I think you are making this more difficult than it is.

Plant in shade for taller thinner trees with fewer branches.

If you want wide trees with fewer branches that might take a unique cultivar or a good amount of pruning off branches at the trunk. Easy work walking with a snippers. My advice would be keep a rag soaked in hydrogen peroxide or whatever folks recommend handy for wiping the pruners off between trees. No need to spread things from one sick tree to all 50.

I think Musser Forrests is nearish to you. They mailed me 100 bare root metasequoias a few years back. I swear all 100 leafed out. Far as how the conifers will work at different elevations they should be helpful.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://musserforests.com/visitus.html

Yes, simply do not prune. The typical Christmas tree you see in the US is a far cry from a naturally-grown conifer. These things have been pruned repeatedly during their short lives, to produce that abnormal bushiness. To not have that look, don't prune. Nor do I think planting in shade will be required. Just don't shear them, like nearly all commercial Christmas tree farms do.

+oM

see link ..

first we have to Id the conifer...

then we can give some pertinent info ..

perhaps one of our european friends can help ...

a quick perusal of the link.. SEEMS to rule out pine ...

as tom notes.. in the US the trees are heavily sheared for perfect shape ... and charley brown never did that ...

i am glad you said grandkids ... because this will easily take 10 years or so ...

ken

I've got some land where P. strobus, P. resinosa, and P. banksiana all grow wild. As was tradition at the time, I went out the first Saturday of December to cut a Christmas tree and brought back a Jack Pine. My spouse was not too pleased with my choice, but after all the decorations were applied, it looked quite nice. We tried all three over the years, but once she tried fir (purchased), there was no going back. ;)

after much googling I found an image of the type of tree I am trying to get any idea what species I should plant?

Most spruces or firs are OK. The difference between European style and US style is simply that in Europe, the trees are not trimmed, they are growing their natural shape.

The commonest over here are Norway Spruce Picea abies, and Caucasian Fir Abies nordmanniana. I also occasionally see Noble Fir Abies procera and Serbian Spruce Picea omorika.

For outdoor civic trees, the commonest is Sitka Spruce Picea sitchensis, which has the advantage (for this situation) of having sharper needles, and therefore more vandal-proof (but this equally, counts against it for home use).

Resin

Very like the pic you posted, Abies nordmanniana is a great tree, nice and full when young and staying that way if given the light. Sold here as Xmas trees so cheap as anything in January.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Thank you the Abies nordmanniana is exactly what I want! And thank all of you for your input. It is wonderful to learn from experts

lol One last question I Googled it and come up with all UK sites. Mussers is a five hour drive being closer to Pittsburgh although I do go there sometime. Any idea where I can buy these saplings on this side of the pond?

what are you talking about??? .. MAIL ORDER them .. bare root for planting at the proper time for your zone ...

you should be ordering no more than a 2 footer ...

i think you ought to keep looking.. there ought to be other types.. with that form ...

i can grow normandii in my MI ...

ken

Messy,
since you want to order quite a few, I recommend Treehavan/Arboretum on the Blue Hill. All respect due to Forestfarm, but if you are ordering more than 10 small plants you will get bigger ones for much less money (and less shipping costs) from Don, assuming he is still in business. Other tree seedling farms may also have A. nordmanniana...but DO NOT let them steer you to A. fraseri or A. balsamea. The former, especially, has a chance of dying very young.

Other you could try in SE PA? Any of the European firs including Abies alba. (my seedlings are doing fine) and a few Abies delavayi or other low-to-mid elevation Asian ones. (Avoid Abies firma and A. holophylla for this use...they have practically no foliar odor) The only to avoid are western US firs, and high-elevation eastern US ones. A. concolors would actually probably make it to the Christmas tree stage...but...beyond that, their longevity might be questionable.
*Actually, on second though...a few western firs besides A. lasiocarpa could make it to Christmas tree maturity. (I just wouldn't rely completely on them. Abies nordmanniana is probably the best, safe choice as the main one to order.) A. grandis has some of the most amazing foliar odor in the whole plant kingdom in my opinion. A huge tree of it must be incredible smelling in the right room. But again...don't assume they will last beyond 10-12' ft and continue to look good. They might not.*

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.arboretumonthebluehill.org/

Messy, I'm with you.
I like to have some space between the branches so there's room to hang the ornaments. It also gives the tree more depth. Sheared doesn't allow for that.
My wife likes em' sheared. ;-( We argued over that for a lot of years. She was never happy with the Noble Firs I grew mainly for Christmas trees. "They look too thin", she would say. Marilyn was real happy when I cut down a seven foot Dwarf Alberta Spruce and brought in the house. She wanted one like that every year. Not gonna happen.
We have finally come to an understanding after 40+ years of marriage. She's in charge inside and I'm in charge outside.
She does want 'her' lawn back though, and she ended up getting an artificial tree, I'm embarrassed to say.
We are as different as night and day.
Jack Sprat

What is a European style tree?

Anyway, if you want to cut down Christmas trees you will need a lot. Order bare root from your County Soil Conservation Office or the state nurseries of any nearby states. The New Hampshire state nursery even sells a "Christmas Tree Sampler".

Here is a link that might be useful: Christmas Tree Sampler

'What is a European style tree?'

I think it's a tree that evokes a European style Christmas being sought.

Traditionally in the UK we had only Norway spruce forever. They turned brown within days and it was a custom to have carpets covered in needles. In the last 20 years the advent of 'Non Drop' started with Abies nordmanniana mainly. In the last decade there have been increasing amounts of bluer conifers offered. Fraser firs and a generic 'Blue Spruce' (not pungens) which is probably a blue Norway spruce variety. Never pinus sylvestris, Abies concolor or Picea pungens.

But we lag behind that 'Traditional' european style. In fact the high end artifical trees are often snow laden green pines and spruces that mimic trees cut straight from the wild forest. Tannenbaum.

Finally as Pineresin touched on there are the civic Christmas trees. Every year we recieve as a gift from Norway a record breaking Picea abies for London. But in the small town of Crediton in Devon I see a permanent fir in the square that looks full and chubby needled all year round.

Christmas is exactly what you want it to be so if the OP is seeking a certain style it shouldn't limited to the local box box store.