Welcome to our third “surprisingly easy” Christmas eight-bell collection! We’ve been having such a wonderful time with our Christmas (and other) music that we thought you should have another set of pieces to play for the holidays! You can play this music with two four-in-hand ringers… or you could have four ringers with two bells …
Tag: Christmas
Christmas is traditionally celebrated on December 25th as the remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ (Luke 2).
Liturgically, Christmas is twelve days in length (hence the song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas"), ending on Epiphany (also known as Three Kings' Day).
Churches and celebrants who choose to be less precisely liturgical rejoice with Christmas music (and Epiphany music!) all the way through Advent as well. The important thing is to rejoice, of course.
Oct 18
The Most-Requested Handbell Piece of All?
We’ve finally created an arrangement of Mykola Leontovych’s “Ukrainian Bell Carol”, probably better-known as “Carol of the Bells”. We speculate that it’s the most-requested handbell piece of all time, if only because of the title (and Christmas advertisements!). So if you’re a four-in-hand duet, you can have this in your repertoire and not disappoint those …
Of the Father’s Love Begotten (DIVINUM MYSTERIUM) – Eight handbells
The chant DIVINUM MYSTERIUM dates back to the thirteenth century; we now recognize it by the lyrics: “Of the Father’s Love Begotten”. You can imagine how it would resonate in a stone monastery far off in the hills! Of the Father’s love begotten ere the worlds began to be, He is Alpha and Omega; He …
Oct 04
But while you look forward to Christmas… another collection!
We’re gearing up for Christmas (because we have to practice our music now to be ready in time…)! It’s an exciting time of year because we love the holidays so much. We really, really love sharing new music with all of you, because it means you can get something to add to your repertoire as …
Sep 14
Christmas is on the Way!
Yes, it’s pretty early to be thinking about Christmas shopping – but not about rehearsing for the holiday season! Most of the handbell directors (and choral directors, too) we know, start choosing their season’s music in August or September so they can focus on the music when everyone’s together. We’ve posted our first new Christmas …
Ukrainian Bell Carol – Eight handbells
Ukrainian Bell Carol was first known as “Schedryk”/«Щедрик» when Mykola Leontovych wrote it in 1916. And then… in 1941, Peter Wilhousky wrote the lyrics entitled “Carol of the Bells”, the title under which credit is usually given in the United States. We present our arrangement of Leontovych’s composition under its “more original” title. We hope …
Away in a Manger (AWAY IN A MANGER, James R. Murray) – Eight handbells
The melody in this arrangement of Away in a Manger by James Murray is the one most familiar to Americans. Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head, The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay, The little Lord Jesus asleep on …
Larry and Carla’s Eight-Bell “Nutcracker” Collection
In 1892, Pyotr Tchaikovsky was commissioned to write the music for The Nutcracker, a Christmas story about a girl named Maria and her magical gift from Drosselmeyer, a party guest and family friend. We’re thrilled to bring you a collection of eight of the pieces from this ballet: Miniature Overture March The Kingdom of Sweets …
O Come, O Come Emmanuel (VENI EMMANUEL) – Eight handbells
The Advent song O Come, O Come, Emmanuel as we know it today, is adapted from a fifteenth-century French melody, but may originate from as far back as possibly the 12th century. It first appeared in English as translated by John M. Neale in 1851. It’s a prayer by those who hoped that the Christ …
Jolly Old Saint Nicholas – Eight handbells
Ho, ho, ho! That’s what Santa Claus usually says. Historically, the original St. Nicholas was also known as “Nicholas the Wonderworker”, and he had a love of giving gifts, often in secret. We can imagine that he must have gone about with a big smile – because he knew where the gifts went, and could …
