I'm a 17 year old student currently doing my A levels, now on part 2 of the courses post-exams! Bein...
I'm a 17 year old student currently doing my A levels, now on part 2 of the courses post-exams! Being a nerd, I Primarily review computer related hardware and gadgetry, just done a new review on a flash drive!
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Introduction
The Nutcracker Ballet remains the most popular of Tchaikovsky's later works, despite being released to low acclaim during the 1890's it grew into one of the most renowned and loved classical compositions to date. Indeed, even Disney created a feature film : Fantasia, which featured Mickey Mouse as a wizards apprentice, his actions backed by the various themes from the Nutcracker ballad.
Throughout last century and through into this one, the Nutcracker has proven popular in concerts all over the world, the ballad soon gained a reputation as a festive ballad, in part due to the light and airy melodies heard throughout the entire piece that excellently compliment the festive tale. Thus, most concerts run from late November through until early January. Ticket prices vary, ranging from around a tenner to fifty pounds and up depending on the seating, and the overall calibre of the theatre.
Tchaikovsky
The man behind the Nutcracker, aswell as many other beautiful compositions is Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky. Tchaikovsky was born in the remote Russian Ural mountains during 1840. He displayed an immense talent for music from an early age, and set about creating pieces in his own unique style. His style was to be a hub of inspiration for many later composers, it being vivid, sensual and hugely romantic.
Like so many gifted persons of the time, his works were not to be fully appreciated and recognised till after his death in 1892. The media of the time shunned most of his works,
even his fellow composers could find no kind words for Tchaikovskys then-unique style. So heavy was the criticism towards his first Piano Concerto he flew into despair, he begun to believe that the composition was a mere plagiarism of others works, with only fractions of it being worth keeping away from the fire. However, he would not be deterred so easily - he decided to leave his first Piano Concerto unchanged. At the time, he was characterized as a rather un-Russian composer by his critics, being regarded as a favorer of more west European styles of composing.
Tchaikovsky went on to produce such famous works as Swan Lake, which is regarded by some as the greatest ballet ever created. Aswell as his famed Romeo & Juliet overture, the Nutcracker suite. The Sleeping Beauty (which was also adapted for Disney's film of the same name) and also his countless concertos and symphonys that so charactarize his inventiveness and sheer adeptitude when it came to composing music of limitless beauty.
He taught in the Moscow Conservatory from 1866 onwards, even getting to hear Sergey Rachmaninov - another most renowned and respected Russian composer play. In his awe of the youthful Rachmaninov's playing Tchaikovsky added 3 further + marks to the maximum mark possible (5) above, below and beside the young Rachmaninov's name.
Tchaikovsky died in 1893, just a year after finishing the Nutcracker. Nowadays however, despite the endless criticisms he received during life, hes seen as the finest Russian composer ever to have lived. From the memorable film scores of the 1930's and 40's, to the huge popularity of his works in concert right up till present day the amount of credit Tchaikovsky has received is unparalelled. Indeed, his music will survive for centuries to come.
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker's story was not originally Tchaikovskys idea, rather it was a book written by E.T.A Hoffman, a 19th century author. During 1891, the legendary choreographer Marius Petipa commissioned Tchaikovsky to write the music for the Nutcracker ballet. The tale is quite simple, it regards a young German princess named Clara who dreams of the Nutcracker prince, aswell as a battle with a Mouse King with seven heads after falling asleep after a Christmas party.
Part 1, the party.
Beginning with a party at the Stahlbaum house (a house with a gargantuan yet immensely attractive Christmas tree) . The party sets the festive theme, with Tchaikovskys music providing a memorable backing to an ultimately memorable play. Children begin opening presents, and the young princess receives a small Nutcracker doll from her Godfather Drosselmeyer. His godson, Fritz is jealous and breaks the doll, which is then promptly fixed when Drosselmeyer uses a hankerchief he draws out of thin air. As the hour grows late the party ends, but Clara, still concerned about the state of her new Nutcracker doll, sneaks back downstairs to check on him. She falls asleep with the doll underneath the huge Christmas tree, and so her dream begins.
Part 2, the battle scene.
Clara soon finds herself shrinking under the massive shadow of the Christmas tree, the tree grows bigger and bigger. At the same time the nutcracker doll - aswell as all the other toy presents, wakes up! While all this commotion occurs, the room begins to fill up with mice, commanded by the Mouse King. The Nutcracker rallies the other toys, and heads into battle against the army of mice, after battling for awhile though, it becomes evident the Nutcrackers forces are no match for the Mouse Kings. As the Mouse King advances further, Clara throws one of her slippers at him, knocking him out immediately! His fellow mice panic, and end up carrying off their leaders body.
Part 3, the nutcracker journeys,
After the battle, the Nutcracker turns into a charming prince, and takes Clara on a journey, first he tours the magnificant land of snow. The land of snow takes the form of an enchanted forest, the prince and Clara are welcomed by a legion of dancing snowflakes.
The Nutcracker prince continues his journey, he then arrives in the land of sweets, where he tells the Sugar Plum Fairy of his battle with the Mouse King, his reward is a celebration of dances! The finale is a dance between the Sugar Plum Fairy and her companion the Cavalier.
The ballet concludes with Clara waking up from her dream to find herself below the huge Christmas tree.
The Music
The Nutcracker ballet comprises of eight different songs, all of them outstanding...
1. The Nutcracker Overture, the opening song introduces the party scene excellently, its immense melodies and downright memorable tune provide a wonderful opening to a wonderful play.
2. The Nutcracker march is the first of a line of memorable themes from the ballet, its light and rhymatic melody assist in building up the festive nature attributed to the play.
3. The Sugar Plum Dance is perhaps one of the most recogisable themes to date, having been used in countless advertisments aswell as in Fantasia. The songs melody is rather catchy too, its probably the most quiet song in the nutcracker, and it projects an airy and delicate theme across to the audience.
4. The Russian Dance is the second memorable theme, this is the first of the Sugar Plum fairys dances, the exceptional song with its lively melody and upbeat tone helps to kick start the entire scene.
5. The Arabian Dance is up next, its a small contrast to the previous songs in that it really isn't recognisable at all! The tune itself sounds more modern, which explains its usage in more recent films. It is less light and festive than any previous composition, but an excellent piece of music in its own right.
6. The Chinese Dance is another highly recognisable theme from the very start, it returns to the overall theme of festivity in the play, being a very merry song.
7. The Dance of Reeds is the fourth greatly recognisable theme in The Nutcracker, while somewhat repetitive, the song greatly helps the ballad along by emphasizing the festivities at the Sugar Plum Fairys party.
8. The final song on the Nutcracker is The Waltz of Flowers, it continues the very light and airy melodic theme and provides yet another recognisable tune. The violin work is exceptional, and concludes the Nutcracker tremendously.
Conclusion
The Nutcracker is possibly the finest festive ballet in existance, the extraordinarily recognisable songs and compositions from Tchaikovsky make for a fantastic night out. I strongly recommend buying the Nutcrackers soundtrack or going to see it in concert, heck why not both!
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One of my favourite composers/ have the music on various c.d.s . Enjoyed reading the history and the story - Thank you. Linda
djdarko 13.01.2005 09:24
I love the Nutcracker. Such moving music! Great stuff, Martin
Finno 23.12.2004 12:26
Love the detail. THANKS. Hey, Target has nutcrackers on sale.WOW they even have a life-size one, and ones in chocolate and a billion styles- for anyone who collects nutcrackers.
Ever the seasonal favourite, there's now no end of performances of The Nutcracker to ... more
choose from at Christmas. Yet why wait until then? The present disc gives you all the highlights, including the sparkling "Miniature Overture and March", and the drama...
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Dec 2nd, 2004
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