Welcome to the Music of Malcolm C Wilson

Handbell Music - S-Z

Published Handbell Music of Malcolm C Wilson

Title, Range, Level, Date of publication, Publisher, Code, Additional instruments.
Information about each title is included for use by a compère or use in printed concert notes.

All titles can be ordered direct from the publishers indicated or from your usual music supplier, or from Jeffers (www.handbellworld.com) in the USA, or Whitechapel Handbell Music Shop in the UK.

The Skye Boat Song, 3-5 octaves, level 3, 1998, AGEHR, AG35123
Massed ringing selection 4th Scottish Handbell Festival 1996 and 1st Canadian Handbell Festival 1998. Massed ringing selection 1999 HRGB National Residential Ringing Week, Dunblane. Massed ringing selection at International Handbell Symposium 2004 in Toronto. Music selected for Festival of Bells 2009, New Brunswick, Canada.

Traditional Scottish melody (for the song Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing) which has been set to the modern hymn Spirit of God as strong as the wind by Margaret Old and to the modern Christmas carol Hush little baby, peace little boy by Michael Perry.
Annie MacLeod (later Lady Wilson) heard the first part of this old Highland rowing tune in 1879 while being rowed from Torrin to Loch Coruisk in Skye. She added the second part herself and in 1884 Sir Harold Boulton (editor of "Songs of the North") wrote the words. They tell the story of an episode in the wanderings of Bonnie Prince Charlie in the winter of 1745-6 when he made his escape, disguised as a maid to Flora Macdonald, in a small rowing boat with a few loyal highlanders. A storm was rising and his pursuers chose not to follow.

Click play below to hear a recording of this arrangement of The Skye Boat Song performed by The Bluebells, Tokyo, Japan, directed by Eiko Kimura

Have you performed this music? Do please write and let me know by clicking here.

Click play below to watch and listen to a performance of this arrangement of Skye Boat Song performed by Bells in Motion of Springfield, Illinois, USA directed by Michael Lamb.

Click play below to watch and listen to a performance of this arrangement of The Skye Boat Song performed on Belleplates by St Lawrence Chobham Handbell Ringers directed by Tim Willetts.

Spirit of Freedom, 3-5 octaves and optional Bb trumpet, level 3, 2009, Flagstaff, FL HB 360
Spirit of Freedom is based on a traditional Scottish tune "Hey Tuttie Tatie", which, according to tradition, was played by King Robert the Bruce's army at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Robert Burns (1759-1796) penned lyrics to the melody in the song "Scots Wha Hae" published in 1793. Roberts Burns said in a note to to his publisher that he was inspired by Bruce's "glorious struggle for Freedom, associated with the glowing ideas of some other struggles of the same nature, not quite so ancient." This is seen as a reference the French Revolutionary Wars and the American Wars of Independence. The main melody in "Spirit of Freedom" is central to German composer Max Bruch's 1880 masterpiece "Scottish Fantasy", Op 46 for violin and orchestra. Jared B Waterbury (1799-1876) set his hymn text "Soldiers of the Cross, Arise!" to this melody.

Here is a recording of Spirit of Freedom (with handbells alone) performed by the Youth Ensemble of the 2013 International Handbell Symposium

Here is a recording of Spirit of Freedom with handbells and trumpet combined.

Have you performed this music? Do please write and let me know by clicking here.

Theme from Symphony No. 1, 2 octaves, level 2, 1990, Jeffers, JH S9017
Brahms' theme has been set to words in the modern hymn "We are God's People".

Click here to order from Jeffers Handbell Supply

Have you performed this music? Do please write and let me know by clicking here.

The Trumpet Tune Finale, 2-3 octaves, level 3, 1989, Flammer, HP-5303
Charpentier's popular wedding selection. Has an optional recessional section.

Have you performed this music? Do please write and let me know by clicking here.

Listen below to a performance of Trumpet Tune Finale by the handbell ensemble of First Congregational Church of Reading, Massachusetts, USA

Variations on a Highland Cradle Song, 3-5 octaves, level 3, 1991, Handbell Ringers of Great Britain, HRGB 35/01
Massed ringing selection 3rd Scottish Handbell Festival 1991 and 5th International Symposium, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 1992.

Click play below to hear a recording of Variations on a Highland Cradle Song performed by The Bluebells of Tokyo, Japan, directed by Eiko Kimura.

Have you performed this music? Do please write and let me know by clicking here.

Variations on Loch Lomond, 3 octaves, level 3, 1986, Handbell Ringers of Great Britain, HRGB

Click play below to hear a recording of Variations on Loch Lomond.

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Have you performed this music? Do please write and let me know by clicking here.

Variations on Piper o' Dundee, 3 octaves, level 3, 1986, Handbell Ringers of Great Britain, HRGB

Click play below to hear a recording of Variations on Piper o' Dundee.

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Have you performed this music? Do please write and let me know by clicking here.