The pianist and conductor mikhail pletnev adapted some of the music into a virtuosic concert suite for piano solo. Dec 16, 2014 it wasnt until 1892 that tchaikovsky introduced the celeste to russian audiences, in his score for the nutcracker. The celesta is a keyboard instrument whose hammers hit metal plates, sounding similar to but softer than a glockenspiel. Dec 21, 2018 tchaikovsky s ballet the nutcracker is a magical musical journey to the land where all good dreams come true from the album tchaikovsky. Tchaikovskys use of the celesta in the nutcracker how tchaikovsky used an entirely new instrument to score the sugar plum fairys famous solo. In 1891, tchaikovsky wrote to his publisher jurgenson. 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. How tchaikovsky used an entirely new instrument to score the sugar. I have discovered a new instrument in paris, something between a piano and a glockenspiel, with a divinely beautiful tone. How tchaikovskys nutcrac ker became a holiday tradition renee montagne talks with miles hoffman about the history of tchaikovsky s the nutcracker suite.
Tchaikovsky composed the now world famous solo for celesta, the dance of the sugar plum fairy as part of his nutcracker suite. The celesta came to fame after its appearance in tchaikovskys ballet the. Dec 23, 2014 tso principal keyboard patricia krueger plays music from tchaikovsky s nutcracker on the celeste. Alexandre dumas peres adaptation of the story by e. The instrumentation features a tambourine with the strings and woodwinds that enlivens the rhythm and orchestral sound.
The famed nutcracker ballet by pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky will be presented for the first time in its entirety in new delhi as the grand culmination of the festival of russian culture in india. But the instrument has seen regular use by a number of prominent composers including gustav mahler in his sixth and eighth symphonies, gustav holst in the neptune movement of the planets, george. Dec 04, 2017 listen the nutcracker 2017 1hour 57min 59sec. Tchaikovsky s adaptation of the story the nutcracker and the mouse king by e. Tchaikovsky compiled his suite from the ballet the nutcracker, op. Why did tchaikovsky use the celesta in dance of the sugar plum fairy.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Although tchaikovsky wasnt the first to use the celeste, it would be safe to say that the dance of the sugar plum fairy is the most recognisable composition for the instrument. During the holiday season, its fairly common to hear tchaikovskys dance of the sugarplum fairy from the nutcracker. The original story is a rich and subtly humorous story for children while offering irony and literary allusions that only adults would understand. The nutcracker is a twoact ballet by pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky. The celesta was invented in 1886 by auguste mustel and tchaikovsky came across the instrument five years later while in paris. The celesta musical instrument, also called celeste instrument, was invented in 1886 by victor mustel and the warm sound resembles a combination of a glockenspiel and a metallophone. Dec 18, 2014 how tchaikovskys nutcracker became a holiday tradition renee montagne talks with miles hoffman about the history of tchaikovskys the nutcracker suite. Pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky the nutcracker waltz of the flowers. This was tchaikovskys last ballet, from which he compiled a. But while the celesta is best known for its annual place in productions of tchaikovskys the nutcracker, the instrument has a significant if under celebrated place. The secret story behind tchaikovskys mysterious celesta in the. Pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky is widely considered the most popular russian composer in history.
Hoffmann was set to music by tchaikovsky and originally choreographed by marius petipa. The origin of the nutcracker, a classic christmas story, is a fairy tale ballet in two acts centered on a familys christmas eve celebration. All about the celesta instrument also celeste, the invention and the action mechanism from the only celesta manufacturer worldwide since 1890. Tchaikovsky march from the nutcracker, opus 71 youtube.
Pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky the nutcracker waltz of the. The strings are hit by hammers, producing a very soft, belllike sound. Schiedmayer, which was already producing concert grand pianos, harmoniums and upright pianos, began making celestas as early as 1890. The celesta is similar in appearance to a piano, but contains metal plates instead of strings. Nov 12, 20 tchaikovskys solution was simple but radical. March from the nutcracker, opus 71 peter tchaikovsky. The composer was particularly delighted by his use of the celesta, the heavenly keyboard instrument newly invented in paris, for the dance of the sugar plum fairy. Tchaikovskys the nutcracker also uses some unusual percussion such as a childs rattle and a rifle. Dance of the sugar plum fairy from tchaikovskys the nutcracker. Oct 01, 2015 the celesta came to fame after its appearance in tchaikovskys ballet the nutcracker. It was the only one of his three ballet suites to have been compiled an published during the composers lifetime.
Since the company mustel terminated its production of. The nutcracker simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Dance of the sugar plum fairy simple english wikipedia, the. Inside, pianolike felt hammers are arranged to dynamically strike. I want to introduce this into the nutcracker and the symphonic poem the voyevode. Hoffmann was commissioned by the director of the imperial theatres ivan vsevolozhsky in 1891. It is fascinating how tchaikovsky s works, especially his great ballets, are now considered seminal western romantic compositions, yet at the time were derided as alien, quasieastern music by the german musical establishment.
The celesta is a musical instrument, probably best known as a. For many, peter tchaikovskys the nutcracker is a holiday tradition that sets the tone for the season. On 315 june 1891, the composer told pyotr jurgenson that he was writing act ii of the ballet. Unique features of his instrumentation include the overture, which is entirely without cellos and double basses. In his letter he wrote, i dont want you to show the celesta to anyoneespecially not rimskykorsakov or glazunov. The nutcrackers celesta with kelly zuercher youtube. Cw 14, is a fairy ballet in 2 acts and 3 scenes, written and orchestrated by tchaikovsky between february 1891 and april 1892. Tchaikovsky s famous dance of the sugar plum fairy features the sounds of an instrument called a celesta. I know that he went to great lengths to acquire the instrument. One of the bestknown works that uses the celesta is pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky s dance of the sugar plum fairy from the nutcracker. There is some debate about whether the celesta should be considered a percussion instrument, but nonetheless it is the instrument most prominent in, dance of the sugar plum fairy from the nutcracker. Trepak is one dance from a set of dances found in tchaikovsky s the nutcracker, a ballet from 1892. This quality gave the instrument its name, celeste, meaning heavenly in french.
Dec 16, 2019 during the holiday season, its fairly common to hear tchaikovskys dance of the sugarplum fairy from the nutcracker. The secret story behind tchaikovskys mysterious celesta. The sound of the celesta is similar to that of the glockenspiel, but with a much softer and more subtle timbre. Tchaikovsky wrote in a letter to his publisher, i have discovered a new instrument in paris, something between a piano and a glockenspiel, with a divinely beautiful tone. The number was choreographed by lev ivanov to music written by tchaikovsky. Tchaikovskys use of the celesta in the nutcracker a spoonful of sugar. And when the music starts, you can close your eyes and allow visions of sugarplums and snowflakes, flowers and a fairyland to enter your imagination. To this orchestra he added a celesta for the dance of the sugar plum fairy in act 2 and childrens instrumentsdrums, trumpets, cymbals, bird calls, whistles, and a rattlefor the christmas party in act 1. It is a russian dance featuring squatkicks and an energetic rhythm. He was determined to be the first russian composer to. In the celestas ethereal notes, tchaikovsky recognized the voice of his sugar plum fairy, and he immediately wrote to his publisher, asking that the instrument be acquired for the performance.
Tchaikovsky found the ideal instrument to do this job in paris in 1891. The celesta is often used to enhance a melody line played by another instrument or section. Dec, 2017 tchaikovsky must have made quite an impression on the first audiences in russia, who at the time had never before heard the belllike celesta before. He first made use of the celesta in dance of the sugar plum fairy in his ballet, the nutcracker in 1892. How tchaikovskys nutcracker became a holiday tradition. Auguste mustel invented this keyboard instrument in 1886, six years before the nutcracker had its premiere. The instrument that plays the iconic solo in that piece is called the celesta, a keyboard instrument where the hammers strike orchestral bells. The nutcracker is the last of tchaikovsky s three great ballets, and was premiered in 1892, the year before his enigmatic death. Tchaikovsky was the first wellknown composer to make serious use of the celesta in his symphonic poem the voyevoda, one year prior to the nutcracker. Tchaikovskys use of the celesta in the nutcracker royal opera. The celesta instrument from the french celeste for heavenly is an idiophone with a keyboard which looks somewhat like a piano.
His homeward journey took him through paris, where he discovered a new instrument. Discover what makes tchaikovskys nutcracker sound like sugar. His work includes the the sleeping beauty and the nutcracker. History of the nutcracker pacific northwest ballet. The story was based on a childrens fairy tale by e. Tchaikovsky had heard one in paris in 1891 and asked his publisher to buy. Tchaikovsky had a celesta imported from france, though kept the whole operation very hushhush, fearing that other musicians in russia might find a way to use it before he did in the nutcracker. The dance of the sugar plum fairy is a dance for a ballerina. When tchaikovsky discovered the celesta in 1891, it had been invented just five years earlier and unveiled at pariss 1889 exposition universelle.
This instrument look like a piano but sound like bells. Sugar plum fairy from the nutcracker suite by tchaikovsky. It was then that he came across the recently invented celesta. The secret story behind tchaikovskys celesta in the nutcracker. Nov 27, 2015 yet, the ballet endured and the suite of musical numbers subsequently drawn from tchaikovskys complete score for performance in the concert hall was immediately popular. Tchaikovsky was very good with instrumentation, and he actually features different instruments in different movements. Cw 32, popularly known as the nutcracker suite, in january and february 1892. The secret story behind tchaikovskys mysterious celesta in.
Despite having a keyboard, the celesta is actually a percussion instrument. The celesta is one of the featured instruments in tchaikovskys the nutcracker. Feb 26, 2020 tchaikovsky began work in february 1891, continuing his efforts while on an american tour later that year for the opening of carnegie hall. I am just wondering why tchaikovsky chose to use the celesta in the nutcracker.
922 300 871 1477 1111 1528 50 713 1169 371 455 477 1124 1129 1431 80 638 473 517 319 181 376 230 9 436 578 150 480 975 998 269 711 548