Larry and Carla’s First “Surprisingly-Easy”™-Eight-Bell Christmas Collection

Welcome to our first collection of “Surprisingly Easy”™ eight-bell Christmas pieces! We’d been sharing our four-in-hand duets with our family and friends, and started getting questions about whether we had some easier arrangements that would work well with younger/newer ringers. We took a look at what we had, and realized that some of our repertoire could be adapted in this fashion. So here are eight Christmas carols that each can be played with just eight bells!

You can play this music with two four-in-hand ringers… or you could have four ringers with two bells each. Beginning ringers will have fun with these, and will have an easy way to learn to play multiple bells, too. And when you master them, you can think about moving on to learn the more advanced versions that take the music a bit further! You can find those versions at https://www.choraegus.com/ring/eight-bell-music/.

Here’s what this collection contains:

• Angels We Have Heard on High (G)
• Away in a Manger (CRADLE SONG) – standard version
• Let All Mortal Flesh
• ’Twas in the Moon of Wiintertime
• Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending!
• Good Christian Men, Rejoice!
• Savior of the Nations, Come! – standard version
• O Little Town of Bethlehem (FOREST GREEN)

A total of thirteen bells are used to play the entire set (F5, G5, Ab5, A5, Bb5, B5, C6, D6, Eb6, E6, F6, F#6, and G6), so if you’re playing the entire book, everything will fit on just one table!

Practice tracks for the pieces in this collection are available separately with the individual scores.

We hope you’ll have lots of fun ringing this collection, and that those who see and hear you will be caught up in the Christmas spirit with you!

Purchasing this 8-bell collection 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.

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