These are not the only words written by A. A. Milne that H. Fraser-Simson set to music. One of his best-known songs is, "Christopher Robin Is Saying His Prayers," sometimes otherwise known as "Vespers." The library owns a copy of Three Christopher Robin Songs, opens a new window published in 1924, and that is the first of three songs in that collection. You may listen to a recording of this song as performed by Morton Downey (yes, the father of Morton Downey, Jr.) from the library's old collection of 78s. The library also owns Fourteen Songs from "When We Were Very Young" and Teddy Bear and Other Songs From "When We Were Very Young."
If you are interested in hearing other recordings of his songs with A. A. Milne on 78 from the library's collection, there's "Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin, Part 6" ("The King's Breakfast"), More Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin, Part 1 (includes "The More It Snows," "I Lay On My Chest," and "Lines Written By a Bear"), a collection of songs performed by Gene Kelly (Includes "Hoppity," "Missing," "Politeness," "Sneezles," "Halfway Down," "At the Zoo," and "In the Fashion"), Buckingham Palace (performed by Stanley Maxted), "In the Fashion" and "The Christening" (performed by Stanley Maxted), a collection of songs performed by George Baker (includes "Us Two," "Knights and Ladies," "In the Dark," "Binker," "Shoes and Stockings," "Forgiven," "Nursery Chairs," "Waiting at the Window," "Spring Morning," and "The End."). And if that isn't enough for you, there are still more to be found on archive.org!
H. Fraser-Simson is not the only composer who has set the words of A. A. Milne to music. The British composer Oliver Knussen (1952-2018) wrote Hums and Songs of Winnie the Pooh, Op. 6. An excerpt from this work can be listened to in the streamed audio collection British Composers: A Celebration. It isn't his only work based on literary works written for children: he also wrote "Where the Wild Things Are" and "Higglety Pigglety Pop!", both with libretti written by the author of the original books by those titles, Maurice Sendak. James Kenney (1934-2006), an American composer, wrote Sneezles: An Encore that is set to the poem of the same name from the collection Now We Are Six.
And then there are the songs written for the Disney franchise of "Winnie-the-Pooh." The library has a couple of the printed music scores in its collection: Pooh: Songs from the Classic "Winnie the Pooh" Featurettes (words and music by Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman, the song-writing team that also brought us the music for Disney's Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Aristocats, and more), Pooh's Grand Adventure (composer not given).
If listening to the music is more your style, then we have Winnie the Pooh (soundtrack for the 2011 animated reboot, with a score by Henry Jackman and songs from lyricist/composer Robert Lopez and actress/musician/singer Zooey Deschanel) and The Best of Pooh and Heffalumps, Too (includes Carly Simon's songs from "Pooh's Heffalump Movie" from 2005) on CD.
For streamed audio, we have Winnie the Pooh (2011 soundtrack), Pooh's Grand Adventure, Tigger & Pooh and a Musical, Too, Songs and Story: Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree, and The Sherman Brothers Songbook (includes songs from Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree, Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, and The Tigger Movie).
Works referenced that are in the library's collection:
Printed Music Scores
Fourteen Songs From "When We Were Very Young"
Teddy Bear and Other Songs From "When We Were Very Young"
Pooh: Songs From Classic "Winny the Pooh" Featurettes (Piano, Vocal)
Pooh's Grand Adventure: Music From and Inspired by the Movie (Easy Piano)
CDs
Winnie The Pooh: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack
The Best of Pooh & Heffalumps, Too
Streamed Audio
British Composers - A Celebration
Tigger & Pooh and A Musical Too
Add a comment to: The Hums of Pooh