The Nutcracker was one of my earliest obsessions as a kid exploring classical music. Along with Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, it was one of the works to show me how powerful storytelling through music could be.
I wish I could have been in the audience for the ballet’s premiere, if only to be one of the first to hear the swirling sounds of the celesta — the bell-toned keyboard instrument Tchaikovsky used to magical effect in the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. He came across the newly invented instrument in Paris, and immediately asked his publisher to buy him one for use in Moscow. But Tchaikovsky also begged him not to let any other Russian composer know the instrument was available. He wanted to be the first in town to use it!
The New York Times recently ran a great piece on the instrument’s history. Here’s a gift link if you're interested:
Don't know if you had the chance to see Mark Morris' The Hard Nut set in '60s suburbia. A fantastic staging with Waltz of the Farries being one of the highlights.
I've also not been able to view Degas' work the same since you did the expose a while back. There is now a rather unsettling aspect to it.
Thank you for sharing these, I loved watching them! Also, sorry about Degas 😂 I feel that I may have ruined the experience for a few people, but hopefully the essay illuminated some important history. The dancers themselves were artists, too, and deserve to be celebrated as well.
The Waltz of the Fairies on stage was magical and audiences were enraptured.His company is still touring and performing the Hard Nut in US so if they make it back overseas well worth catching. First performed in Brussels in 1991.
The history behind the Degas paintings are well worth knowing. There is an unsavory quality as he knew what their circumstances were and he too is now profiting from them and once again they receive nothing in return. I’m not sure this is really celebrating them.What do they have to show from this?
When my daughters were young part of our Christmas tradition was to see The Nutcracker.
That's so sweet! That could be something to write about in Thoughts and Memories!
The Nutcracker was one of my earliest obsessions as a kid exploring classical music. Along with Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, it was one of the works to show me how powerful storytelling through music could be.
I wish I could have been in the audience for the ballet’s premiere, if only to be one of the first to hear the swirling sounds of the celesta — the bell-toned keyboard instrument Tchaikovsky used to magical effect in the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. He came across the newly invented instrument in Paris, and immediately asked his publisher to buy him one for use in Moscow. But Tchaikovsky also begged him not to let any other Russian composer know the instrument was available. He wanted to be the first in town to use it!
The New York Times recently ran a great piece on the instrument’s history. Here’s a gift link if you're interested:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/03/arts/music/celesta-nutcracker-holiday-music.html?unlocked_article_code=1.hU4.ZsU4.rUlUZbvywwjq&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
What a beautiful story! And funny - I can totally picture that conversation. Thank you, I absolutely will!
Don't know if you had the chance to see Mark Morris' The Hard Nut set in '60s suburbia. A fantastic staging with Waltz of the Farries being one of the highlights.
I've also not been able to view Degas' work the same since you did the expose a while back. There is now a rather unsettling aspect to it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jTPvixI-lU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jnj5DAjupZc
Thank you for sharing these, I loved watching them! Also, sorry about Degas 😂 I feel that I may have ruined the experience for a few people, but hopefully the essay illuminated some important history. The dancers themselves were artists, too, and deserve to be celebrated as well.
The Waltz of the Fairies on stage was magical and audiences were enraptured.His company is still touring and performing the Hard Nut in US so if they make it back overseas well worth catching. First performed in Brussels in 1991.
The history behind the Degas paintings are well worth knowing. There is an unsavory quality as he knew what their circumstances were and he too is now profiting from them and once again they receive nothing in return. I’m not sure this is really celebrating them.What do they have to show from this?
Somehow this really struck me. Glad you did it.
Absolutely lovely piece. Plus, a great observation about the social.status of Degas' dancers which I had never considered before.
Thank you so much, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent piece, Nicole. 'Toy Story' should acknowledge its inspiration!
Thank you so much! ☺️