This edition was prepared by Charles West — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
A Birthday
Staff Notation • Secular
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A Birthday by Charles West — Lyrics
My heart is like a singing bird
Whose nest is in a water'd shoot;
My heart is like an appletree
Whose boughs are bent with thickset fruit;
My heart is like a rainbow shell
That paddles in a halcyon sea;
My heart is gladder that all these
Because my love is come to me.
Singing birds and apple trees
Rainbow shells and halcyon seas,
My heart is gladder than all these
Because my love is come to me.
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About A Birthday
Charles West’s A Birthday is a joyous celebration of love's arrival, perfect for a special occasion. The text, a setting of Christina Rossetti's poem, overflows with vibrant imagery of nature and abundant life: singing birds, fruitful apple trees, and the tranquil beauty of a halcyon sea. The composer captures this sense of overflowing gladness through a rich AATTBB voicing, creating a full and resonant sound. The music reflects the poem's optimistic and celebratory mood, building to a triumphant declaration that this beloved arrival marks the 'birthday of my life'.
