Ring the Bells on Christmas Day: SSA Choral Octavo
Words and music by Donald Moore
Item: 00-PO-0000754
$1.75
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
The choir is accompanied by only handbells and percussion in this festive, modal work for Christmas. A unique and memorable change of pace, which would work well as a processional, an antiphonal feature, or a postlude.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
8
SKU:
00-PO-0000754
More about this title
About the Composer: Donald Moore
Donald Moore earned a Bachelor of Music in organ performance and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Kent State University. He serves as Organist-Choirmaster at Pilgrim United Church of Christ in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, where his work bridges performance, pedagogy, and composition.
Moore has published over 500 compositions across sacred, secular, educational, and pop choral works, organ and piano pieces, and eight instructional books with Alfred Music, Hal Leonard, Heritage Music Press, and other major publishers. His music appears regularly at state and national festivals, and he has received seventeen ASCAP Composers Standard Awards. The American Choral Directors Association recognized him as one of 400 significant composers in American choral music history.
Why we love this
The modal harmonic language and spare instrumentation create something genuinely different from typical Christmas fare. Rather than lush orchestration, Moore pairs voices with handbells and percussion, giving singers a clear focus while keeping the texture transparent and contemplative. The flexibility to function as processional, antiphonal feature, or postlude means you can adapt it to whatever your liturgical or concert calendar needs.
What to expect
The modal harmony creates a timeless, almost hymn-like quality that feels both celebratory and reverent. Handbells and percussion add shimmer and festive character while keeping the overall sound intimate and focused, allowing the purity of the voices to dominate.
Who it's for
This piece suits SSA or SSAA choirs looking to offer their congregations or audiences something beyond conventional Christmas repertoire. Directors seeking an accessible yet sophisticated alternative to heavily orchestrated holiday works will find the modal writing elegant without being difficult to learn.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the SSA texture carefully so that the highest voice carries the melody without overshadowing the harmonic support from altos. Let the handbells provide structural clarity.
- Work the relationship between choir and percussion as a partnership rather than accompaniment. The handbells are active participants in creating the festive character, not background color.
- If using this as a processional, establish a steady, confident pace that allows the modal melody to breathe without rushing the harmonic shifts.
- Bring warmth and clarity to vowel shapes, especially on sustained notes where the handbells' resonance can blur ensemble diction if singers aren't precise.
How to use it
Place this strategically in a Christmas service or concert where you want the mood to shift toward something contemplative or processional. Its compact page count and flexible deployment make it ideal for liturgical settings where a piece needs to serve multiple functions throughout the service, or as a concert piece that provides textural contrast to larger-scale holiday arrangements.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and performing in modal harmonic language
- Balancing three-part SSA texture with clear voice independence
- Coordinating vocal entrances and releases with handbells and percussion
- Singing sustained tones with consistent tone quality and intonation over sustained bell resonance