Music for Christenings and Births
From the moment of arrival, music is an important part of all lives: along with a birth plan and a change of clothes, the ghetto blaster - complete with Classic FM's music for Babies CD - is rapidly becoming essentials for the thoroughly modern arrival. Here are a few suggestions for both the christening ceremony and the arrival itself. For the latter, we've split the music into two - some for those who want a little indulgent relaxing, and some for those who just want it loud to cover the noise.
Christening
The Heaven's are Telling : Haydn (from The Creation)
Glorious, triumphant choral music rejoicing in the sheer fun of it all. Best check that the choir can handle it - it's not so much the difficulty, it's just that it needs numbers to make it sound good.
A Boy is Born : Britten (from A Ceremony of Carols)
Britten’s deceptively simple music for the baby in blue. Perfect, too if it's a winter birth.
The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba : Handel
Possibly tempting fate a little. Suitable for girls, though, unless you think it might encourage them to be a little madam.
Water Music : Handel
Again, joyous music generally, but particularly apt if your little angel was born in a birthing pool.
Let the Bright Seraphim : Handel (from Samson)
Did Handel set out to write suitable music for christenings? Who knows. He's on the button again here, though. Perfect mix of soprano zeal and pealing trumpets.
Champagne Polka : Strauss
A piece of music, a groovy little dance and the chance to wet the baby's head all in one. Perfect piece.
Champagne Aria : Mozart (from Don Giovanni)
Similar to above, but, in case you can't run to the full operetta orchestra, this can be pulled off by just a singer and piano.
Birth - Relaxing (take me away from it all)
Mediation : Massenet (from Thais)
Drift away on this beautiful melody and forget it all. (Yeah, right).
Wiegenlied : Brahms (from 5 Songs)
The original Brahms Lullaby. Classic but, in the right hands, not cliche.
Moonlight Sonata : Beethoven
Just a great piece of music to lose yourself in.
Piano Concerto No.2 Slow Movement : Shostakovich
Possibly the 20th century piece that the piano was built for - Shostakovich very much on his melodic best form.
Birth - Noisy (to cover the noise)
O Fortuna : Carl Orff (from Carmina Burana)
A huge piece which should cover even the loudest screams and the most violent shouting at your loved one.
1812 : Tchaikovsky (end section only)
Amazingly large music and with fireworks too. A party for orchestra.
Symphony No.9 : Beethoven
An ode to your very own joy. It's noisy, it's huge and it should prevent the couple in the next room hearing anything. What could be better?
Anvil Chorus : Verdi (from Il Trovatore)
Why should you be the only one putting in all the effort. Have the chorus and orchestra going hammer and tongs too.
Candide Overture : Bernstein
Wonderfully noisy: and if you can time the arrival to the very last chord, then even better.
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