Happy Birthday Classical Music

[Randolph]

Here's a question for all you cognoscenti. Most of Oz is celebrating the Queen's birthday on June 6th and I have a brekkie programme on that day. I'd like to play some 'birthday' music that classical composers wrote but can't seem to find anything. All I've managed to find so far is a 'Happy Birthday' comic skit by Victor Borge and Marilyn Monroe doing her famous slink at JFK's birthday bash. Can anyone help?

[Louise]

This may be the sort of thing you're after, Randolph - 'Siegfried Idyll' by Wagner - written for his wife Cosima's birthday, and performed by a group of musicians on the staircase of the Wagners' home as she awoke on 25 December, 1870.

[Peter Tregear]

What about the Purcell 'Birthday' Odes! A double winner, not just Birthday music, but also for a Queen!! Actually, make that a triple winner--as it is a Purcell Anniversary year.

Oh, and there's even more reason--one of them is 'Come, Ye Sons of Art' (1694), one of his very very best....

[Randolph]

Thanks Louise and Peter...just what I'm looking for. Any more guys?

[Peter Tregear]

Actually, I've just thought of another one. Stravinksy wrote an arrangement of Happy Birthday for his own 80th. It's a hoot. See the YouTube Video here

[Randolph]

Good one Peter and conducted by Bernstein too...a real bonus!