"A Birthday" [Ruth Byrchmore]

"A Birthday" [Ruth Byrchmore]

First line of lyrics: My heart is like a singing bird

Byrchmore, Ruth; music (English, born 1966)

Rossetti, Christina Georgina; text (English, 1830-1894)

2004 [composition] [publication]

London: Novello & Company

genre: choral music|song

solo: soprano

chorus: SATB voices with divisi

instrumentation: a cappella

initial sharps/flats: no sharps or flats

initial time signature: 2/4

origin: United Kingdom

female composer

English

Rossetti poem(s): "A Birthday"

Composition history: "Commissioned by the Musicians' Benevolent Fund in the name of Sir Thomas Armstrong" "Byrchmore was commissioned by the Musicians Benevolent Fund to write the five-minute anthem for the 2004 Saint Cecilia Day Service at Westminster Abbey" ("Birthday Honours" 2).

Tempo markings: quarter note = c. 52; "on the slow side but with fluidity"

Performance history: "First performed at the Festival of Saint Cecilia Service at Westminster Abbey on the 24th November 2004 by the combined choirs of Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral and St Paul's Cathedral conducted by James O'Donnell."

Notes: "Winner of the Liturgical Category in the 2005 British Composer Awards, presented by the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters in association with BBC Radio 3" ("Birthday Honours" 2).

Format 1: musical score

19 pages; performance time 5 minutes

Other data reference(s): “Birthday Honours.” Choir & Organ, vol. 14, no. 2, 2006, p. 2. EBSCO Host, https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=19744749&site=ehost-live. Accessed 25 Jan. 2019.
Record for "A birthday." WorldCat, http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/316734377. Accessed 25 Apr. 2020.

Cataloguer: Sarah Pennington, University of Ottawa

musical score: "A Birthday." Alexander Street, https://search.alexanderstreet.com/lti/view/work/bibliographic_entity%7Cscore%7C2379424. Accessed 25 Apr. 2020.

This score is copyright protected. A score can be consulted here: "A Birthday." Alexander Street, https://search.alexanderstreet.com/lti/view/work/bibliographic_entity%7Cscore%7C2379424. Accessed 25 Apr. 2020. This source maybe restricted except to subscribing institutions or individuals.

Record: CRM-birthday-byrchmore

"© Copyright 2006 Novello & Company Ltd."

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