Happy Birthday — SATB Choir Sheet Music
The world’s most performed song, arranged for unaccompanied SATB choir by Paul Lorenz
Edition facts
Happy Birthday, arranged by Paul Lorenz (Choir SATB edition): 2 pages of music, delivered as a PDF (A4) for instant download, €9.90.
- Pages
- 2 pages
- Tempo
- ♩ = 60
- Edition
- 2024
- Format
- PDF, A4, instant download
Read from the PDF you download.
The most performed song on earth has spent decades trapped in arrangements that treat professional choirs like a pub sing-along. Every choral director knows the problem: free downloads with cramped staves, erratic page turns that fracture phrases mid-bar, and vocal parts that ignore the reality of balanced ensemble sound. When the moment calls for forty voices to rise as one — at a retirement celebration, a choir anniversary, a community concert — the sheet music either serves the occasion or quietly undermines it.
This professional SATB choir arrangement by Paul Lorenz approaches “Happy Birthday to You” with the same rigour applied to a Brahms motet. MOLA-compliant engraving, 8.5 mm staves readable at full choral stand distance, intelligent page turns at phrase endings, and the complete two-page a cappella score — all four voices engraved together — delivered instantly as a high-resolution PDF. The public domain melody, elevated to a concert-quality edition your ensemble will be proud to perform.
Hear the arrangement
Paul Lorenz’ own studio recording of this arrangement.
Listen to the full recording Artyfile Stream · lossless Hi-FiChoose your “Happy Birthday” edition
Choir SATB
€9.902 pages · PDF (A4)
The complete two-page SATB score for unaccompanied choir — 3/4 at ♩ = 60, closing with a rit. High-resolution PDF, delivered the moment you pay.
- Instant PDF download
- Secure checkout
- Licensed edition
Piano / Vocal / Guitar
from €9.90
“Happy Birthday” is also published in this scoring — with its own score preview and full details on the edition page.
View this edition →Quality in detail
- Concert-Grade Engraving: MOLA-compliant 8.5 mm staves — readable at choral stand distance for every voice part, every singer.
- Intelligent Page Turns: Turns placed at phrase endings and natural rests — the rehearsal flows without interruption or awkward breaks.
- Instant PDF Delivery: Download begins immediately after purchase — ready for rehearsal within minutes, even day-of.
- Clearly Licensed Edition: Your purchase licenses this edition for use by your choir — print as many copies as your ensemble requires. Any PRO reporting of public performances is handled by the organiser as usual.
- Bespoke Customization Available: Need a different key or a simplified alto line? Contact Paul Lorenz Music — we adapt the score to your exact requirements.
Happy Birthday sheet music at a glance
| Song | Happy Birthday to You — traditional; melody in the public domain (confirmed by U.S. federal court ruling, 2016) |
| Arrangement | SATB choir, a cappella |
| Arranger | Paul Lorenz — arrangements recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road |
| Scoring | Complete SATB choral score, unaccompanied — 2 A4 pages, 3/4 at ♩ = 60 |
| Difficulty | Grade 2–3 (Intermediate) — advanced amateur to semi-professional choirs |
| Format | High-resolution 600 DPI PDF — instant download, print- and tablet-ready |
| Licensing | Public-domain work — arrangement licensed for performances by the purchasing choir; standard PRO reporting (ASCAP/BMI/PRS or GEMA/AKM/SUISA) by the organiser |
| Reference recording | Paul Lorenz’ own studio recording — on this page and on Artyfile Stream |
| Price | €9.90 |
Is this edition right for you?
When forty voices need to rise as one, the score has to serve the occasion rather than undermine it. This edition is written for:
- Community and semi-professional choirs marking anniversaries, retirements, and milestone celebrations
- Choral directors on a short timeline who need a sight-readable score ready within a single rehearsal
- Concert programmers wanting a concert-grade setting of the world’s most performed song
- Ensembles that value clean, MOLA-compliant engraving readable from the choral stand
Need a transposition or a different voicing? Paul Lorenz adapts it on request — just ask before you buy.
What you receive
- The complete SATB choral score, unaccompanied — two A4 pages in 3/4 at ♩ = 60
- One high-resolution PDF, delivered instantly and yours to keep
Programming Happy Birthday
Placed well, Happy Birthday becomes more than a formality — it is the moment an audience leans in and a room turns personal. Save it for the close of a set or as a warm, communal encore, where the full unaccompanied SATB texture gives the familiar tune genuine choral weight. Because it sight-reads within a single rehearsal, it slots easily into a programme assembled under time pressure, and its brevity makes it an ideal palate-cleanser between larger works. Pair it with a lyrical part-song or a gentle spiritual to hold the mood. Explore the related arrangements below to build the rest of the programme.
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Happy Birthday sheet music — frequently asked questions
Can I hear this arrangement before I buy?
Yes. The player near the top of this page carries Paul Lorenz’ own studio recording of this arrangement, and it also streams in lossless quality on Artyfile Stream.
What is included in the download?
One high-resolution PDF containing the complete SATB choral score — two A4 pages in 3/4 at ♩ = 60, closing with a rit. The setting is a cappella: there is no piano accompaniment, because none is written, and the four voices are engraved together in score rather than as separately extracted parts.
What is the difficulty level of this arrangement?
Grade 2–3 (Intermediate). The arrangement is accessible to advanced amateur choirs and suitable for semi-professional ensembles. All four voices are well balanced and sight-readable within a short rehearsal period — ideal when preparation time is limited.
Do I need a performance license?
The melody of “Happy Birthday to You” is in the public domain, confirmed by U.S. federal court ruling in 2016. Your purchase includes the licence to perform this Paul Lorenz arrangement with the purchasing choir — celebrations and concerts included, with unlimited prints for your own ensemble. Any reporting of a public performance to a performing-rights society (GEMA/AKM/SUISA, or ASCAP/BMI/PRS elsewhere) is handled by the organiser as usual. For commercial recordings or broadcast, please contact us directly.
Can the arrangement be customized for my ensemble?
Absolutely. Paul Lorenz Music offers bespoke customization — transposition to a different key, a simplified alto or tenor line, or adapted voicing for a specific ensemble configuration. This service is unique in the professional sheet music market. Contact us directly to discuss your needs.
What is your refund policy?
Due to the instant digital delivery, refunds cannot be offered once the download has been accessed. We encourage you to review the score preview before purchasing. Technical issues are resolved promptly — please contact us within 24 hours of purchase and we will make it right.