O Tannenbaum
Template:Short description Template:Redirect Template:Infobox song "{{#invoke:Lang|lang}}" ({{#invoke:IPA|main}}; "O fir tree"), known in English as "O Christmas Tree", is a German Christmas song. Based on a traditional folk song that was unrelated to the holiday, it became associated with the traditional Christmas tree.
HistoryEdit
The modern lyrics were written in 1824 by the Leipzig organist, teacher and composer Ernst Anschütz. A Tannenbaum is a fir tree. The lyrics do not actually refer to Christmas, or describe a decorated Christmas tree. Instead, they refer to the fir's evergreen quality as a symbol of constancy and faithfulness.<ref>Template:Cite magazine – "O Tannenbaum" (p. 5)</ref>
Anschütz based his text on a 16th-century Silesian folk song by Melchior FranckTemplate:Citation needed, "{{#invoke:Lang|lang}}". In 1819 August Zarnack wrote a tragic love song inspired by this folk song, taking the evergreen, "faithful" fir tree as contrasting with a faithless lover. The folk song first became associated with Christmas with Anschütz, who added two verses of his own to the first, traditional verse. The custom of the Christmas tree developed in the course of the 19th century, and the song came to be seen as a Christmas carol. Anschütz's version still had {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (true, faithful) as the adjective describing the fir's leaves (needles), harking back to the contrast to the faithless maiden of the folk song. This was changed to {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (green) at some point in the 20th century, after the song had come to be associated with Christmas.<ref>"O Tannenbaum" by Tobias Widmaier, Populäre und traditionelle Lieder. Historisch-kritisches Liederlexikon des Deutschen Volksliedarchivs (2007) Template:In lang</ref>
MelodyEdit
<score sound="1"> <<
\new Voice \relative c' { \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"clarinet"
\autoBeamOff
\language "deutsch"
\tempo 4 = 90 \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t
\key f \major
\time 3/4 \partial 8
c8 f8. f16 f4. g8 a8. a16 a4.
a8 g a b4 e, g f r8
c'8 c a d4. c8 c8. b16 b4.
b8 b g c4. b8 b8. a16 a4 r8
c,8 f8. f16 f4. g8 a8. a16 a4.
a8 g a b4 e, g f r8
\bar "|."
}
\addlyrics {
O Tan -- nen -- baum, o Tan -- nen -- baum,
wie treu sind dei -- ne Blät -- ter.
Du grünst nicht nur zur Som -- mer -- zeit,
nein, auch im Win -- ter, wenn es schneit.
O Tan -- nen -- baum, o Tan -- nen -- baum,
wie treu sind dei -- ne Blät -- ter!
}
>> </score>
The tune is an old folk tune attested in the 16th century.Template:Citation needed It is also known as the tune of "{{#invoke:Lang|lang}}" ("Long Live the Carpenter’s Apprentice"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>) and of "{{#invoke:Lang|lang}}" ("Time’s A-flying"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>).
LyricsEdit
Template:Col-begin-fixed Template:Col-break
- Anschütz (1824)<ref>"O Tannenbaum": Originalhandschrift im Stadtarchiv Leipzig" Template:Webarchive by Birgit Horn-Kolditz, in Sächsisches Archivblatt, no. 2 2008, p. 3, State Archive of Saxony Template:In lang</ref>
<poem lang="de">O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum, Wie treu<ref group=N>A common variation replaces the word {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (faithful) with {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (green).</ref> sind deine Blätter! Du grünst nicht nur zur Sommerzeit, Nein, auch im Winter, wenn es schneit. O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum, Wie treu sind deine Blätter!
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum, Du kannst mir sehr gefallen! Wie oft hat nicht zur Weihnachtszeit.<ref group=N>Or {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}.</ref> Ein Baum von dir mich hoch erfreut! O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum, Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum, Dein Kleid will mich was lehren: Die Hoffnung und Beständigkeit Gibt Mut und Kraft zu jeder Zeit! O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum, Dein Kleid will mich was lehren!</poem> Template:Col-break Loose English translation<ref>by John Rutter</ref> <poem>O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum, How faithfully you blossom! Through summer’s heat and winter’s chill Your leaves are green and blooming still. O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum, How faithfully you blossom!
O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum, With what delight I see you! When winter days are dark and drear You bring us hope for all the year. O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum, With what delight I see you!
O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum, You bear a joyful message: That faith and hope shall ever bloom To bring us light in winter’s gloom. O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum, You bear a joyful message</poem> Template:Col-break Another English version<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> <poem>O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, Your branches green delight us! They are green when summer days are bright, They are green when winter snow is white. O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, Your branches green delight us!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, You give us so much pleasure! How oft at Christmas tide the sight, O green fir tree, gives us delight! O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, You give us so much pleasure!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree Forever true your colour. Your boughs so green in summertime Stay bravely green in wintertime. O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree Forever true your colour.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree You fill my heart with music. Reminding me on Christmas Day To think of you and then be gay. O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree You fill my heart with music.</poem> Template:Col-break Yet another English version<ref>The Bay View Magazine (1913), p. 175</ref> <poem>O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree! How are thy leaves so verdant! Not only in the summertime, But even in winter is thy prime. O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, How are thy leaves so verdant!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, Much pleasure dost thou bring me! For ev'ry year the Christmas tree, Brings to us all both joy and glee. O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, Much pleasure dost thou bring me!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, How lovely are thy branches! Not only green when summer's here But in the coldest time of year. O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, How lovely are thy branches!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, How sturdy God hath made thee! Thou bidd'st us all place faithfully Our trust in God, unchangingly! O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, How sturdy God hath made thee!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, Thy candles shine out brightly! Each bough doth hold its tiny light, That makes each toy to sparkle bright. O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, Thy candles shine out brightly!</poem> Template:Col-end
- Notes
- <references group=N />
Other usesEdit
The tune has also been used (as a contrafactum) to carry other texts on many occasions. Notable uses include:
- "The Red Flag", anthem of the British and Irish Labour Parties
- Florida – "Florida, My Florida", former state song<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Maryland – "Maryland, My Maryland", the former state song of Maryland
- Michigan – "Michigan, My Michigan", widely believed to be the official state song
- Iowa – "The Song of Iowa", official state song<ref name=statesong>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Labrador – "Ode to Labrador", regional anthem
- Dickinson College's alma mater, "Noble Dickinsonia," with words written by Horatio Collins King.
- The College of the Holy Cross's alma mater is sung to the tune of "O Tannenbaum".<ref>Letter from the President of the General Alumni Association, Holy Cross Magazine</ref>
- When traveling by bus, schoolchildren in Sweden sing "En busschaufför" (Swedish for "a bus driver") or "Vår busschaufför" ("Our bus driver") to the melody.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- St. Bonaventure University's alma mater, "With Myrtle Wreath We'll Deck Thy Brow"<ref>Saint Bonavenure University website Template:Webarchive . Accessed January 3, 2014.</ref>
- Nankai University's alma mater is sung to the melody.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- St. John's University (New York City)'s alma mater is sung to the melody. <ref>
{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} </ref>
- "Scout Vespers", used by the Boy Scouts of America, "Old St. John's", is sung to the melody.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Similarly, "Softly Falls" in which used by the Girl Scouts of the USA, is sung to the melody, as referenced in the song "On My Honor".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- In the 1988 movie Moon over Parador, the Parador National Anthem is sung to the melody.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- "Democrats, Good Democrats", an 1884 campaign song for Grover Cleveland.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
See alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
Template:Sister project Template:Wikisourcelang
- "Eglite" – old recording of the song and article from The Hermann von Helmholtz Center for Cultural Technology Template:In lang
- Notes "O Tannenbaum" (sheet music in GIF)
- "O Tannenbaum" multilingual – MIDI and lyrics for "O Tannenbaum" and "O Christmas Tree"
- Sheet music in JPEG format, MIDI, and lyrics to "O Tannenbaum"
- Lyrics and MP3 of "O Christmas Tree" by the Layaways
- Free-scores.com
