Otto Kotilainen’s Finnish carol A Sparrow on Christmas Morning tells the story of a sparrow that has exhausted his summer food supply. In danger of starving in the winter cold, he visits a young girl who offers him a seed to eat. The sparrow gratefully accepts the offer, and then reveals that he, her deceased …
Tag: international music
We admit to using "international music" as a bit of a catch-all for pieces that don't fit into our other categories, such as "hymns", "Christmas", and "classical". But having a catch-all simplifies things a bit, because we might have had to create dozens of other categories otherwise. Think of it as a place to view new vistas!
A Sparrow on Christmas Morning (Handbells, 3 or 5 octaves, plus handchimes, 3 octaves, Level 3+)
Otto Kotilainen’s Finnish carol A Sparrow on Christmas Morning tells the story of a sparrow that has exhausted his summer food supply. In danger of starving in the winter cold, he visits a young girl who offers him a seed to eat. The sparrow gratefully accepts the offer, and then reveals that he, her deceased …
Home on the Range (Eight handbells)
Home on the Range is an American cowboy song romanticizing life in the old West. You know… riding horses, herding cattle, sleeping under the stars, and sitting by the campfire at night. There are some of us who think about how much easier that would be than working in the big city with its manic …
Jun 11
Why do each of us hold our bells differently?
If you’ve watched our eight-bell videos, you may have noticed that Carla and I hold our handbells in different ways. The handbell terminology is that she’s using “British four-in-hand”, while I’m using “American four-in-hand”, which is also known as “ring and knock”. The difference will always be there, because we each are sticking with what …
May 31
New freebie: “Daisy Bell” for eight handbells!
Daisy Bell, also known as A Bicycle Built for Two, was written in the late nineteenth century by Harry Dacre. If you’re movie buff, you’ll probably remember that it was sung by Hal, the computer from 2001, A Space Odyssey. I remember learning it from my mom and grandmother. Most people I know sing only …
Daisy Bell (Eight handbells)
Daisy Bell, also known as A Bicycle Built for Two, was written in the late nineteenth century by Harry Dacre. If you’re movie buff, you’ll probably remember that it was aung by Hal, the computer from 2001, A Space Odyssey. I remember learning it from my mom and grandmother. Most people I know sing only …
Ding Dong, Merrily on High – Sixteen handbells
The sixteenth-century English tune Ding Dong, Merrily on High is quite popular at Christmas. It reflects the joy of the season, and invites us to share in the joy of heaven at the birth of the Son of God. Ding dong merrily on high, In heav’n the bells are ringing: Ding dong! verily the sky …
The Dreidel Song – Twelve handbells
Hanukkah is the Jewish “Festival of Lights”. It commemorates the dedication of the rebuilding of Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem. In particular, the candles of the menorah remember the miracle where a consecrated jar containing one day’s worth of oil was touched by God and provided enough for eight days of light in the temple. The …
Ma’oz Tzur – Twelve handbells
Hanukkah is the Jewish “Festival of Lights”. It commemorates the dedication of the rebuilding of Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem. In particular, the candles of the menorah remember the miracle where a consecrated jar containing one day’s worth of oil was touched by God and provided enough for eight days of light in the temple. Ma’oz …
Sevivon Sov Sov Sov – Twelve handbells
Hanukkah is the Jewish “Festival of Lights”. It commemorates the dedication of the rebuilding of Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem. In particular, the candles of the menorah remember the miracle where a consecrated jar containing one day’s worth of oil was touched by God and provided enough for eight days of light in the temple. Sevivon …
