Oct 07

“Dual-Range”™ Eight-Bell Music!

We’ve been hearing about how some ringers out there have wondered why our eight-bell music was written in the range G5-G6. The main issue that came up was that playing those pieces as a quartet would result in “nontraditional” ringing assignments (say, G5/A5 rather than A5/B5). Why not, say, write using F5-F6?

The reason is that there’s a casting size change between F5/F#5 and G5. This results in F5/F#5 having a noticeably mellower sound than G5 and higher bells; there also is a significant difference in weight that can be problematic for a four-in-hand ringer with the lower bells. So our music takes advantage of the more consistent timbre and weight that’s found using the octave that starts from G5. Nevertheless, we do understand that learning “left = space, right = line” is a simple and effective way to teach people how to correlate their notes with their bells!

So for those who prefer thinking that way, we’ve made (almost) all of our unaccompanied eight-bell scores “dual-range”™! Each dual-range score (at the same price as before) has two copies of the music:

  • One based on G5-G6, so you can hear the music as it was originally intended to sound, and
  • One based on F5-F6, in case you prefer to have all or mostly space-line pairs of notes.

Cool rehearsal/performance hint: If you want the music to sound as originally composed, but prefer “space-line” assignments, all you have to do is assign from the G5-based score, and read from the F5-based score!

Thank you for all your support and encouragement as we’ve continued publishing new music for handbells!

Oct 05

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come (ST. GEORGE’S WINDSOR) – for eight handbells and piano

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come is most often sung in the United States at Thanksgiving. It’s a harvest-is-over song that uses bringing the crop from the fields as an illustration of God bringing His saints home after they’ve completed their earthly responsibilities.

Here’s our arrangement of this hymn for eight handbells and piano.

Come, ye thankful people, come, / raise the song of harvest home;
all is safely gathered in, / ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide / for our wants to be supplied;
come to God’s own temple, come, / raise the song of harvest home.

Oct 01

Chopsticks – for eight handbells

There’s a famous story about how a little boy found his way onto the great Ignacy Paderewski’s piano bench before a concert, and, oblivious to the audience, began playing Euphemia Allen’s world-famous 1877 hit Chopsticks. The ticket-holders in the seats were shocked, and angrily wanted the child removed. Paderewski, however, walked up behind the bench and added his mavelous skills to the mix, and kept whispering in the boy’s ear, “Keep going. Don’t quit, son. Keep playing. Don’t stop. Don’t quit.” I wish we could all be so encouraging and gracious!

However, this story is completely made up. What’s not fictitious is our eight-bell arrangement of Chopsticks, available for your ringing pleasure here!

Sep 28

O Little Town of Bethlehem (FOREST GREEN) – for six handbells plus piano

his Christmas carol reflects the quiet joy of the Savior’s birth.

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light;
the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

Our piano-accompanied six-handbell arrangement of O Little Town of Bethlehem (hymn tune: FOREST GREEN) 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.

Sep 24

Blessed Assurance (ASSURANCE) – for eight handbells and piano

Our arrangement of Blessed Assurance for eight handbells and piano will work well with your small handbell ensemble (duet, trio, or quartet)!

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.

    This is my story, this is my song,
    Praising my Savior, all the day long;
    This is my story, this is my song,
    Praising my Savior all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with his goodness, lost in his love.

Sep 21

Angels We Have Heard On High (GLORIA) – for six handbells plus piano

Our piano-accompanied six-handbell arrangement of Angels We Have Heard On High (hymn tune: GLORIA) 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.

Sep 17

Shall We Gather at the River? – for eight handbells and piano

Our arrangement of Shall We Gather at the River for eight handbells and piano will work well with your small handbell ensemble (duet, trio, or quartet)!

Shall we gather at the river,
Where bright angel feet have trod;
With its crystal tide forever
Flowing by the throne of God?

Yes, we’ll gather at the river,
The beautiful, the beautiful river;
Gather with the saints at the river
That flows by the throne of God.

Sep 14

It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (CAROL) – for six handbells plus piano

Here’s our six-handbell arrangement of the usual American melody for this carol. We think it shows a bit of Richard Willis’ (the composer’s) musical background – did you know he studied with Felix Mendelssohn?

It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold:
“Peace on the earth, good will to men, from heaven’s all-gracious King.”
The world in solemn stillness lay, to hear the angels sing.

Our piano-accompanied six-handbell arrangement of It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (hymn tune: CAROL) 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.

Sep 10

Jesus es Mi Rey Soberano (MI REY Y MI AMIGO) – for eight handbells

Isn’t it amazing that the King of Kings wants to be our Savior … and our Friend? It’s our joy to make our eight-bell arrangement of this hymn available.

Jesús es mi Rey soberano,
Mi gozo es cantar su loor;
Es Rey, y me ve cual hermano,
Es Rey y me imparte suamor.
De jando su trono de gloria,
Me vino a sacar de laescoria,
Y yo soy feliz,
Y yo soy feliz por El. 		Jesus is my sovereign King,
My joy is to sing your praise;
He is King, and he sees me as a brother,
He is King and he gives me his love.
Leaving his throne of glory,
He came to take me out of my debt,
And I am happy,
And I am happy in Him.

Sep 07

O Come, O Come Emmanuel (VENI EMMANUEL) – for six accompanied handbells

This Advent hymn originates from as far back as possibly the 12th century. It first appeared in English as translated by John M. Neale in 1851.

O come, O come, Emmanuel / And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here / Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel / Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Our piano-accompanied six-handbell arrangement of O Come, O Come Emmanuel (tune: VENI EMMANUEL) 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.