"Hark! the Herald Angels Sing" music is from the second
chorus of a cantata by Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
written in 1840 to commemorate Johann Gutenberg and the
invention of printing. The words are from a hundred
years earlier, written in 1739 by Charles Wesley whose
brother, John, Wesley founded the Methodist
Church.
My arrangement for Piano, Organ, English Handbells and
Choir is an ensemble for piano, organ, English
handbells and SATB choir arranged for the Sierra Vista
United M...(+)
"Hark! the Herald Angels Sing" music is from the second
chorus of a cantata by Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
written in 1840 to commemorate Johann Gutenberg and the
invention of printing. The words are from a hundred
years earlier, written in 1739 by Charles Wesley whose
brother, John, Wesley founded the Methodist
Church.
My arrangement for Piano, Organ, English Handbells and
Choir is an ensemble for piano, organ, English
handbells and SATB choir arranged for the Sierra Vista
United Methodist Church (SVUMC) from the United
Methodist Church Hymnal #240.
I added English Handbells in order to add brilliance to
this magnificent work. I arranged it into a full
orchestral score, in modified keys of F and G
Major.
The addition of English Handbells was not written to
replace the piano and organ accompaniment. Rather, it
adds color and brilliance to the fanfare ? like
sections of the score.
The full score, including the English Handbell part, is
not necessary for performance. Conductors should simply
mark English Handbell entrance cues in their
score.
Care should be taken so that English Handbells are not
overwhelmed by the accompanying piano and organ,
especially the organ. I suggest that the manual stops
be bright flutes or brass and strings (as noted in the
?Organ Registration? section) with no doubling of
pitches, with eight and sixteen foot pedal stops only.
Four foot manual stops should be avoided.