, and we’re safe and warm inside. Shoveling awaits…

It’s the end of 2020, and as we’ve had a fairly wild December, we’ve decided to take a break from our rather manic two-a-week publication pace and get a little rest.

Perhaps some of you feel the same way after the year you’ve had. You’ve figured out how to prerecord and livestream church services, meet on Zoom (or similar app); communicated by email, txt, and maybe even old-fashioned – “classic”? – phone calls; and uploaded more files than you ever imagined possible. The pandemic has made us jump-shift violently in so many ways.

But you’re reading this, so you’ve achieved some level of adaptation. Congratulations, and good for you – that means you’re a survivor. We hope that God will continue to sustain you and yours as we persevere together.

We at Choraegus (Larry and Carla, West Michigan’s Smallest Handbell Ensemble – both of us! 😀 ) thank you for giving us the privilege of providing music for you to play in this crazy time. We’ve been thrilled to know that we have a resource that has kept your handbells ringing through the summer, on through Christmas, and into the new year. We thank you for being so kind as to add credits to your videos, not merely because it’s a responsible thing to do, but much more because doing so has enabled us to share in your services and concerts.

We’ve been amazed to see how you have started playing duets, trios, and quartets from the safety of your homes. Some of you were experienced ringers, and some of you were picking up a handbell for the first time. Our great joy has been to see you growing not only in your ringing skills, but even more as families. We’ve loved seeing that as you continue to make new videos – keep ’em coming!

Thank you to the full-sized church and community ensembles that have considered our music worthy of your attention. We know that social distancing may have made performance of your normal repertoire impractical or impossible. We’ve been amazed by your resourcefulness on behalf of your congregations and audiences – and are overjoyed to have been part of the solution you sought.

Many other composers have had to make rather drastic changes in their writing to provide music to the world. COVID-19 has changed their world as much as anyone else’s. We’re humbled that God put Choraegus here years in advance of the current need.

Onward into the new year! We wish you the best, and plan to continue offering new music that you’ll find artistic, challenging, and just plain fun to play. That, after all, is our calling.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Choraegus. See you soon! 💙

Dec 10

Away in a Manger (MURRAY) – Twelve-Handbell Version

We’ve been having fun recording some of our twelve- and sixteen-handbell arrangements so that you can see and hear them with actual bells. Here’s our twelve-bell arrangement of Away in a Manger (the hymn tune most often heard in the USA, by James Murray).

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.

Dec 07

From a Distant Home – with video now!

We’ve been revisiting some of the twelve- and sixteen-bell scores that we didn’t manage to record earlier. One of them is From a Distant Home for sixteen handbells. We had lots of fun putting the video together!

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 03

Angels, from the Realms of Glory – Twelve Handbells

Just in time for Christmas, we have a new twelve-bell arrangement of Angels, from the Realms of Glory (tune: REGENT SQUARE) for those who need a bit more in the way of holiday handbells. It’s challenging, so be prepared to have fun!

Angels from the realms of glory / Wing your flight o’er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation’s story / Now proclaim Messiah’s birth:
Come and worship,
Come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King!

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.