TCHAIKOVSKY:Nutcracker
This 2-act dance drama, OP. 71, was written in 1891-1892 and
premiered on December 6, 1892, with a plot taken from a fairy tale by the German writer, Hoff
Mann (The Nutcracker and the King of the Rats). Tchaikovsky based
it on a French translation by Alexandre Dumas. Describes Christmas Eve, when Clara
gets many presents, but her favorite is the Nutcracker. But
it is her naughty brother who snatches it away and breaks it, and little Clara
puts it to sleep as if she were tending to a sick person, not realizing that she herself has fallen asleep.
In sleep, many little rats came out of the house, all the cakes
dots, toys are active, the Nutcracker rate toys and rats to fight
Front, look to be defeated, Clara took off one of her little shoes, killed
King of the rats, all the rats fled light. At that moment, the magic is lifted, and the Nutcracker
clips into a beautiful prince, in return for Clara's help
help, he took her through the winter snow-covered forest to the kingdom of the Candy
fairies. The play is divided into:Act I, Scene I, 1. Scene,
Christmas Tree, not too fast Allegro, describing Christmas night, the family of Mr. and Mrs. Stabbaum, the city council members
, preparing for Christmas.2. March,
Children dancing around the Christmas tree.3, Little Gallop, sharp board to
March, Minuet, the costumed man and woman come onstage. Dancing tarantella
Roll. 4. Dancing scene, child's gift. Viola and trombone play minuet, Santa Claus arrives with Christmas gifts. Old
man takes out automaton dolls, dolls dance in pairs. s Scene
Scene, Santa's Dance, old man takes out Nutcracker dolls, two men
clash over the dolls. The older brother grabs
the Nutcracker from Clara and drops it on the floor. Clara sentimentally carries it
to the doll bed. The older brother makes a racket in the living room by playing a toy drum and trumpet, and the adult invites a dance in order to calm the child.6. Scene, the guest of honor
exits, the child goes to sleep, and the magic begins. The parlor quiets down to the melody of a lullaby
and Clara sneaks into the
parlor with the Nutcracker in her arms. The clarinet and bassoon show her approaching
the doll's bed with trepidation, the mouse appears under the wall bells, and the piccolo suggests
the mouse's movements into the middle panel. The violin shows the Christmas tree slowly
stretching into a giant tree, and the doll soldiers in the sweets make their way to the room.7
Scene of the Nutcracker's battle with the Mouse King, with the dolls transformed into princes, and the Nutcracker directing the toys in the battle with the mice in a
lively plucked Allegretto.9
Scene of the Nutcracker commanding the toys in the battle with the mice. In a moment of crisis, Clara throws her shoe at the King of the Mice, who falls
and the pack of mice flees, and the toys are victorious. To the melody of a beautiful string
expression, the Nutcracker turns into a prince, who thanks Clara
for saving his life and wants to guide her to the Kingdom of Candy. Scene II
, 8. Scene, Pine Forest in Winter, violin in line, showing K
Lara following the Prince to the Pine Forest at night, and the Snow Fairy Spirit guiding the
two with a torch.9. Snowflake Round Dance, Snow Fairy and the Queen's Dance
, with 24 children's voices chorusing behind the scenes.
Act II, 10. Scene, Magic City, the two arrive in the Candy King
Kingdom.11. Scene, Clara and the Nutcracker are greeted by the Candy Fairy
, moderately fast, the Fairy appears flanked by her attendants, the King
introduces Clara to her, recounts the battle with the mice, and
the Candy Kingdom begins to welcome 12. Interpolated dances, which
include:
1) the Chocolate Spanish Dance, a bolero, which is followed by a splendid
allegro; 2) the Coffee Arabian Dance; 3) the Tea Chinese Dance, which
is followed by a moderate allegro; 4) the Dance of the Tres Barker, a Russian
Scottish Folk Dance; 5) the Dance of the Bamboo Flute, the Shepherdess of the Marzipan Dance of the Sugar
Fruit Fairy; 6)
The Clown Dance, a dance of women and children.13.The Flower Round Dance, a dance of the Sugar
Fruit Fairy's attendants.14.The Dance of the Duo, a dance of the Sugar Fairy and
The Prince of the Nutcracker.15.The Final Round Dance and the Great Reunion
, which signifies that the laurel-crowned Clara receives the blessing of the people of the Kingdom of Sweets.16.The Dance of the Sugar Fairy and the Prince of the Nutcracker.
The music for this dance is adapted as a suite, OP.71a, consisting of 3
movements:1. Minor Overture, moderately Allegro, in the key of B-flat major, which is
a light and lively march, presenting the figurative world of the Nutcracker
in a general way.2. 6 Characteristic Dances, consisting of a series of frolicsome
musical pieces:1)First for the Act I children's march around the Christmas tree
, in G major; 2) Candy Fairy Dance, not too slow march, in B minor
, with the Candy Fairy represented on the steel panpiano; 3) Russian Trebuchet
Dance, in G major; 4) Café Arabesque, Allegro petite, in G minor
; 5) Dance of Tea China, a middle-of-the-road Allegro in B? major; 6) Dance of the Tea China, in B? major; 7) Dance of the Tea China, in B? major. B major; 6) Bamboo
Flute Dance - Pastoral flute played by toy shepherds, Moderate Allegro, D
major; 3. Waltz of the Flowers. Music for the festive climax of Act II:
The Butler summons 36 actresses, all adorned with flowers, and 36 men, all adorned with flowers, to carry large bouquets of flowers to the newlyweds, the Prince and K
Lara, and the whole room dances in a magnificent dance.
The full-length version of this dance drama is available:1. Dorati conducts the Len
Donald's Symphony Orchestra. Philips, CD No. 444 562-2 (cheap
small double LP), Mercury, CD No. 432750-2 (2 LPs) (Penguin
Goose} review 3 stars.2. Dituva conducts the Montreal Symphony Orchestra
Edition, Decca, CD No. 440 477-2 + Tchaikovsky (Sleeping
Beauty) in The Wedding)), {Penguin) review 3 stars.3. Ermler
(Ermler) conducts the Covent Garden Orchestra edition, ROH, CD No.
ROH 304/ 5 (2 sheets).4. Bonynge conducts the National Philharmonic Orchestra
edition, Decca, CD No.444 821-2 (cheap small double sheet), (Penguin
Braid review three stars.5. Bichkov conducts the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Edition,Philips, CD No. 420 237-2+Introduction, Ballade, Polish Dance from Tchaikovsky (Yevgeny Onegin) on 2
sheets), (Penguin) review three stars.6. Mackerras conducts the London Symphony Orchestra Edition, Telarc, CD No. 8137 (2 copies), (Penguin) review
three stars. A version of the Symphonic Suite for this production can be found in the Swan Lake
Suite version.
Detailed enough?