General information
Title CZVeselé Vánoce 1941
Title ENA Merry Christmas 1941
Title DEFröhliche Weihnachten 1941
CategoryWorks for Keyboards
SubcategoryPiano
Halbreich number286bis
Parts of the composition (movements)Moderato
Durata4'
InstrumentsPf
Dedicatee Castagnola-Bogorad, Hope
Diplomatic transcription of the dedicationto Hope Castagnola
Origin
Place of compositionJamaica - New York City, New York
Year of origin1941
Initiation of composition12/1941
Completion of composition12/1941
First performance
Autograph deposition
Owner of the sourceLibrary of Congress
Copyright
CopyrightCopyright free
Editions
,
Call number at the BM Institute: 1020
Specification of the edition: Revised (G. Koukl)
Details of this edition
, USA, 1989
Call number at the BM Institute: 1020 arr
Specification of the edition: Arranged for a wind quintet
Details of this edition
Sources
References Related writings
Documents in the Library
Note Version for wind quinet (Fl, Ob, Cl, Fg, Cor; arranged by Roger Ruggeri) was published in 1989 by Benjamin Productions, Inc.
About the composition

On the other end of the chronological and emotional spectra, Merry Christmas 1941 (Veselé Vánoce 1941, H 286bis) is unmistakable Martinů, with alternating bitonal chords between the hands, and chord progressions repeated in a way that hides the metre. Written for and dedicated to Hope Castagnola [his pupil, pianist] while the composer was living in Jamaica, New York, it is a cheerful, hopeful piece suited to holiday greetings, and reflective of Martinů's new-found American success that same December when his Concerto Grosso, H263, was given its premiere by Sergei Koussevitzky and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Mark Gresham and Cary Lewis, Martinů: Complete Piano Music, Vol. 7 – A Fairy-Tale of Goldilocks, From Andersen's Fairy-Tales; Giorgio Koukl).

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