Notes by Katherine Baber. He grabs it away and it breaks, but Drosselmeyer mysteriously fixes it with a handkerchief. guided tours of classical music for the average person, 8. Mozart Piano Concerto No. Choreographic duties fell to Petipas assistant, Lev Ivanov. Tchaikovsky soon developed this private entertainment into a full-length ballet, Swan Lake. The celebrations include the "Waltz of Flowers" and the "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.". Near to sketches for the dance Polichinella, Tchaikovsky wrote: "No. Some critics found the choreography chaotic and the performances inconsistent. Not only is his hair thinning and turning silver as snow, not only are his teeth falling out and refusing to chew food, not only are his eyes weakening and becoming easily tired, not only are his feet starting to drag rather than walkbut his singular remaining faculty is starting to fade and disappear. Then the Nutcracker summons his old guard, and fights the King of the Mice. Starting with Sleeping Beauty (1890), he created productions in which music, choreography and design (he himself designing many hundreds of splendid costumes) were united into a single concept, rather than, as had previously been the case, haphazardly thrown together. The children burst into the room with some friends, and all join in a lively march round the room, before breaking into a galop. After WWII, the family business quickly grew by developing contacts with US soldiers based in the Hanover area who brought back nutcrackers to their families as original German souvenirs. Another striking feature is the scores array of childrens instruments, including toy trumpets, toy drums, cuckoos, quails and cymbals, all intended to be played on-stage by the child performers in the opening party scene. Even the artist Alexandre Benois, who admired Vsevolozhsky and later inspired Diaghilev to follow his example, found the battle scene quite senseless and amateurish.. 71a 2. Are we underwater? The right picture features a model dating back to ca. The mouse army carries him away. It has not been established whether Tchaikovsky composed anything on his way to Berlin. Learn about "The Nutcracker" ballet and its music and story. Now in charge of the Mariinsky Theatre and eager to raise its standards, Vsevolozhsky soon proved an able administrator with a genius for devising ballets. The celesta was used to evoke the sound of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. 88, No. After the Land of Snow, Clara, and the prince travel, by boat, to the Land of the Sweets. During this time he wrote the opening of the second scene, and the numbers he had previously omitted from the first scene of Act 1: Petit galop des enfants, Entre des parents, "Bon voyage, M-r Dumolet"; then there followed sketches for the Grossvater dance and some additions to the dance of the Incroyables [29]. 71 ( TH 14 ; W 14), is a fairy ballet in 2 acts and 3 scenes, written and orchestrated by Tchaikovsky between February 1891 and April 1892. Like Handel's Messiah, it has long enjoyed a place of de facto holiday tradition throughout the Western world. She serves on the music faculty of Metropolitan State University of Denver and gives pre-performance talks for Opera Colorado and the Colorado Symphony Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Listen for the very rhythmic, punctuated, maybe angular feel of the main A theme. After a final waltz between the fairy and her cavalier, Clara awakes to find herself by the Christmas tree with her nutcracker. The second time around, the lower strings (cello and bass) continue the accompaniment, while the upper strings, violins and violas, do some interplay stuff with the flutes. When Clara reluctantly lets him play with it, he tries to crack a nut so big that it is the Nutcracker which breaks. He composed during the Romantic Period and is best known for his composition of The Nutcracker and Swan Lake. The nutcracker acquired its iconic status through a globalized transmission of popular culture. His nephew, Yury Davydov, recalled that he not only composed the music but invented the steps and pirouettes, and danced them himself, showing the performers what he required of them. In German tradition, the dolls are symbols of good luck, frightening away malevolent spirits. On 25 March/6 April he wrote to Jurgenson: "I've finished the ballet; all that remains is to insert the markings and put it in order" [46]. 88, No. According to the composer, the audience was unenthusiastic: "The Nutcracker was staged quite well: it was lavishly produced and everything went off perfectly, but nevertheless, it seemed to me that the public did not like it. Elgar Pomp and Circumstance March No. What went wrong? He showed even less interest in the extensive pantomime needed for the children in the opening scenes. The woodwinds are less obvious, taking a more background/textural role. Tchaikovsky instructed that "This chorus should comprise 12 sopranos and 12 altos. He's a skilled clock and toymaker and he comes with gifts for the children. Act I is divided into two scenes (comprising Nos. When the young Claras eccentric godfather, Drosselmeyer, drops in bearing gifts, it is clear this will be a Christmas like no other. Relieved of this immediate burden, Tchaikovsky fulfilled his tour (obliged by having already spent a good part of a generous advance). Despite the failure of its initial performance, The Nutcracker has become the most frequently performed of all ballets and has served as an introduction to classical music for many young people. The instrumentation features a tambourine with the strings and woodwinds that enlivens the rhythm and orchestral sound. Our midwinter holidays bring light into the darkest days of the year, each in their own waysbut music always casts the warmest glow. Waltz of the Flowers. Here's the story in a nutshell (all puns intended!). If creating a childrens ballet was indeed Vsevolozhsky and Tchaikovskys intention, they were 40 years ahead of their time. 231 lessons. In a letter to Pyotr Jurgenson of 25 January/6 February 1892 from Saint Petersburg, the composer reported: "I want to catch up with orchestrating some numbers from the new ballet, which I've promised will be played at a local Musical Society concert on 29 February" [O.S.] 71a 3. The Nutcracker is about a girl, Clara, who is gifted a toy nutcracker from her godfather Drosselmeyer for Christmas. The sequence of sketches in Act II indicates that the composer adhered to Marius Petipa's plan. The prince demonstrates for the Sugar Plum Fairy how he had conquered the mouse king as the Nutcracker and was restored to his princely form. Beethoven Wrap-up and furtherlistening, 12. According to Modest Tchaikovsky, the composer was "very little pleased by the subject of The Nutcracker" [12], more precisely with the nature of the ballet's scenario, since E. T. A. Hoffmann's fairy tale, upon which it was based, had long ranked high in the composer's estimation, and was the reason for his agreeing to write the ballet The Nutcracker. Songs from The Nutcracker are commonly referenced and used in pop culture, particularly around Christmastime. The libretto was compiled by Ivan Vsevolozhsky and Marius Petipa [6], after the story of Histoire d'un Casse-Noisette (1845) by Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870), which was an adaptation from the German of Der Nuknacker und Mauseknig (1816) by E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776-1822) [7]. Tchaikovsky's score, however, was met with more enthusiasm. 5 (the scene described as "Lullaby, twice interrupted by the noise of Fritz and his friends on drums and pipes"), Tchaikovsky noted: "Le vacarme" [19] " (child's trumpet), cuckoo (sol, mi), rattle, drums, cymbals as in Haydn's symphony (or three of these, depending on whatever children's instruments will be available)". Hoffmann fantasy story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, about a girl who befriends a nutcracker that comes to life on Christmas Eve and wages a battle against the evil Mouse King. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Snowflakes fall and they are met by the King and Queen, who join their subjects in a swirling waltz. And another new scene lets talk instruments here. After meeting with Vsevolozhsky, Tchaikovsky crossed out the names of the characteristic dances in Petipa's balletmaster plan, and instead wrote: "Galop pour les enfants et entre des parents en incroyables 16 mesures rococo (tempo menuet). It looks like the mice are going to win until Clara throws her slipper at their king, killing him; the nutcracker then escorts Clara through a land of snow, turning into a handsome prince in the process. One of ballets unsung heroes, Vsevolozhsky not only nurtured Tchaikovskys talent for the form, inspiring him to compose Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker, but he also raised ballet to a high art-form. The nutcracker quickly becomes a main character in the ballet. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Before his departure he received a letter written by Ivan Vsevolozhsky, dated 15/27 February: "I hope to see you in Saint Petersburg before your departure for America. Even beside these exotic colours, Tchaikovskys mastery of evocative orchestral colours remains peerless. On 20 April/2 May, the composer wrote from New York to Eduard Npravnk: "I cannot start working again before June at the earliest otherwise whatever I tried to write would turn out wretchedly" [33]. The company settle dawn to a splendid banquet and divertissement. The carved nutcrackers are then painted. Is it nightime? As weve seen before, Tchaikovsky showing his forceful side at his best, knowing how to create excitement, and build it up to a thrilling ending. The ballet proper debuted in December of that year. The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky is based on the version of Dumas. 125, 4thmovement, 11. Allegretto, 10. Heinrich Hoffmann, best known as the creator of the children's book "Der Struwwelpeter" (Shaggy Peter), also wrote his own version of E.T.A Hoffmann's story. In the Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy (No. Of form, this movement is also in an easy-to-follow ABA structure listen for the changes in roles as the piece progresses. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Tchaikovsky probably wouldn't have believed that his ballet would one day become an international success, and sadly he did not live long enough to find out. The Nutcracker Suite is a sparkly little box of jewels made up of highlights from Tchaikovsky's fairy tale ballet The Nutcracker, which has become a Christmas staple around the world: conductor . Letters to various correspondents during June refer to work on the ballet. Set to Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn's jazzy interpretation of Tchaikovsky's iconic score, The Nutcracker Suite is the largest work Dorrance's . I think it will be finished by the summer" [44]. In Paris, where Tchaikovsky arrived on 10/22 March, work on the ballet did not come easily. He began by orchestrating the few numbers which were to be performed as a Suite from the ballet. 7 in A, Op. Though noted for his superb corps de ballet sequences, Ivanov showed little interest in individual dances, often allowing these to be reworked by the solo dancers themselves. Whats that moving around, and how does it move? Stephanie has taught studio art and art history classes to audiences of all ages. Now I have started to work" [34]. Led by the nutcracker, they battle the mice. A. He brings with him several gifts including a toy train and toy soldiers for Clara and her brother, Fritz. It helped, too, that the celestas sound is reminiscent of the musical boxes one might expect to find in Drosselmeyers clockwork world. All the solos and variations he devised for the first act would be of little interest to the public. The Russian ballet initially received mixed reviews. The date "Rouen, 12 April" was also written by Tchaikovsky on the choreographer's manuscript plan of Act II. Its score was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and the performance choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, three of Russia's greatest artists of their era. Now a Christmas classic, the work contributed to the nutcracker's fame worldwide. After seeing Adams Giselle he became a ballet devotee. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Join us and enjoy the magic of the season! The mice army quickly carries away their king. This was confounded by Petipa, who suddenly insisted that the sequence be replaced by solos and variations for the Mariinskys principal adult dancers. They should be played at the points indicated by the children in the scene, and also: The Rattle (Schnarre) is as used in the children's symphonies by Haydn, Romberg, etc. I want to pass on to you some ideas for the ballet, which do not fit in with Petipa's scheme. The date at the start of the fair copy of the Suite reads: "8 Feb. 1892 [O.S. It seems that at this meeting the outline scenario for Act II was finalised. The Nutcracker is a ballet with music written by the Russian composer, Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky. 71a 4. It was considerably later that Tchaikovsky set about the instrumentation of the ballet, in January 1892, after he had already orchestrated the opera. I think that by the time I leave a considerable part of the first act will have been done" [22]. Inspired by a discovery he made in Paris, he wrote to his publisher about a new orchestral instrument, something between a small piano and a glockenspiel with a divinely marvellous sound It is called the Celesta Mustel and it costs 1,200 francs I would like to ask you to order this instrument. The origin of the Nutcracker, a classic Christmas Story, is a fairy tale ballet in two acts centered on a family's Christmas Eve celebration. Tchaikovsky was a Russian civil servant who entered the Saint Petersburg Conservatory to study music at the age of 21. Firstly, a Ballet, by some lay definition, is work incorporating dance, music, and storytelling. - Definition & Examples, The Four Seasons by Vivaldi: Analysis & Structure, What is Contrapuntal Music? Spun Sugar Angels and Cherubs, an assortment of Candies come to life, and the beautiful Sugarplum Fairy and her handsome Cavalier greet them. He returned newly enthused about the ballet. The Nutcracker () [1], Op. Swan Lake: the story behind Tchaikovsky's great ballet score, The best (and worst) recordings of Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet. The Nutcracker is transformed into a handsome Prince, and he offers Clara a journey to his kingdom. The music from The Nutcracker is heavily influenced by the time period of the ballet. The ballet was premiered at Christmastime in 1892, and has since been one of the most popular ballets in the world. Initially attracting miners, the forested area with long, dark winters also inspired villagers to develop other carved wooden decorations: Christmas pyramids, candle holders called Schwibbogen, and smoking figures known as Ruchermnnchen. In the opening A section, the brass (led by trumpets) play the dominant role, and strings answer them in a secondary/answering role. Ravel Piano Concerto in G, III. Let's see how the opera will turn out" [39]. No! 9 in d, Op. We are instantly drawn into the world of The Nutcracker with Tchaikovsky's Miniature Overture. Selections from The Nutcracker were first performed as an orchestral suite in March 1892. The Sugar Plum Fairy ushers Clara and the prince to a sleigh pulled by reindeer. 8 in the sketchbook is the date: ", Sketches for Act II were begun in a separate copy-book; it seems probable that all sketches for Act I were completed in, International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP), The Tchaikovsky Handbook. Clara and her nutcracker, transformed into a prince, travel into the Land of Sweets, ruled by a sugar plum fairy. The Nutcracker Suite, Op. Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker is based on the short story by ETA Hoffman called "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King." This effect has Tchaikovskys fingerprints all over it, I think. Reception to the ballet was mixed when it opened in 1892, but now it is one of the most popular ballets in the world. By the 1700s, Austrian, Italian and Swiss carvers were making animal and human-shaped nutcrackers. ], Maydanovo". They were bored" [48]. The dolls spring to life, and gingerbread soldiers left over from tea begin to march to and fro. And also send notes, explaining how the children's instruments should be played" [20]. Early in 1891, Tchaikovsky was working against the clock to compose both Nutcracker and an opera with which it was to be double-billed, Yolanta, before an imminent tour in the US. Before we learn about the composer and the music, let's learn about what happens. Its upbeat tempo accompanies the dance of the toy soldiers gifted to Fritz and Clara at the beginning of the ballet. And the fact is that Tchaikovsky, once past his initial creative crisis, described Nutcracker in a letter to Modest as excellent, while Yolanta, the opera on which he had had high expectations, was in his estimation nothing special. The Napoleon figure (center) is from 1822. In this time I will have prepared the sketches for the first two scenes of the ballet. At the beginning of her dream, Clara "awakes" and finds the Christmas tree from her party has grown to an enormous height and there are mice, the size of humans, running around the room. Clara gets a beautiful nutcracker in the shape of a soldier, which makes her brother jealous -- he thinks it nicer than his gift! In Moscow the first production of The Nutcracker did not take place until 21 May 1919, in a production at the Bolshoi Theatre by the balletmaster Aleksandr Gorsky, conducted by Nikolay Fyodorov. On 23 February/7 March, Jurgenson responded: "I am sending you a box of instruments by train" [21]. There they witness many wonderful dances from all over the world, highlighted by the sugar plum fairy herself dancing with a regal cavalier. Just as it appears that the Nutcracker is about to be overwhelmed, Clara throws her slipper at the King of the Mice, and kills him. Silberhaus orders the more expensive toys to be moved to his study, but Clara and Fritz want to play with them. Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, Op. Tchaikovsky had used the glockenspiel in his still little-known Orchestral Suite No. Updates? Tchaikovsky then asked Vsevolozhsky whether the productions of the ballet and opera could be postponed until the next season: "I could complete my voyage to America without the torments, the doubts, and the fears; return home calm and rested from any conceivable traumas experienced in Paris and America, and enjoy working little by little, confident that I will be writing two masterpieces (pardon my immodesty)" [30]. The "Waltz of the Flowers" is one of the culminating pieces in the ballet and is immediately followed by the "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy". Act II. French writer Alexandre Dumas came up with his own adaptation of the story in 1844 . Mass production of the nutcracker doll in the region started in the late 19th century, but wooden figures used to crack nuts were already created in Europe for centuries. June 3, 2011. The principal soloists were Valentina Kudryavtseva (Clara), Yefim Yefimov (Nutcracker) and Aleksey Bulgakov (Drosselmeyer). The Grandfather dance is based on a German dance tune from the 17th century. 17 chapters | The Nutcracker was first performed in Russia in 1892. Beside one of the sketches for No. 14, Var. The ballet was commissioned by the Director of the Russian Imperial Theatres, Ivan Vsevolozhsky, who held preliminary talks with the composer in November and December 1890 [9]. By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. "The Nutcracker Suite" is a compilation of several songs. 52) [view]. The same archive holds Tchaikovsky's arrangement for solo piano (. You are an exceptionally kind soul for not refusing me" [13]. Tchaikovsky's unfavourable attitude to the using The Nutcracker for a ballet scenario is reflected in a letter from Ivan Vsevolozhsky to Tchaikovsky of 9/21 August 1891: "I have experienced agonies of remorse for asking you to do this ballet. Some of the most familiar and beloved music comes from the second act, including a spirited Russian dance, the 'Trepak'; the 'Chinese Dance'; the 'Waltz of the Flowers'; and the 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.' Here is where the famous sugar plum fairies arrive, and after hearing of the bravery of Clara and the Nutcracker, the fairies reward the victorious pair with a series of dances that accompany different sweets from around the world, from Spain to Arabia to China. In the night, Clara gets up to find the nutcracker. These newer models depict politicians Bill Clinton, Helmut Kohl and Gerhard Schrder. But Tchaikovsky, according to the somewhat unreliable memoirs of his brother, Modest, was not much pleased with the subject. 1, composed in 1879. 5, Op. Hoffmanns story is darker and more troubling than the version that reached the stage; the Imperial Russian Ballet choreographer Marius Petipa chose to follow a light adaptation of the story written by Alexandre Dumas pre. Clara and the Nutcracker Prince, led by Drosselmeyer, fly through the clouds in the Chestnut Shell Boat and arrive at the gates of Candy Kingdom. "The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" featured a brand-new instrument called the "Celesta". Russian Dance (Trepak). (LogOut/ The result, by all accounts, was too ill-disciplined to charm its audience. 71 (TH 14; W 14), is a fairy ballet in 2 acts and 3 scenes, written and orchestrated by Tchaikovsky between February 1891 and April 1892. Courtney is a certified Biology and Physics teacher from Pennsylvania. In honor of the prince's return, there is a celebration of international sweets. 5), and Tchaikovsky noted in the score that "These instruments are essentially the same as those used in the first scene of The Queen of Spades. Courtney has ten years of instructional experience in a classroom. The Waltz of the Snowflakes (Act I, No. The German author E.T.A. Next: Wrap-up of Tchaikovsky, and further suggested listening. In large amounts this is unbearable. Worse still was the battle between the mice and the toys. Hoffmann. The Nutcracker is able to overcome the stunned Mouse King and claims victory. It is based on E. T. Yet responsibility for the failure was not, apparently, wholly the composers. From an early age, Tchaikovsky had relished stage works involving magic or fantasy such as Webers Der Freischtz and Mozarts Don Giovanni. She holds a master's degree in Art History. In contrast, the Waltz of the Flowers is the final dance of . The original story was more dark and disturbing, with choreographer Marius Petipa deciding to take a lighter approach to Clara's Christmastime dream when adapting it for the stage. This gives The Nutcracker just enough time to stab The Mouse King. On the same day, the composer told Modest Tchaikovsky and Aleksandra Hubert that he had finished the sketches, complaining that he was greatly tired, and "it seems the old man is starting to take his last breaths" [40]. The Russian musicologist Boris Asafyev acclaimed Nutcracker as representing 'the ripening soul of a little girl' who grows from playing with dolls to 'the dawn of love through dreams of love of a brave and virile hero', while Maurice Sendak, author of Where the Wild Things Are, found the music 'bristling with implied action,' with 'a subtext In this fairy tale, toys come to life and battle an army of mice. Evidently, in Rouen Tchaikovsky resumed work on 31 March/12 April. Tchaikovsky was one composer who you could say was really good at painting with sound creating all sorts colors, textures, moods, and landscapes. But the question is, when will I be able to do the rest?". Hoffmann. In the main A theme, a trio of flutes carries the melody, and theyre accompanied by pizzicato (pits-ih-COT-toe) strings plucked with a finger, rather than played with a bow. There are unexpected distractions" [38]. In the Pas de deux, Tchaikovsky omitted the male variation, and on a blank page he wrote: "Transfer from the 1st act (formerly the tarantella) but tone lower", and wrote out the first two bars. Tap genius Michelle Dorrance puts her stamp on the famous Christmas ballet---There is a cornucopia of Nutcrackers twirling all over New York this holiday season, but none as exuberant as Michelle Dorrance's tap-dancing take on the Christmas staple. Act 1 takes place on Christmas eve at a Christmas party of the town mayor's, Hans Stahlbaum's, house. The last A section closely resembles the opening, but louder with the brass, and also you hear the strings doing this wild flying scale thing. On 18 February/2 March, Tchaikovsky went again to Saint Petersburg. The fact the ballet involves some of his most inventive and evocative orchestration is merely, they say, to disguise the poverty of his invention: witness the short-breathed and exceedingly simple character of several of the ballets themes, and the fact Tchaikovsky supplemented these with so many borrowed themes for instance, the Arabian Dance based on a Georgian lullaby. Here, the brass take the back seat. The story of The Nutcracker is loosely based on the E.T.A. The titles of numbers in French (italic type) and Russian (Cyrillic) are taken from the published score, with English translations added in bold type. Tchaikovsky's ballet Nutcracker was just such a creation. Experience the magic of the holidays as it comes to life on stage in the Nutcracker! Not an instrument that you come across a lot, but Tchaikovsky took an unusual instrument and built an extraordinary scene with it. It was a new instrument at the time, and he was among the first to use it for an orchestral work, most notably in segments featuring the Sugar Plum Fairy. There are many designs, including levers, screws, and ratchets. It is rare and genuine and does justice to the private world of children.. Clara wakes, but something's different! Often described as the least of Tchaikovskys three ballets, it has been derided by scholars for its trite plot (Claras ultimate reward, after rescuing her wooden prince, is a childs paradise of sweets and hot beverages). A general dance follows, which is interrupted by the arrival of Councillor Drosselmeyer, who is Clara's godfather. Tchaikovsky and Vsevolozhsky had planned from the outset that children would play a major role in The Nutcracker, a highly unusual and controversial decision for that time. French writer Alexandre Dumas came up with his own adaptation of the story in 1844, which was then turned into a ballet by the Russian composer Tchaikovsky in 1892. During the celebration, Godfather Drosselmeyer arrives. Find Watercolor Vintage Nutcracker stock images in HD and millions of other royalty-free stock photos, illustrations and vectors in the Shutterstock collection. On 17/29 June, Tchaikovsky wrote to his brother Modest: "It is also good for me here, but work isn't going as quickly now as at first. The "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" is one of the final dances of the ballet. In the celestas ethereal notes, Tchaikovsky recognized the voice of his Sugar Plum Fairy, and he immediately wrote to his publisher, asking that the instrument be acquired for the performance. Wednesday, December 18, 2013. Together they travel to mystical lands while battling the mouse king. 1650, along with one of the first typical Ore Mountain region figurines from 1870. Clara and the prince wave goodbye to the inhabitants of the Land of Sweets before being pulled away. Just as The Mouse King is about to defeat The Nutcracker, Clara throws her slipper at him. On 3/15 June 1891, the composer told Pyotr Jurgenson that he was writing Act II of the ballet; he also asked him to order a new orchestral instrument ("Celesta-Mustel") from Paris, "with a divinely unusual sound", which he wanted to use in the symphonic ballad The Voyevoda and in the ballet[35]. ", Create an account to start this course today. The next day, in a deep depression caused by the unexpected news of his sister Aleksandra's death, he wrote: "Even more than yesterday and the day before, I feel absolutely incapable of depicting Confitremburg in music" [32]. Keeping watch over the Land of Sweets in the Nutcracker's absence was the Sugar Plum Fairy. The Suite from the ballet The Nutcracker was compiled as a substitute for the symphonic ballad The Voyevoda on the programme of a Russian Musical Society concert in Saint Petersburg scheduled for 29 February/12 March 1892, at which Tchaikovsky was due to conduct his own works. All rights reserved. Today it's one of the most popular ballets in the world, and many ballet companies perform it every holiday season. here he employed an authentic folk song [42]. This work was carried out at the end of August 1892 [47]. Omitting the Grossvater, Tchaikovsky wrote in his sketch book: "Talk to Petipa regarding the Grossvater, how many times it should be repeated, and whether it should be varied, and have Jurgenson obtain the [musical] notes". The toy instruments are used in Act I (No. Then the old-woman-who-lived-in-a-shoe dances with all her children and a group of clowns. Clara picks up the broken Nutcracker and cradles it in her arms., singing it a lullaby, while the boys tease her. 8 in C minor (Pathetique), 9. The Nutcracker Suite, Op. After everyone has gone to bed Clara comes down to see her Nutcracker, which seems to be giving off a mysterious light. A nutcracker is an instrument used to crack nuts, typically consisting of two hinged metal levers between which the nut is squeezed. The sleigh arrives in the Land of Sweets, where everything is made of candy, sparkling sugar, frosting, and cookies! You really have to be in the theater to get the full experience of the work, but the music to this ballet holds very strongly on its own, often performed in a reduced version as The Nutcracker Ballet Suite, which contains excerpts of the full ballet music, but re-tailored to better fit a concert program.
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