Birthday Treat

Birthday Treat

A year or so ago Timothy Reynish wrote to me and several other composer friends to ask if we would be interested in writing some Grade 3 and 4 pieces to celebrate his impending 60th birthday. I quickly learned a few home truths about available instrumentation in school and youth bands and, granted that, as a theatre musician, I have acquired a practical attitude to such problems, I was quite pleased to finally produce a score without cues, that makes sense even if piccolo, E flat clarinet, E flat alto clarinet, baritone saxophone and horns 3 and 4 are unavailable.

As Tim had asked me to write something for his birthday, I assumed he wanted a piece that was both celebratory and personal, as well as being (hopefully) a useful addition to the repertory. On the day I got down to work in earnest, Sonny (as in Sonny and Cher) died – younger readers ask your mums and dads (or grandparents!) – and snatches of his greatest hit, “I got you babe”, were repeatedly played on radio news bulletins. The catchy rhythm of those four syllables subliminally suggested the words “Happy Birthday” to me, and a theme which had possibilities of development and variation came into my head.

I found to my delight that, with a bit of fiddling, the celebrated horn theme from Richard Strauss’ Till Eulenspiegel fitted my tune as a counterpoint, which was very appropriate, as I first met Tim in the horn section of the National Youth Orchestra, and, later, played with him at Cambridge and professionally in Sadler’s Wells Opera.

GW