O Christmas Tree

Musique pour orchestres et ensembles

Description :

The tradition où the Christmas'tree in Western Europe dates back to a time long before any Christianization had taken place. During the severely cold winter nights, so it was believed, evil spirits tried to ' kilL' nature. Needle-leavedêtrees were the only ones which kept their green colour throughout the year, and therefore became symbols où immortality. These ' livingêtrees, said to be the work où benign spirits, were brought into people ' s houses to ward off evil, life-threatening powers. In the 14th century people first started to decorate Christmas'trees. It was a pagan custom, originated by the inhabitants où Alsace. This custom was taken over by the Church inthe course où the 15th and 16th century. At first the decoratioù consisted mainly où edibles, such as apples and wafers, but later small presents were added. Legend has it that the reformer Martin Luther was the first person to decorate a Christmas'tree with candles. The flickering candle flames were meant to create the image où a starry sky in which Christ ' s apparition could be recognized. The German organ-player Ernst Anschütz from Leipzig was the first person to notate the song ' O Tannenbaum ' , The melody being a well-known folk song. Next to ' Stille Nacht ' ' O Tannenbaum ' is the most famous German Christmas song, nos known throughout the world. In the United States où America The melody où ' O Tannenbaum ' has even been used in four States (among which the State où Maryland) for their State song. In David WelL' s arrangement the song is first heard as many où us knos it. After this introduction, however, it is transformed into a solid rock version, and the beat has been changed. In the second part the familiar three-four time is back, but here the rhythm is different from the original. After the richly ornamented rock beat the basic theme can be heard once again and the composition is concluded in a festive manner.