Having direction and purpose in life is a challenge… but following God can make our walk through this world seem much more reasonable. One hymn on this subject is He Leadeth Me. He leadeth me: O blessed thought! O words with heavenly comfort fraught! Whate’er I do, where’er I be, still ’tis God’s hand that …
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,
Mar 14
Country Gardens – for twelve handbells!
Over Christmas, we (Larry, Carla, and JC) had a bit of time to record our arrangement of the English folk tune Country Gardens. You’ll enjoy hearing, and even better, you’ll enjoy playing it!
Wait Five Minutes (Handbells, 3 octaves, Level 2+)
We moved to Holland, Michigan in the summer of 2016. One of the quick lessons we were given with respect to living in the Midwest was the saying, “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes”… or three minutes, or sometimes even one minute. Our neighbor across the street told me that there have …
As With Gladness Men of Old (DIX) (Handbells, 3-5 octaves plus handchimes, 2 octaves, Level 3-)
The hymn tune DIX is usually sung with the texts For the Beauty of the Earth and As with Gladness Men of Old (the latter most often at Christmas). For the beauty of the earth, For the glory of the skies, For the love which from our birth Over and around us lies. Christ, our …
Stowey (STOWEY) (Handbells, 3 to 5 octaves, Level 2+)
Our arrangement of the English folk melody STOWEY actually gives you three options for how it’s used: As the folk melody STOWEY, As the hymn When a Knight Won His Spurs: When a knight won his spurs, in the stories of old, He was gentle and brave, he was gallant and bold With a shield …
Jan 17
Give Me Jesus
The new year is bringing new music for you to play! Here’s our twelve-bell arrangement of the spiritual Give Me Jesus. Have a listen!
Give Me Jesus – Twelve handbells
Our heritage of African-American spirituals is a rich one. Give Me Jesus is about how the most important thing in life – or death – is Jesus, our Lord and Savior. In the morning, when I rise, in the morning, when I rise, in the morning, when I rise, give me Jesus. Give me Jesus, …
Jan 12
Low Ding Zone’s “Yes, We Have No Bananas”
U.S. copyright law has now entered a new phase; music written in 1923 has entered the public domain. That means we can offer the Low Ding Zone arrangement of Yes, We Have No Bananas for sale!
Home at Last (Handbells, 5 to 8 octaves, Level 4+)
I’ve written a number of choral pieces for Living Water, my choir at Valley Church of Cupertino, California, and looked through them to see whether any could be arranged for handbells. Home at Last, the fifty-fourth in the set, is about the blessed hope that Christians have in the promise that Jesus Christ will one …
