Birthday Greetings!

 This coming Sunday will mark the 257th birthday of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart! I like to celebrate the event some way each year. There have been birthday bashes with German food and powdered wigs, as well as some more quiet and reflective evenings listenings to his glorious music. Inevitably there are some Mozart chocolates to go along with some fine single malt scotch. This year, I will be watching a new dvd on Wolfie, an account of his life and work, courtesy of a friend who gave it to me for Christmas.

I will also take the time to recall a most wonderful evening spent in London last year, along with friends, at the St. Martin in the Fields Church in Trafalgar Square. It was our first evening across the pond, and we took some time to relax and listen to a Mozart/Haydn program in a candlelight setting. To sit in that beautiful place, and hear such delightful music was a treat, indeed! One of the most moving for me was the EXSULTATE JUBILATE, K165 by Mozart, written in 1773.

It was composed when Wolfgang visited Milan, and it was written for the famous castrato Venanzio Rauzzini, a favorite of the composer. In modern times, it is usually sung by a soprano, which is the way we heard it. In three parts, it is comprised of an Allegro recitative, an Andante, and a final Allegro. It is truly jubilant, especially its final and well-known "Alleluia"! Below see the words in Latin as it was composed, translated to English. Give a listen here, sung by Anna Moffo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYFfuoqdTpE

Exsultate, jubilate, O vos animae beatae exsultate, jubilate, dulcia cantica canendo; cantui vestro respondendo psallant aethera cum me.	Rejoice, be glad, O you blessed souls, Rejoice, be glad, Singing sweet songs; In response to your singing Let the heavens sing forth with me.
Fulget amica dies, jam fugere et nubila et procellae; exortus est justis inexspectata quies. Undique obscura regnabat nox, surgite tandem laeti qui timuistis adhuc, et jucundi aurorae fortunatae. frondes dextera plena et lilia date.	The friendly day shines forth, both clouds and storms have fled now; for the righteous there has arisen an unexpected calm. Dark night reigned everywhere [before]; you who feared till now, and joyful for this lucky dawn give garlands and lilies with full right hand.
Tu virginum corona, tu nobis pacem dona, tu consolare affectus, unde suspirat cor. Alleluja.	You, o crown of virgins, grant us peace, console our feelings, from which our hearts sigh. Alleluja