Dear public,

Next Saturday, March 19, Iberian Sinfonietta will return to perform a program full of curiosities and essential works in the history of our culture. We are talking about established authors such as Tchaikowsky and Mendelssohn, we will talk about these works in future posts. We will also learn about a very special work that will be premiered precisely that day, the “Divertimento” by Alejandro de la Torre Hernández, a very interesting composer who presents this work full of audacity and sublime moments. Today therefore we will focus on a play that was scheduled last season, but that could not be performed because the pandemic prevented it. Now, everything seems to indicate that next Saturday the 19th we will be able to enjoy a very nice work that will excite the audience, it is the “ Variations on Happy Birthday ” by the German composer, Peter Heidrich.

Happy Birthday is a song composed by two American teachers and sisters, Mildred and Hatty Smith Hill, at the end of the 19th century. At first it was a song with which the students had to say good morning, and that is how it was called “Good morning to all”, but soon the song, so friendly and so catchy, was used to congratulate not only the day, but the such a special day that is your birthday. In fact, it is surely the most recognized melody worldwide, across all continents and cultures. And now, this is when our Peter Heidrich comes into action, who decided to compose some variations on this famous melody.

The work, which has brought this German composer so much fame, opens with the interpretation of the melody composed by the Smith Hill sisters, but once that first version is made, the original version (the one we sing at the birthday parties we attend) ), the same melody is performed following different perfectly recognizable styles. It is therefore an authentic history of music, since we are recognizing the same melody, but with a style based on the compositions of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, Dvorak and then evolving towards styles typical of the 20th century. It is also a beautiful and endearing work, a recapitulation of the history of music and the different styles that we will recognize with the appropriate interpretation of the Iberian Sinfonietta. Of course, if someone's birthday is precisely on March 19, they cannot have a better tribute, as they will enjoy a Happy Birthday that day interpreted in 14 different styles. What I said, so as not to miss it.

Jorge Rodríguez Morata
Pedagogical content coordinator