Weihnachtsbaum
L’arbre de Noël - Christmas Tree
- Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
- Béla Bartók (1881-1945)
- Georg Crumb
There is no time of the year more musical than Christmas, with its countless folk or art songs, for solo voice or choir, for children or adults, in so many languages. Early on, Christmas celebrations added instruments to the voices. But what role can the piano play as a recital instrument? Weihnachtsbaum (“Christmas Tree”) is an astonishing work that occupies a peculiar position in Franz Liszt’s production. Dating from his last period, this composite work is characterized by the relative sparseness and brevity of each of its twelve pieces. Some of them are experimental sketches foreshadowing twentieth-century developments; others are classically crafted, in a naïve if not amiable tone. Liszt wrote the work as a present for his granddaughter Daniela; but, despite its circumstantial nature, we know that he worked on it over a long period, from 1874 to 1876, and then revised the pieces several times before the final version was published in 1882. He also adapted the solo piano version as a piano duet and arranged O heilige Nacht for solo voice with organ or harmonium accompaniment. Weihnachtsbaum was first performed on Christmas day in 1881 at the Alibert Hotel in Rome, where Liszt was staying with his grand-daughter. Une pianiste pour qui la musique demeure avant tout un mélange de pensée et de matière. Hors des sentiers battus, ses programmes de concerts et d’enregistrements, élaborés selon des logiques cohérentes et neuves (…) qui manquent souvent cruellement dans le domaine musical (…) entraînent l’adhésion des auditeurs les moins prévenus. Eine bessere Interpretin als Thérèse Malengreau kann man sich wohl kaum wünschen. In ihrem nuancenreichen Spiel taucht Malengreau regelrecht in die Kompositionen ein.
Quotes:
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Jan. 10, 2010
Une pianiste pour qui la musique demeure avant tout un mélange de pensée et de matière.
Le Soir, Serge Martin
-
Jan. 10, 2010
Hors des sentiers battus, ses programmes de concerts et d’enregistrements, élaborés selon des logiques cohérentes et neuves (…) qui manquent souvent cruellement dans le domaine musical (…) entraînent l’adhésion des auditeurs les moins prévenus.
Gilles Cantagrel
-
Jan. 10, 2010
Eine bessere Interpretin als Thérèse Malengreau kann man sich wohl kaum wünschen. In ihrem nuancenreichen Spiel taucht Malengreau regelrecht in die Kompositionen ein.
Fono Forum

Track listing
Weihnachtsbaum S. 186 (comp. 1876, edition 1882) L’Arbre de Noël - Christmas Tree | |||
1 | Psallite, Altes Weihnachtslied - Vieux chant de Noël (Allegro non troppo) | 02:49 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Franz Liszt (1811-1886)' | |||
2 | O heilige Nacht! Weihnachtslied nach einer alten Weise - La nuit sainte (Lento) | 06:13 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Franz Liszt (1811-1886)' | |||
3 | Die Hirten an der Krippe, In dulci jubilo - Les bergers à la crèche (Allegretto pastorale) | 03:22 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Franz Liszt (1811-1886)' | |||
4 | Adeste Fideles, Gleichsam als Marsch der heiligen drei Könige - Marche des trois rois mages (Tempo di marcia moderato) | 03:58 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Franz Liszt (1811-1886)' | |||
5 | Scherzoso, Man zündet die Kerzen des Baumes an - On illumine l’arbre (Presto) | 02:26 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Franz Liszt (1811-1886)' | |||
6 | Carillon (Molto vivace) | 02:10 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Franz Liszt (1811-1886)' | |||
7 | Schlummerlied - Berceuse (Andante) | 03:15 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Franz Liszt (1811-1886)' | |||
8 | Altes provenzalisches Weihnachtslied - Ancien Noël provençal (Allegro giocoso) | 01:28 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Franz Liszt (1811-1886)' | |||
9 | Abendglocken - Cloches du soir (Andantino affettuoso) | 05:40 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Franz Liszt (1811-1886)' | |||
10 | Ehemals - Jadis (Andante) | 04:36 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Franz Liszt (1811-1886)' | |||
11 | Ungarisch - Hongrois (Maestoso, tempo di marcia) | 02:14 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Franz Liszt (1811-1886)' | |||
12 | Polnisch - Polonais (Andante - Tempo di mazurka) | 06:58 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Franz Liszt (1811-1886)' | |||
Colinde (first edition 1918, second edition 1936) Noëls roumains – Rumänische Weihnachtslieder – Christmas Carols | |||
13 | Serie I - Allegro | 00:36 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Béla Bartók (1881-1945)' | |||
14 | Serie I - Allegro | 00:16 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Béla Bartók (1881-1945)' | |||
15 | Serie I - Allegro | 00:32 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Béla Bartók (1881-1945)' | |||
16 | Serie I - Andante | 00:30 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Béla Bartók (1881-1945)' | |||
17 | Serie I - Allegro moderato | 00:27 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Béla Bartók (1881-1945)' | |||
18 | Serie I - Andante | 00:34 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Béla Bartók (1881-1945)' | |||
19 | Serie I - Andante | 00:35 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Béla Bartók (1881-1945)' | |||
20 | Serie I - Allegretto | 00:45 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Béla Bartók (1881-1945)' | |||
21 | Serie I - Allegro | 00:21 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Béla Bartók (1881-1945)' | |||
22 | Serie I - Più allegro | 00:20 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Béla Bartók (1881-1945)' | |||
23 | Serie II - Molto moderato | 00:47 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Béla Bartók (1881-1945)' | |||
24 | Serie II - Moderato | 00:21 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Béla Bartók (1881-1945)' | |||
25 | Serie II - Andante | 00:37 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Béla Bartók (1881-1945)' | |||
26 | Serie II - Andante | 00:32 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Béla Bartók (1881-1945)' | |||
27 | Serie II - Moderato | 00:41 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Béla Bartók (1881-1945)' | |||
28 | Serie II - Andante | 00:53 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Béla Bartók (1881-1945)' | |||
29 | Serie II - Variante della precedente - Andante | 00:50 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Béla Bartók (1881-1945)' | |||
30 | Serie II - Allegro | 00:44 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Béla Bartók (1881-1945)' | |||
31 | Serie II - Allegretto | 00:28 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Béla Bartók (1881-1945)' | |||
32 | Serie II - Allegro | 00:45 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Béla Bartók (1881-1945)' | |||
A little suite for Christmas, A.D. 1979 (edition 1980) (after Giotto’s Nativity frescoes in the Arena Chapel at Padua) | |||
33 | The Visitation (Poco lento, solenne) | 04:11 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Georg Crumb' | |||
34 | Berceuse for the Infant Jesu (Andantino, quasi lontano) | 02:07 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Georg Crumb' | |||
35 | The Shepherd’s Noël (Quasi pastorale) | 01:16 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Georg Crumb' | |||
36 | Adoration of the Magi (Semplice) | 01:44 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Georg Crumb' | |||
37 | Nativity Dance (Vivace, giocoso, esuberante) | 01:16 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Georg Crumb' | |||
38 | Canticle of the Holy Night (Lentamente, misterioso, quasi lontano, flessibile) | 03:24 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Georg Crumb' | |||
39 | Carol of the Bells (Giocoso, giubilando, quasi meccanico) | 03:05 | |
artists: 'Thérèse Malengreau' composers: 'Georg Crumb' |