Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker - Highlights

With all the festivities of Christmas now begun, we are bombarded with advertisements of Christmas Films, Pantomimes and CDs. Among these, and often overlooked, is The Nutcracker composed by Peter Llyich Tchaikovsky.

Tchaikovsky was already well known for his Ballet music when he composed the music for the Nutcracker in 1892 with compositions for Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty already completed. Both had, however, been unfavourably ...
...director of The Imperial Theatre in St. Petersburg, Vsevolozhsky commissioned Tchaikovsky to compose another ballet.

Vsevolozhsky himself suggested that an adaptation of E. T. A. Hoffmann’s story, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by Alexander Dumas, be used as a subject for the ballet. Tchaikovsky was not originally impressed with this idea stating that it lacked the dramatic and emotional tension that had inspired his earlier ballets. ... more

With all the festivities of Christmas now begun, we are bombarded with advertisements of Christmas Films, Pantomimes and CDs. Among these, and often overlooked, is The Nutcracker composed by Peter Llyich Tchaikovsky.

Tchaikovsky was already well known for his Ballet music when he composed the music for the Nutcracker in 1892 with compositions for Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty already completed. Both had, however, been unfavourably received by the contemporary audiences and critics, Not discouraged, the director of The Imperial Theatre in St. Petersburg, Vsevolozhsky commissioned Tchaikovsky to compose another ballet.

Vsevolozhsky himself suggested that an adaptation of E. T. A. Hoffmann’s story, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by Alexander Dumas, be used as a subject for the ballet. Tchaikovsky was not originally impressed with this idea stating that it lacked the dramatic and emotional tension that had inspired his earlier ballets.

But despite his discontent and personal setbacks, Tchaivoksky finally completed the score in April 1872 working in collaboration with librettists Ivan Vsevolozhskii and Marius Petipa . The ballet was first performed on 6th December 1872 in the Marinnsskii theatre and has been a Christmas favourite ever since.

Tchaivoksky scored his ballet music for 2 piccolos, 3 flutes, 2 oboes, cor anglais, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, triangle, tambourine, cymbals, bass drum, military drum, tam-tam, glockenspiel, triangle, castanets, toy instruments (rattle, trumpet, drums, cuckoo, quail, cymbals), celesta, 2 harps, SA chorus and strings.

Tchaivoksky also completed a piano arrangement and a suite of eight dances from the ballet (which are probably better known the ballet itself). This review is for the CD of the ballet in it’s entirety.
The CD opens with the Overture introducing the movements that are to follow creating a magnificent and tantalizing start.

The music begins reflecting the actions and feelings of the libretto conjuring up magnificent images. It starts with the decoration of the Christmas Tree as Tchaikovsky uses the piccolos to suggest the happy voices of children.

A light yet lively march accompanies the giving of the presents. The music becomes more festive turning to a dance as the children begin to play with them. A chiming clock heralds the arrival of the children’s godfather also bearing gifts. Low brass play as a life sized Harlequin and a Columbine doll; a military saleswoman and a soldier are presented and then each perform their own dance. These marvelous dolls are considered to be too precious and are put away for safekeeping. But Drosselmayer has another surprise for them, a beautifully made nutcracker!

The boy Fritz, in his excitement, breaks the nutcracker and his sister, Clara, is horrified. The music is momentarily melancholy as Clara nurses the damaged figure. He is soon fitted with a temporary repair and the music becomes joyful once more. Another dance follows, this time the music is slow and rhythmic for the traditional Grandfather dance that ends the evening festivities.

The music quietens as the household falls to sleep. Clara begins to dream and mice patter in accompanied by pizzicato strings. As the toys all come to life, the toy instruments play. The music heightens as the toys begin to fight the mice building to a climax as the Nutcracker challenges the Mouse King in single combat.

With the assistance of Clara, the Nutcracker wins and is transformed into a prince. A boy choir sings as Clara and the Nutcracker romantically waltz through the snowflakes in the forest.

A frulato playing of the flutes (a flutter-tongue effect), suggests the rippling of a river as Clara and the Prince travel to the magical Kingdom of Confections.
This is where the music will become recognizable to most. There follows a procession of eight dances used by Tchaikovsky to form his Ballet Suite. Many of the dances will be recognized from films and advertisements. The soundtracks from Elf and Mr Nanny, for instance, utilizes a selection of tunes from the Ballet Suite.

Each dance has it’s own particular nationalistic flavour. The Spanish Dance opens as chocolate is served. The Arabian Dance brings in coffee followed by tea brought in by the Chinese Dance.
The Russian Dance, Trepak (The Butcher Boy) is one of the most memorable on the album as is the Dance of the Miriltons (Everyone’s a fruit and nut cake tune and Inspector Gadget) played on mirliton-flutes.
Mother Ginger and her French bonbon children are next. then the Waltz of the sugared cake-icing flowers (Sanctuary, The Road to Wellville and The Mighty Ducks).

The dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy closes the procession and forms the highlight. Tchaikovsky uses a type of glockenspiel, the celesta, to produce “the sound of falling drops of water, as from a fountain”. The instrument, only recently invented by Frenchman Victor Mustel, brought a distinctive sound quality to the music.

A Grand Waltz concludes the album as Clara awakens to find herself under the Christmas tree, the nutcracker in her hands.

The Nutcracker is a fantastic festive musical fantasia. I do, wholeheartedly, recommend this album released on the Philips label in January 1999. The libretto is sung by the Kirov Opera Chorus accompanied by the Kirov Opera Orchestra. It is a superb recording that will thrill you for years to come.

This recording is the score of whole ballet not simply the extracts like many other recordings. The texture is therefore more splendidly contrasted and the quality richer. Varery Gergiev is incredibly experienced in conducting ballet and opera orchestras and is as expected brilliant. He keeps the tempos are brisk and precise.

Included on the cover is a brief outline of the ballet enhancing the images the music will conjure for itself.

So in conclusion, The Nutcracker is a wonderful piece of Christmas music that will delight all that listens. At 12.99, this will make a wonderful gift or will make a brilliant addition to your collection.
 

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