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.
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.
Church Calendar: Advent, Christmas, Epiphanuy
Hymn tune: WALTHAM
Find metrically-matched hymn texts
| Eight Handbells with Piano Accompaniment: | ||
| ”Dual-Range”™ Score Package: | $5.00 US | |
| Piano accompaniment MP3 (D major): | $3.00 US | |
| Piano accompaniment MP3 (G major): | $3.00 US |
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.
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