Niels Gade (1817-1890), who was born in Copenhagen and spent most of his life there, went to Leipzig in 1843 for further training on a royal scholarship. There he became friends with Robert Schumann and found an eager patron in Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. He is regarded as the most important figure of the Danish musical scene in the 19th century.

His charming cycle 'Der Kinder Christabend' was published in 1859 with titles and texts in Danish. Although the first German edition was published in Leipzig in 1860, the English edition was not published in London until 1880. With his five mood pictures 'Weihnachts-Glocken' - 'Weihnachtsbaum-Einzugs-Marsch' - 'Ringeltanz der Knaben' - 'Tanz der kleinen Mädchen' - 'Gute Nacht', Gade portrays the typical atmosphere of a middle-class Christmas evening in the 19th century.

The Christmas Bells
Marching in to see the Christmas tree
Little boys dancing around
Dance of the little girls
Good night