pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky the nutcracker ballet in two acts

PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
THE NUTCRACKER
BALLET IN TWO ACTS
ORCHESTRATION
The Nutcracker is scored for an orchestra. The breakdown of the instrumentation is as follows:
Woodwinds
3 flutes (2nd & 3rd doubling on piccolo), 2 oboes, an English horn, 2 clarinets in B-flat
and A, a bass clarinet in B-flat and A, and 2 bassoons
Brass
4 horns in F, 2 trumpets in A and B-flat, 3 trombones (2 tenor, 1 bass), and a tuba
Percussion
A celesta, timpani, a snare drum, cymbals, a bass drum, a triangle, a tambourine, a
castanets, a tam-tam, a glockenspiel, and "toy instruments" (a rattle, a trumpet, a drum, a
cuckoo, a quail, cymbals, and a rifle)
Voices
SA chorus
Strings
2 harps, first and second violins, violas, violoncellos, and double basses
MUSICAL STRUCTURE
The music of the Nutcracker is structured in two acts and three tableaus. The following table shows the
breakdown of the scenes and the tempo of the music played within each scene.
ACT 1: TABLEAU 1
SCENE
TEMPO
1: Scene [Decorating and lighting the Christmas
tree]
Allegro non troppo – Piu moderato – Allegro vivace
2: March
Tempo di marcia viva
3: Little Gallop [of the children] and the arrival of
the parents
Presto – Andante - Allegro
4: Scene Dansante (Droysselmeyers arrival and
distribution of presents)
Andantino – Allegro vivo – Andantino Sostenuto –
Piu andante – Allegro molto vivace – Tempo di
Valse – Presto
5: Scene and Grandfather Dance
Andante – Andantino – Moderato assai – Andante –
L’istesso tempo – Tempo di Gross-Vater –
Allegro Vivacissimo
6: Scene [Departure of the guests]
Allegro semplice – Moderato con moto – Allegro
Giusto – Piu allegro – Moderato assai
7: Scene [The battle]
Allegro vivo
ACT 1: TABLEAU 2
8: Scene [Usually entitled either Journey Through
the Snow or A Pine Forest in Winter]
Andante
9: Waltz of the Snowflakes
Tempo di Valse, ma con moto - Presto
ACT 2: TABLEAU 3
10: Scene [Introduction]
Andante
11: Scene [Arrival of Clara and the Prince]
Andante con moto – Moderato – Allegro Agitato –
Poco piu allegro – Tempo precedente
12: Divertissement
A. Chocolate (Spanish Dance)
Allegro Brilliante
B. Coffee (Arabian Dance)
Commodo
C. Tea (Chinese Dance)
Allegro Moderato
D. Trepak (Russian Dance)
Tempo di Trepak, molto vivace
E. Dance of the “Mirlitons” [also known as “Dance
of the Reed-Flutes”]
Andantino
F. Mother Gigogne and the clowns [also known as
“Mother Ginger and her children” or
“polichinelles”]
Allegro giocoso – Andante – Allegro vivo
13: Waltz of the Flowers
Tempo di Valse
14: Pas de Deux
A. Adagio (Sugar-Plum Fairy and her Cavalier)
Andante Maestoso
B. Variation I (for the male dancer) [Tarantella]
Tempo di Tarantella
C. Variation II (for the female dancer) [Dance of the
Sugar-Plum Fairy)
Andante ma non-troppo - Presto
D. Coda
Vivace assai
15: Final Waltz and Apotheosis
Tempo di Valse – Molto Meno
CONCERT EXCERPTS AND ARRANGEMENTS
The music from the Nutcracker (The Nutcracker Suite) has been used to create several piano solo works.
1. Tchaikovsky: Suite from the ballet The Nutcracker
Tchaikovsky himself made a selection of eight of the number from the ballet before the ballet’s December
1892, forming The Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a, intended for concert performance. The suite became
instantly popular when it was first performed. Note: The Nutcracker Suite should not be mistaken for the
complete ballet. These selections are as follows:
I. Miniature Overture
II. Danses caractéristiques
a. Marche
b. Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy [ending altered from ballet-version]
c. Russian Dance (Trepak)
d. Arabian Dance
e. Chinese Dance
f. Reed-Flutes
III. Waltz of the Flowers
2. Grainger: Paraphrase on Tchaikovsky’s Flower Waltz, for Solo Piano
The Paraphrase on Tchaikovsky’s Flower Waltz is a successful piano arrangement from one of the
movements from The Nutcracker by the pianist and composer Percy Grainger.
3. Pletnev: Concert Suite from the Nutcracker, for Solo Piano
The pianist and conductor Mikhail Pletnev adapted some of the music into a virtuosic concert suite for
piano solo:
a. March
b. Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy
c. Tarantella
d. Intermezzo
e. Russian Trepak
f. China Dance
g. Andante

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