General information
Title CZTři písničky k Vánocům
Title ENThree Christmas Songs
Title DEDrei Weihnachtsliedchen
CategoryVocal Music
SubcategoryWorks for Solo Voice and Piano
Halbreich number184bis
Author of lyrics/libretto Aicard, Jean
Gramont, Ferdinand de
Xanrof, Léon
Parts of the composition (movements)1. La poule a couvé (The Brood Hen); 2. Le poulet (The Chicken); 3. Le petit chat (The Kitten)
InstrumentsV Pf
Dedicatee Pacovská, Šárka
Diplomatic transcription of the dedication[No.1:] Písnička k Vánocům 1929. | Šárce Pacovské | věnuje | B. Martinů [No.2:] Dárek k Vánocům 1929. | Šárce Pacovské | od | B. Martinů [No.3:] Mojí malé přítelkyni | Šárce Pacovské | v upomínku na Vánoce 1929. | B. Martinů
Note on the dedicationAll songs dedicated to Šárka Pacovská.
Origin
Place of compositionParis
Year of origin1929
Initiation of composition12/1929
Completion of composition12/1929
First performance
Autograph deposition
Owner of the sourceCentrum Bohuslava Martinů v Poličce
Copyright
Note on copyrightSchott Music Panton, Prague
Purchase linkbuy
First edition
Place of issuePraha
PublisherPanton
Year of publication1977
Editions available at the BM Institute
Sources
References Related writings
Documents in the Library
Note Lyrics by Jean Aicard (1), Ferdinand de Gramont (2), Léon Xanrof (3).
The cycle did not have a separate title, only later did H. Halbreich give it a title in the inventory of the works of B. Martinů collectively referred to it as "Three Songs for Christmas".
First published in 1977 by Panton under the title "Dětské písně" ("Children's Songs").
About the composition

The songs Martinů wrote in 1929, were later published as Three Christmas Songs (Tři písničky k Vánocům, H 184bis) and were dedicated to a friend [Šárka Pacovská], with a commentary added to each song: A song for Christmas 1929, A gift for Christmas 1929, and To my little friend Šárka Pacovská as a memento of Christmas 1929. The settings, composed to French words by Jean Aicard (1848–1921), Ferdinand de Gramont (1815–1897), and Léon Xanrof (1867–1953), have more of a springtime mood. When translated, the titles of the individual songs are: The Brooding Hen, The Chicken, and The Kitten. In the manuscript, each of them is furnished with a decorative first page, complete with an illustration of the given animal – these were presumably rendered by the composer’s brother, the painter František Martinů.

Monika Holá: Christmas Stories in Martinů’s Life and Music. Martinů Revue, July–December 2023, Vol. XXIII, nos. 2–3, s. 5 [shortened].

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