O Christmas Tree Notes
O Christmas Tree starts G, C' C' C' D', E' E' E': a pickup on G, then the same note three times before each step up. It moves in three beats to the measure, like a slow waltz.
Listen and play along
Hear the tune with a steady beat. Turn the tune off to play it yourself on any instrument, with the beat to keep you in time.
- GG, quarter note
- C¾C high, dotted eighth noteC¼C high, sixteenth noteCC high, quarter noteDD high, quarter note
- E¾E high, dotted eighth noteE¼E high, sixteenth noteE1½E high, dotted quarter noteE½E high, eighth note
- D½D high, eighth noteE½E high, eighth noteFF high, quarter noteBB, quarter note
- DD high, quarter noteC1½C high, dotted quarter noteG½G, eighth note
- C¾C high, dotted eighth noteC¼C high, sixteenth noteCC high, quarter noteDD high, quarter note
- E¾E high, dotted eighth noteE¼E high, sixteenth noteE1½E high, dotted quarter noteE½E high, eighth note
- D½D high, eighth noteE½E high, eighth noteFF high, quarter noteBB, quarter note
- DD high, quarter noteC1½C high, dotted quarter noteG½G high, eighth note
- G½G high, eighth noteE½E high, eighth noteA1½A high, dotted quarter noteG½G high, eighth note
- G½G high, eighth noteF½F high, eighth noteF1½F high, dotted quarter noteF½F high, eighth note
- F½F high, eighth noteD½D high, eighth noteG1½G high, dotted quarter noteF½F high, eighth note
- F½F high, eighth noteE½E high, eighth noteE1½E high, dotted quarter noteG½G, eighth note
- C¾C high, dotted eighth noteC¼C high, sixteenth noteCC high, quarter noteDD high, quarter note
- E¾E high, dotted eighth noteE¼E high, sixteenth noteE1½E high, dotted quarter noteE½E high, eighth note
- D½D high, eighth noteE½E high, eighth noteFF high, quarter noteBB, quarter note
- DD high, quarter noteC2C high, half note
16 measures of 3/4 after a pickup · 61 notes
Name the notes in the game → Read the tune one note at a time; each right answer plays the note.
Change the notes in Compose → Move notes, change their lengths and hear your own version.
Each box is one measure of three beats. The tune starts on a pickup: the last beat of the first box. A wider note lasts longer. C' is the high C (a ' marks the octave above middle C).
The notes with the words
| Words | Notes |
|---|---|
| O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree | G C' C' C' D' E' E' E' |
| how lovely are your branches! | E' D' E' F' B D' C' |
| O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree | G C' C' C' D' E' E' E' |
| how lovely are your branches! | E' D' E' F' B D' C' |
| Du grünst nicht nur zur Sommerzeit, | G' G' E' A' G' G' F' F' |
| nein, auch im Winter, wenn es schneit. | F' F' D' G' F' F' E' E' |
| O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree | G C' C' C' D' E' E' E' |
| how lovely are your branches! | E' D' E' F' B D' C' |
A ’ after a letter means the octave above middle C’s: C’ is the C in the third space, A’ the A on the ledger line above the staff.
The middle part is sung here to the original German words of 1824, “You’re green not only in the summertime, no, also in winter when it snows.” English versions differ a lot in that part, so you can sing whichever words you know: the notes are the same.
On the staff
In 3/4 time: three beats to a measure. Each “O Christmas tree” starts on a pickup, a short note just before the strong beat. “Christ-mas” is a dotted eighth and a sixteenth: a long-short snap.
Free printable sheet music
The sheet has the melody one phrase per line, with the letter name under every note and the words under each line, on one page of US Letter or A4. It suits beginners on piano, keyboard or recorder, and works well for a December class. It’s free to print and copy.
The notes it uses
A shorter version
In the game, O Christmas Tree (first part) is just the two “O Christmas tree” lines, without the middle part, so it stays below the top of the staff: play the first part.
Tips for reading it
- Three in a row. C’ C’ C’, then E’ E’ E’: each repeated note is “O Christ-mas tree”, the first two snappy and short.
- B then D’ then C’. “How lovely are your branches” dips down to B, the leading note, before it settles on C’.
- Breathe before each “O”. Hold the note before it, then take the short pickup into the next line.
About the carol
“O Tannenbaum” is an old German folk song. In 1824 the Leipzig organist and teacher Ernst Anschütz wrote the words that made it a Christmas song, praising the fir tree for staying green all winter. The tune is a traditional German melody. Words and tune are public domain.
Play it
Press Name the notes in the game at the top of this page to read the carol one note at a time in Trebly’s Songs mode. More carols: Christmas songs with letter notes.