Handbell Music
Published by Linda McKechnie
After reviewing the specific information, and listening to the MP3s or MP4s below, you may view the entire catalog of recordings and published music.
Handbells Alone | Handbells Solo & Keyboard
Beginning Ringer | Handbells, Various Options & Orchestra
Handbells, Keyboard & Optional Brass and/or Voices
Overview
Linda McKechnie is well known for her significant contribution to the art of handbell ringing. She served the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers as the fourteenth President from 1987-1989.
The music of Linda McKechnie has reached thousands of people through her 50 handbell titles and over 80 piano published arrangements with organ, solo instruments, and orchestra. Linda’s Published handbell music covers a wide spectrum, from Music for the First Time (a method book for beginning ringers) to arrangements ranging from easy to difficult levels for 3-6 octave handbells. Many incorporate other instruments such as brass quintet, timpani, keyboard, treble solo instruments, and most recently full orchestra accompaniment. Recently, she was commissioned to write for handbells and big band!
As a volunteer, Linda has a compassionate heart to make a difference in the lives of the functionally disabled, underprivileged, and the elderly. Realizing that her music is therapeutic and heals the spirit, Linda has been involved in the Junior League Singers, performing at assisted living and community centers. Presently, Linda is involved in helping Brookwood, a community for functionally disabled adults, to form a handbell/handchime program, to teach them music skills and build their confidence to perform in the Houston area.
Linda and her husband, David, have initiated the D. Linda McKechnie AGEHR Scholarship to help fund opportunities for educators in the field of the Special Needs Community and elementary education with handchimes and handbells.
Linda’s arrangements for handbells and orchestra have been performed by major symphonies to include the Detroit Symphony, Orlando Symphony, and Charlotte Symphony. During Christmas 2003, the Boston Pops and the Ring of Fire handbell group performed Linda’s arrangement, We Three Kings with Farandole from L’Arlesienne.
As a Steinway Artist and prolific publisher and arranger of handbell and keyboard music, she continues to be a recipient of the ASCAP special awards. Linda was named “2002 Composer of the Year” by Jeffers Handbell Supply.
Linda maintains a heavy schedule throughout the world as a concert pianist and recording artist. Her recordings, with signature style of blending classical themes with Christian music, remain very popular in the Christian instrumental division: Hymnworks I and II, Hymnworks Christmas, Symphony of Praise I and II, A World of Praise, Rhapsody of Love, Rhapsody of Christmas I and II, Reflections and Worship Collage. Moments With the Savior, recorded with the London Festival Orchestra, recieved a 2000 Dove Nomination.
Through her published and recorded music, Linda endeavors to bring joy to people’s lives in a refreshing and new way.
Handbells Alone
With options, listen to sample performance
- A Ringing Christmas, Alfred Publishing, 3-5 oct #17542 (bells only)
- Blessed Assurance, Hope Publishing, 3-5 oct #l388, optional bass/keyboard accompaniment #1388K
- Carols of Christmas: Hark the Herald Angels Sing/It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, 3 oct Composers Music Co. #HP066l handbell music #XP0662, optional piano/harp
- Christmas Bells Unending: Deck the Halls, The First Noel, 2 oct book and 3-5 oct book, Fred Bock Publishing
- Christmas Tapestry, original melody woven with Deck the Halls, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, and Gloria in Excelsis) 3-5 octave bells, Jeffers Publishing 2006
- Ezekiel Saw the Wheel, Jeffers Music, 3-5 oct with optional narration, keyboard, bass, and percussion; full score RW8110FS, RW8110 (bells only)
- He Is Exalted, Hope Publishing, 3-5 oct #2113
- Kum Ba Yah, Alfred Publishing, 3-5 oct #12403 (bells only)
- Lord I Lift Your Name on High, Hope Publishing, 3-5 oct #1977
- March (by Bach), Composers Music, 3 oct BPO775 (bells only)
- Meditation on the Cross, Alfred Publishing, 3-5 oct #12404 (bells only)
- Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us, Hope Publishing 3 oct #l3l0 4-5 oct #l335 (bells only)
- Simple Gifts, AGEHR, 3-4 oct AG34018-3 and 5-6 oct (bells only)
- Spanish Song (Come Christians Join to Sing), 3-6 oct #2229, optional percussion, guitar and bass, #2229P
- What Child Is This?, 3 oct Composers Music for advanced/beginner or intermediate choir #BP055l, handbell music #XP0552, optional piano/harp accompaniment
- When Morning Gilds the Skies, Hope Publishing, 3-5 oct #l528 (bells only)
Handbells Solo & Keyboard
- Come, All Ye Shepherds/The First Noel, AGEHR Publishing, arr. Malia Johnson/D. Linda McKechnie
Beginning Ringer
- Music for the Beginning Handbell Choir, 3 oct Chorister Guild #CGB57 (book of 3 selections plus rehearsal notes, hymn tunes)
- Music from above book available separately:
#CGB90 Come Christians, Join to Sing
#CGB91 Lord, I Want to Be a Christian
#CGB92 Lead On O King Eternal - Ringing for the First Time, 3 oct Flammer Publishing #HP5232
A method book for the beginning handbell ringer with exercises and bell techniques along with 13 music selections for class, worship service, or festival: German Folk Song, Jubilate Procession, Thanksgiving Celebration, Jacobs Ladder, Peace, Variations on a French Tune, Bell Round, Over the River and Through the Woods, Christmas Medley, Sarasponda, Creation, Faith of Our Fathers, If You’re Happy and You Know It #HP5233; Director’s Supplement #NC5039, recording of all music
Handbells, Various Options & Orchestra
- Listen to sample performance originally recorded with piano and orchestra and now transcribed for handbells and orchestra
- Listen to sample performance with handbells and orchestra, flute or organ
- Order handbell music directly from a music distributor; there is no handbell music included in the orchestration order
- Included in the orchestration is a conductor’s score and one copy of individual parts. Permission is given to make multiple copies of individual parts.
Scored for: full strings, 2(1) Flute, 2(1) Oboe, 2(1) Clarinet, 2(1) Bassoon, 3(2) Trumpets, 3(2 )Horns, 3(2) Trombones, 1 Tuba, Harp, 2 Percussion
3:55 Go Tell It on the Mountain and He Is Born with Troika by Prokofiev ($50)
Use with handbell music, Hope Publishing 3-6 oct bells #1922, full score
for handbell director #1924
Listen to handbell recording
Listen to piano and orchestra as recorded on Hymnworks Christmas
2:02 Joy to the World with Psalm 19 by Marcello ($50)
Use with handbell music, Hope Publishing 3-5 oct bells #2051, full score
for handbell director #2058
Listen to handbell recording
Listen to piano and orchestra as recorded on Hymnworks Christmas
2:45 We Three Kings with Farandole from L’Arlesienne Suite #2 by Bizet ($50)
Use with handbell music, Hope Publishing 3-5 oct bells #2052, full score
for handbell director #2059
Listen to handbell recording
Listen to piano and orchestra as recorded on Hymnworks Christmas
2:32 A Ringing Christmas, Ring Christmas Bells, Ukranian carol with
Sing We Now of Christmas, French carol ($50)
The original arrangment for handbells (#17542) is published
by Alfred Publishing for 3-5 octave handbells; this arrangement
may be performed with handbells and full orchestra or with piano and
full orchestra
Listen to handbell recording
Listen to piano from handbell arrangement with full orchestra
as recorded on Rhapsody of Christmas II
2:10 Angels from the Realms of Glory with March from Nutcracker Suite
by Tchaikovsky ($55)
This NEW arrangement from Rhapsody of Christmas II may be
performed with 3-5 octave handbells and full orchestra. Handbell
music is a transcription of the piano part and is included with
Conductors score and individual parts.
2:14 He Is Born with Dance of the Reed Flutes from Nutcracker Suite by Tchaikovsky ($55) This NEW arrangement from Rhapsody of Christmas II may be performed with 3-5 octave handbells and full orchestra. Handbell
music is a transcription of the piano part and is included with Conductors score and individual parts.
2:28 Here We Come A-Caroling with Rondo by John Bull ($55)
Please note: as of October, 2011, there are not trumpet, trombone, french horn, and tuba parts written. This NEW arrangement from Rhapsody of Christmas II may be performed with 3-5 octave handbells and full orchestra. Handbell
music is a transcription of the piano part and is included with Conductors score and individual parts.
3:26 Simple Gifts, Shaker tune ($50)
The original arrangment for handbells (#AG34018-3) is published by the
American Guild of English Handbell Ringers, Inc. for 3-5 octave handbells;
this arrangement may be performed with handbells and full orchestra
Listen to piano (from handbell arrangement) with full orchestra as recorded
on Rhapsody of Christmas II
Scored for: full strings, 2(1) Flute, 2(1) Oboe, 2(1) Clarinet, 2(1) Bassoon, 2 Horns, 2 Trombones, Harp, 2 Percussion
3:11 O Come All Ye Faithful with Sheep May Safely Graze by Bach ($40)
Use with handbell music, Hope Publishing, 3-6 oct bells #1921, full score
for handbell #1923
Listen to handbell recording
Listen to piano and orchestra as recorded on Hymnworks Christmas
4:42 O Holy Night with Gesu Bambino ($40)
Use with handbell music, Hope Publishing, 3-5 oct bells #2108, full score
for handbell director #2109
Listen to handbell recording
Listen to piano and orchestra as recorded on Hymnworks Christmas
3:46 Shine Jesus Shine ($40)
The original arrangment for handbells (#2224) is published by
Hope Publishing for 3-5 octave handbells. This arrangement may
be performed with handbells and small orchestra
Listen to handbell recording
Listen to piano (from handbell arrangement) with full orchestra as recorded
on Moments With the Savior
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Handbells, Keyboard & Optional Brass and/or Voices
Please note: The basic format of the following arrangements uses bells with keyboard accompaniment. If there is an instrumental part, which is separately noted from brass parts, the instrument(s) may be added to the bells and keyboard. However, the brass choir is a substitution for the keyboard part and is not designed to be played with the keyboard. Brass choir combination: 2 trumpets, 1 horn,1 trombone, 1 tuba.
- All Hail the Power of Jesus Name (Coronation), Flammer Publishing, 3-5 oct (6 in pack) #HL5318, keyboard/conductor score #5319
- Amazing Grace, Jeffers Music, 3-5 oct #JHS9101FS keyboard, optional brass
- Angels From the Realms of Glory, Flammer Publishing, 3-5 oct bells (6 in pack) #HP5304, keyboard/conductor score #HP5305, brass parts #LB5246 (instead of keyboard)
- Crown Him With Many Crowns, Jeffers Publishing, 3-5 oct #8806 keyboard/conductor score #8806FS, brass parts #8806B (instead of keyboard)
- Festive Praise “St. Anne”, Hope Publishing, 3-5 oct, organ with optional trumpet #2237, full score optional brass quintet #2238
- Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken, Flammer Publishing, 3-5 oct (6 in pack) #HP5137, keyboard/conductor score #HP5l38, with trumpet or French horn solo #HP5l30, or brass parts #LB5095 (instead of keyboard)
- God of Our Fathers, Hope Publishing, 3-5 oct #1529, keyboard #1530, with optional 3 trumpets #1530B
- How Firm a Foundation, Flammer Publishing, 3-5 oct (6 in pack) #HP5240, keyboard/conductor score #HP524l, with optional trumpet or French Horn #HP5242, brass parts #LB5152 (instead of keyboard and trumpet)
- I Love to Tell the Story, Hope Publishing, 3-5 oct #l239, keyboard/conductor score #1240, with optional trumpet #1240, brass parts #1240B (instead of keyboard and trumpet)
- I Sing the Almighty Power of God (Forest Green tune) with The Rejoicing
by Handel, 3-5 oct and C treble instrument with optional keyboard, Jeffers Publishing, 2006 - Processionals Plus, Jeffers Publishing, full score #S9070FS, bell trees and processionals with keyboard accompaniment #9070HB with hymn tunes: Llanfair, Hyfrydol, Joy to the World
- Medley of Praise (The Church’s One Foundation with To God Be the Glory), AGEHR Publishing 2008, 3-5 oct bells with optional 2 oct handchimes and/or C treble instrument
- Morning Has Broken, Flammer Publishing, 3-5 oct #HP5191 with keyboard or harp
- O God Our Help, Genevox Music, 3-5 oct, keyboard and optional trumpet
- Resounding Alleluias, Choristers Guild Publishing, handbells (3, 4, 5 octs) #CGB559 and organ keyboard with optional Bb or C treble instrument and SATB choir #CGA1141
- Shine Jesus Shine, Hope Publishing, 3-5 oct, optional flute
- The Lord Is My Light, 3-5 oct with optional keyboard, brass quintet, vocal choir; arrangement out of print, to order at discounted price, e-mail Linda
- This Is My Father’s World, Flammer Publishing, 3-5 oct (6 in pack) #HP5l65, keyboard/conductor score #HP5166, brass parts #LB5093 (instead of keyboard)
- Angels From the Realms of Glory with March from Nutcracker Suite
by Tchaikovsky ($15)
This NEW arrangement from Rhapsody of Christmas II may be performed with handbells (3-5 octaves) and organ. This arrangement includes handbell music with organ accompaniment. - He Is Born with Dance of the Reed Flutes from Nutcracker Suite
by Tchaikovsky ($15)
This NEW arrangement from Rhapsody of Christmas II may be performed with handbells (3-5 octaves) and treble instrument (flute/violin). This arrangement includes handbell music with treble instrument. - He Is Born with Dance of the Reed Flutes from Nutcracker Suite
by Tchaikovsky ($10)
This NEW arrangement from Rhapsody of Christmas II may be
performed with handbells (3-5 octaves) and organ. This arrangement
includes handbell music with organ accompaniment.
A Word from Linda
I sincerely hope that as you progress through this website, I may reflect a strong witness to my Christian faith and be an encouragement to you through my recordings on CD, or through the keyboard music and orchestrations that are now available from these recordings for you to perform.
About LInda
Linda grew up in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, in a very musical family and started playing the piano at the age of four. As a 2nd grader, Linda remembers accompanying her 2nd grade class for their Christmas program. Unusual as it might seem, she loved to practice, play by ear, compose her own melodies, and had a real passion to express her young Christian faith through the hymns and choruses of the church.
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