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

Franz Liszt Franz Liszt, in modern usage ''Liszt Ferenc'' . Liszt's Hungarian passport spelled his given name as "Ferencz". An orthographic reform of the Hungarian language in 1922 (which was 36 years after Liszt's death) changed the letter "cz" to simpl ...

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 influential music critic. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era. Schumann left the study of law, intending to pursue a career a ...

's ''

Kinderszenen ' (, "Scenes from Childhood"), 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. The unused mo ...

'' 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 infl ...

'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 Caplet w ...

''. 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, virtuoso pianist, and composer of the Romantic era. As one of the most distinguished conductors of the 19th century, his activity was critical for es ...

). 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 (a song or hymn) on the theme of Christmas, traditionally sung at Christmas itself or during the surrounding Christmas 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 theorist. He was one of the most versatile composers of his age, being particularly significant in the development of musical forms ba ...

) #''O heilige Nacht!; Weihnachtslied nach einer alten Weise'' (''O Holy Night!; Christmas Song in Olden Style'') #''

In dulci jubilo "In dulci jubilo" (Latin for "In sweet rejoicing") is a traditional Christmas carol. In its original setting, the carol is a macaronic text of German and Latin dating from the Middle Ages. Subsequent translations into English, such as J. M. N ...

: 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 Hungarian pianist, music writer and theorist, and composer. He was born in Szentgyörgyábrány. A pupil of Frédéric Chopin, and a close friend of Franz Liszt, whose music he ch ...

) #''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 (8 February 18199 March 1887) was a Polish noblewoman (''szlachcianka'') who is best known for her 40-year relationship with musician Franz Liszt. She was also an amateur journalist and essayist. It is co ...

. ''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, 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 Carl V. Lachmund (27 March 185320 February 1928) was an American classical pianist, teacher, conductor, composer, and diarist. He was a student of Franz Liszt for three years, and his detailed diaries of his time with Liszt provide an invaluable i ...

(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 KBE (born 5 January 1931) is an Austrian classical pianist, poet, author, composer, and lecturer who is known particularly for his performances of Mozart, Schubert, Schoenberg, and Beethoven.Stephen Plaistow"Brendel, Alfred" ' ...

. 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 and producer.Obituary ''Variety'', 9 June 1943. He wrote many stories and articles for ''The New York Times'', ''The New Yorker'', and ''Vanity Fair'' and was one o ...

Rhondda Gillespie Rhondda Gillespie (4 August 194130 December 2010) was an Australian-born classical pianist who resided primarily in the United Kingdom and Barbados. She was a specialist in the music of Franz Liszt and brought to light many of his lesser-known wor ...

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 Musi ...

Eteri Andjaparidze Eteri Andjaparidze (born September 15, 1956) is a Georgian / American pianist and music professor. Early life Born on September 15, 1956, to a family of musicians in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia, Andjaparidze received her first piano lessons ...

Jerome Rose JEROME ROSE, hailed as "the Last Romantic of our own age" is an American pianist and educator, (born 12 August 1938 in Los Angeles). JEROME ROSE is one of America's most distinguished pianists, has been heard in major concert halls across five co ...

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; yi, וולאַדימיר סאַמוילאָוויטש האָראָוויץ, group=n (November 5, 1989)Schonberg, 1992 was a Russian-born American classical pianist. Considered one of the greatest pianists of al ...

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

Stephen Hough Sir Stephen Andrew Gill Hough (; born 22 November 1961) is a British-born classical pianist, composer and writer. He became an Australian citizen in 2005 and thus has dual nationality (his father was born in Australia in 1926). Biography Houg ...

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

Roberto Szidon Roberto Szidon (21 September 194121 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 his ...

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