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The Golden Dance Store offers high-quality handbell sheet music for solo and ensemble ringers at a reasonable cost, as well as Michèle's CDs, DVDs, instructional videos, & accompaniment tracks.


Torch Dance
("Bransle de la Torche")
Michael Praetorius (1571-1621)
arr. by Michèle Sharik


A Bransle (pronounced like brawl, and sometimes spelled branle, brangle, brawle, bralle, braule, or brantle) is a type of Renaissance French dance popular in the early 16th century. It was danced by a chain of dancers, in a line or circle, usually holding hands. The bransle was distinctive for its pattern of several large steps to the left, followed by the same number of smaller steps to the right, so that the chain or circle moved gradually to the left. Originally a country dance in which the music was passed on via rote aural imitation, it was adopted into the aristocratic courts where it was formally written down and has thus survived for us today.

This particular bransle was written by Michael Praetorius (1571-1621) who was a German composer, organist, and music theorist. He was a very versatile and prolific composer and developed many musical forms based on Protestant hymns. His most widely-known work was Terpsichore, Musarum Aoniarum, a collection of more than 300 instrumental dances, including this branle. Terpsichore is his only surviving secular work.

Torch Dance was a Massed Ringing Selection for the 2018 Southern California Spring Ring and the 2017 LA Metro Spring Ring.

Torch Dance - Bransle de la Torche


Note: This is PDF sheet music that you must download and print after purchasing.



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File size 488 kb
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  • Instrumentation: 3-5 octaves handbells, with optional percussion
  • Key: D Minor/Major
  • Bells Used, 5 octaves: D3-C8
  • Bells Used, 4 octaves: A3-G7
  • Bells Used, 3 octaves: C4-C7
  • Price: $10.00 — Remember: This piece is sold with a Duplication Master License, which means that you may make as many copies as you need for your particular performance situation. All we ask is that you don't give copies to others with whom you're not performing. Need to make fewer than 5 copies? Email Michele.
  • Date last updated: Sept 15, 2016
  • ASCAP Reference Number: 782754
  • ISWC: T9198251422
  • Catalog Number: TGD1027

Sheet Music
What do you get when you download this music?
  • a full score;
  • instructions and recommended assignments for the processional and stationary portions;
  • program notes; and
  • a copy of our License Terms.
Watch a live performance of this piece on YouTube!
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Watch a live video!
Recorded April 1, 2017, at the LA Metro Spring Ring