These variations on ''Happy Birthday to You'' came about - well, how else - on the occasion of a birthday: A nice colleague of mine was acquainted with an excellent flutist. Her twin sister was friends with a good oboist. So, two birthday girls and two melody instruments - what was more obvious than to write a dozen congratulations for this line-up.

A viola part in viola clef, a part in b-flat transposition and another part in bass clef have been added so that these variations can be performed in a variety of ways (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, soprano saxophone, violin, viola, cello, etc.).

(Ulrich Kaiser, Munich)