In the U.S., Now Thank We All Our God is one of the hymns that makes an annual appearance in November (because of the national Thanksgiving holiday, of course)… but it really can (should?) be played all year round! Here’s a new eight-handbell arrangement for you to play!
Tag: handbells
Handbells were invented in 17-century England as a practice tool for tower bell ringers. They could then rehearse in warmer and cheerier places than belfries - to wit, the local pubs. At some point, someone noticed that it was possible to play tunes (rather than just "changes") on handbells, and so "tune ringing" began. The music available from Choraegus followed the tune ringing tradition as practiced and performed in the modern era,
Now Thank We All Our God (NUN DANKET) – Eight handbells
In the U.S., Now Thank We All Our God is one of the hymns that makes an annual appearance in November (because of the national Thanksgiving holiday, of course)… but it really can (should?) be played all year round! “Now thank we all our God with heart and hands and voices, Who wondrous things has …
Oct 12
Sussex Carol/On This Night All Christians Sing (SUSSEX CAROL) – for six handbells and piano
The Christmas song Sussex Carol is also known by its first lyric line “On this night all Christians sing”. It’s a joyous melody, and we have a wonderful time playing our arrangement of this Christmas carol for six handbells and piano! On Christmas night all Christians sing to hear the news the angels bring; on …
Sussex Carol/On This Night All Christians Sing (SUSSEX CAROL) – Six handbells and piano
This traditional English Christmas Sussex Carol is also known as “On Christmas Night All Christians Sing”. The arrangement we see in our hymnals is almost certainly the one written by Ralph Vaughan Williams… but the unharmonized tune is far older than that. On Christmas night all Christians sing To hear what news those angels bring; …
Oct 08
Good Christian Men, Rejoice (IN DULCI JUBILO) – for six handbells and piano
Rejoice! Rejoice! The melody in our six-bell-plus-piano arrangement weaves around the accompaniment, creating a joyous setting for the English carol. Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice; give ye heed to what we say: Jesus Christ was born today. Ox and ass before him bow, and he is in the manger now. …
Good Christian Men, Rejoice (IN DULCI JUBILO) – Six handbells and piano
Good Christian Men, Rejoice is a joyous Christmas carol set to the energetic tune IN DULCI JUBILO. This tune is thought to have been written in the fourteenth century by Heinrich Seuse, and its original lyrics are “macaronic” – a combination of Latin and German/English. Good Christian men, rejoice with heart and soul and voice; …
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 …
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 …
Come, Ye Thankful People, Come (ST. GEORGE’S WINDSOR) (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. This is our arrangement of this hymn for eight handbells and piano. Come, …
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 …
