''Weihnachtsbaum'' (English: ''Christmas Tree''; French: ''Arbre de Noël'') is a suite of 12 pieces written by

Franz Liszt Franz Liszt (22 October 1811 – 31 July 1886) was a Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor and teacher of the Romantic music, Romantic period. With a diverse List of compositions by Franz Liszt, body of work spanning more than six ...

in 1873–76, with revisions in 1881. The suite exists in versions for solo piano and piano four-hands. ''Weihnachtsbaum'' does not demand great virtuosity, and it has been described as a distant relation of

Schumann Robert Schumann (; ; 8 June 181029 July 1856) was a German composer, pianist, and music critic of the early Romantic music, Romantic era. He composed in all the main musical genres of the time, writing for solo piano, voice and piano, chamber ...

's ''

Kinderszenen ' (, "Scenes from Childhood"), Opus number, Op. 15, by Robert Schumann, is a set of thirteen pieces of music for piano written in 1838. History and description Schumann wrote 30 movements for this work but chose 13 for the final version. T ...

'' and

Debussy Achille Claude Debussy (; 22 August 1862 – 25 March 1918) was a French composer. He is sometimes seen as the first Impressionism in music, Impressionist composer, although he vigorously rejected the term. He was among the most influe ...

's ''

Children's Corner ''Children's Corner'', L. 113, is a six-movement suite for solo piano by Claude Debussy. It was published by Durand in 1908, and was first performed by Harold Bauer in Paris on 18 December that year. In 1911, an orchestration by André Caple ...

''. It occupies an unusual place in Liszt's output, and it may be for these reasons that it has received relatively little attention from performers.

Background

Liszt dedicated ''Weihnachtsbaum'' to his first grandchild Daniela von Bülow (1860-1940; daughter of Cosima and

Hans von Bülow Freiherr Hans Guido von Bülow (; 8 January 1830 – 12 February 1894) was a German conductor, pianist, and composer of the Romantic era. As one of the most distinguished conductors of the 19th century, his activity was critical for establishi ...

). Daniela had accompanied her grandfather to Rome due to his frail condition. The first performance was on Christmas Day 1881 in Daniela's Rome hotel room. This was the day on which her mother Cosima always celebrated her birthday, although she was actually born on Christmas Eve.

Structure

A number of the pieces are based on

Christmas carol A Christmas carol is a Carol (music), carol on the theme of Christmas, traditionally sung at Christmas itself or during the surrounding Christmas and holiday season. The term noel has sometimes been used, especially for carols of French or ...

s. The individual pieces are: #''Psallite; Altes Weihnachtslied'' (''Psallite; Old Christmas Song''; originally a choral work by

Michael Praetorius Michael Praetorius (probably 28 September 1571 – 15 February 1621) was a German composer, organist, and Music theory, music theorist. He was one of the most versatile composers of his age, being particularly significant in the development of ...

) #''O heilige Nacht!; Weihnachtslied nach einer alten Weise'' (''O Holy Night!; Christmas Song in Olden Style'') #'' In dulci jubilo: Die Hirten an der Krippe'' (''In dulci jubilo: The Shepherds at the Manger'') #'' Adeste fideles: Gleichsam als Marsch der heiligen drei Könige'' (''Adeste Fideles: March of the Three Holy Kings'') #''Scherzoso: Man zündet die Kerzen des Baumes an'' (''Scherzoso: Lighting the Candles on the Tree'') #''Glockenspiel'' (''Carillon'') #''Schlummerlied'' (''Slumber Song'') #''Altes provenzalisches Weihnachtslied'' (''Old Provençal Christmas Song'') #''Abendglocken'' (''Evening Bells'') #''Ehemals'' (variously trans. as ''In Days Gone By'', ''Old Times'', ''Long Ago'', ''Formerly'') #''Ungarisch'' (''Hungarian''; this is separately dedicated to Liszt's friend

Kornél Ábrányi Kornél Ábrányi (; 15 October 1822 – 20 December 1903) was a Hungary, Hungarian pianist, music writer and music theory, theorist, and composer. He was born in Szentgyörgyábrány. A pupil of Frédéric Chopin, and a close friend of Franz Lisz ...

) #''Polnisch'' (''Polish''). The work is divided into three books of four pieces each. Not all of the pieces have a Christmas connection. In particular, the last three are believed to be autobiographical in nature, depicting Liszt's relationship with Princess

Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein Princess Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein (née Iwanowska, ; 8 February 18199 March 1887) was a Polish noblewoman who is best known for her 40-year relationship with musician Franz Liszt. She was also an amateur journalist and essayist. It is conj ...

. ''Ehemals'' is said to depict their first meeting, and is similar in mood and spirit to the '' Valses oubliées''. ''Ungarisch'' and ''Polnisch'' are said to represent Liszt and Carolyne individually.

Versions

The first version was for solo piano, written in 1873–74. This was not published, and is catalogued as S. 185a. In about 1875 Liszt arranged it for piano four hands (S. 612a). This was also not published. The version for solo piano (or harmonium) was revised 1874–76 (S. 186) and the version for piano four hands was revised 1876-81 (S. 613). These were both published in 1882 by

Adolph Fürstner Adolph Fürstner (1833–1908) was a German publisher. He worked as a clerk for Bote & Bock before he founded his own publishing company, 'Fürstner', in Berlin in 1868. He bought the publishers Gustav Mayer of Leipzig and Meser of Dresden in 1872 ...

, Berlin. No. 2, ''O heilige Nacht!'', was revised in 1881 for tenor solo, female chorus and organ or harmonium (S. 49). The solo piano version of No. 7. ''Schlummerlied''. was revised 1879-81 (S. 186/7a) and this was published by Schirmer, New York, in 1950. The manuscript came into the possession of Liszt's American student Carl Lachmund (1857-1928); it was discovered among a sheaf of assorted papers given to him by Liszt's valet. Lachmund was not aware that it belonged to ''Weihnachtsbaum'' specifically; he says in the foreword: "The Roman VII over the title would indicate that the piece might have been intended for some collection". This latest version of ''Schlummerlied'' was first performed at the Aeolian Hall, New York, on 12 November 1921, by John Powell.

Recordings

The first recording of Liszt's ''Weihnachtsbaum'' was in 1951, by

Alfred Brendel Alfred Brendel (born 5 January 1931) is a Czech-born Austrian classical pianist, poet, author, composer, and lecturer who is noted for his performances of Mozart, Schubert and Beethoven. Biography Brendel was born in Wizemberk, Czechoslovakia ...

. This was also one of Brendel's earliest recordings. Later recordings are by France Clidat,

Leslie Howard Leslie Howard Steiner (3 April 18931 June 1943) was an English actor, director, producer and writer.Obituary, '' Variety'', 9 June 1943. He wrote many stories and articles for ''The New York Times'', ''The New Yorker'', and '' Vanity Fair'' an ...

, Rhondda Gillespie,

Roland Pöntinen Roland Peter Pöntinen (born 1963 in Stockholm, Sweden) is a Swedish pianist and composer. Pöntinen was born to an Ingrian Finnish father and Swedish mother. He studied at the Adolf Fredrik's Music School and the Royal Swedish Academy of Music ...

, Eteri Andjaparidze,

Jerome Rose Jerome Rose is an American pianist and educator. He has served on the faculty of the Mannes School of Music and has given masterclasses. Career Rose made his concert debut at the age of 15 with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. He was a ...

Pietro Spada Pietro Spada (29 July 1935 – 31 December 2022) was an Italian pianist and musicologist. He was particularly noted for his technically masterful and vivid interpretations of works by lesser-known composers and his recordings of the piano music of ...

and Olivier Vernet. Excerpts have been recorded by

Vladimir Horowitz Vladimir Samoylovich Horowitz (November 5, 1989) was a Russian and American pianist. Considered one of the greatest pianists of all time, he was known for his virtuoso technique, timbre, and the public excitement engendered by his playing. Life ...

Ilona Kabos Ilona Kabos (7 December 189327 May 1973) was a Hungarian-British pianist and teacher. Biography Kabos was born Ilona Rosenberg to a Jewish family in Budapest in 1893 (some sources give her year of birth as 1894, 1898 or 1902). She studied at the ...

Stephen Hough Sir Stephen Andrew Gill Hough (; born 22 November 1961) is a British-Australian classical pianist, composer and writer. Biography Hough was born in Heswall (then in Cheshire) on the Wirral Peninsula, and grew up in Thelwall, where he began pi ...

and others. The version for piano four hands (S. 613) was recorded by

Roberto Szidon Roberto Szidon (21 September 1941 – 21 December 2011) was a Brazilian classical pianist who had an international performing and recording career, and settled in Germany. Life and career Szidon was born in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 1941. He gave ...

and Richard Metzler. recorded the first book of 'Weihnachtsbaum' on harmonium.

Other arrangements

In 1952 Anthony Collins arranged four movements from the suite for strings and celesta. Italian composer Giampaolo Testoni has arranged the entire suite for orchestra, as has the British musician Rob Howe.
Score Exchange

References

External links

* {{Franz Liszt Christmas music Compositions by Franz Liszt Compositions for solo piano Compositions for piano four-hands Suites (music) 1876 compositions 1881 compositions