The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came is a mysterious tune that’s just on the border between Advent and Christmas. We first arranged it for eight bells, and then during my recovery from shoulder surgery for six bells and piano. Here’s the video or the six-bell version! Purchasing this 6-bell arrangement gives you permission to print …
Tag: handbell ensemble
This composition is for handbell ensemble. The pitch range depends on the whim of the composer; there are pieces of this type for all ranges of handbells. The number of ringers can also vary quite a bit, but the general rule is that this number is smaller than that of a full-sized handbell choir.
Dec 31
Merry Seventh Day of Christmas!
We’ve had a great time writing music for small handbell ensembles, and were so very pleased to note that a number of ringers were using our six-, eight-, and twelve-bell scores and sharing their videos with us (well, and the world!). We’ve been writing music for sixteen handbells as well; these arrangements are perfect for …
Dec 30
Merry Sixth Day of Christmas!
We went to a Holland Symphony Christmas concert a few years back, and enjoyed it very much. On the program was the Swedish carol Jul, Jul Strålande Jul (Christmas, Glorious Christmas), performed by soprano voice and orchestra. It was truly charming, and thoughtful, and just plain wintry, and so we worked out how to play …
Dec 29
Merry Fifth Day of Christmas!
When we figured out how to make demo videos of pieces using more than eight bells, it made sense to create sixteen-bell arrangements. That way, four-in-hand quartets were available; they also were a nice bridge between twelve-bell and two-octave handbell music. On the fifth day of Christmas, here’s our sixteen-bell arrangement of Wexford Carol. Good …
Dec 28
Merry Fourth Day of Christmas!
We’ve had a wonderful time arranging Christmas carols. That’s not just the ones that we usually sing, but also going on the hunt for ones that are unfamiliar (to us). One day on Facebook, we saw that someone was asking about the Italian carol From Starry Skies Descending, we looked into it, and soon had …
Dec 27
Merry Third Day of Christmas!
I had shoulder surgery a in May of 2020. Lest you worry that bass ringing was the cause, the orthopedist assured me that it was all due to “normal wear and tear”. It meant postoperative pain pills (the powerful kind), and half a year of rebuilding. It’s quite a regimen, as those of you who …
Dec 26
Merry Second Day of Christmas!
You’ve probably seen social media reminders that the twelve days of Christmas start on December 25th and continue through January 6th. Today, the second day of Christmas, is known as Boxing Day, from an era when the practice was for the more affluent to give gifts to those less fortunate, such as their house staff. …
Nov 29
We Wish You a Merry Christmas – for eight handbells
If you’ve been around for even a short while, this English Christmas carol will be familiar to you. Do you remember going out in the cold (and if you’re in the right area, the snow), and then finishing your visit to each house by singing this song? Here’s our new arrangement of this carol for …
Nov 17
O Holy Night – for twelve handbells
This Christmas classic has been performed and recorded by countless professionals. Our twelve-bell arrangement is fairly accessible, and will bring your congregation into the Christmas season with wonderment and rejoicing. O holy night! the stars are brightly shining; It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth. Long lay the world in sin and error …
Dance of the Sugar Plum Sumo Fairy (Bay View Week of Handbells Version) – Bass handbell ensemble
Tchaikovsky created one of the all-time holiday season favorites when he wrote the Nutcracker Suite in 1892. There’s a good chance you’ve seen more than just a small part of it at a December ballet presentation. The Dance of the Candy Fairy (or Sugar Plum Fairy) was a sensation at its premiere, because Tchaikovsky chose …
