Description
Arrangement for E flat, 3 x B flat, Alto, Bass and Contrabass clarinets
of the German folksong “Hoch soll er leben” (Long may he prosper),
which is used on birthdays and other congratulatory occasions.
I have provided a series of three verses, each a tone higher than
the previous and with more semiquaver movements as the excitement grows.
One version of the German text:
Hoch soll er leben, Hoch soll er leben, Dreimal hoch
Wie schön, dass Du geboren bist, wir hätten Dich sonst sehr vermisst.
Possible English singing translation:
Long may he prosper, Long may he prosper, Sing three times!
We are so glad that you were born, otherwise we’d be forlorn
Video: