Christmas has come a little earlier this year for the NUS Piano Ensemble, who is bringing a little magic to you in a recital featuring Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker Suite.
On a sparkling Christmas Eve, in a frost-dusted London, Clara's family is having a party. As the clock strikes midnight, Clara and her Nutcracker doll battle with the evil Mouse King and his army. Pursued by the Mouse King, Clara and her valiant Nutcracker take a hot air balloon ride across a winter wonderland, beginning a magical adventure.
The Nutcracker Suite is one of the most enduring and popular classical works today, with pop and rock arrangements for the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. The ballet itself has become synonymous with Christmas. But did you know that the original ballet premier was a complete flop? It took until the 1960s for the ballet to become the Christmas tradition that it is now. Sadly, Tchaikovsky, who died a year after the premier from cholera, was never aware of the ballet's later success.
Although this ballet music is more well-known today, Tchaikovsky did not favour this work. In fact, he felt that it was 'infinitely poorer' than his music for The Sleeping Beauty. The Nutcracker is a very short performance, lasting only 85 minutes compared to the 2 hour long Swan Lake, while The Sleeping Beauty lasted a whole 4 hours.
When Tchaikovsky was working on the Suite, the celesta (the primary instrument in the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy) had only been invented 6 years ago, in 1886. The celesta resembles a small upright piano, in which hammers hit small steel plates creating a high, bell-like, celestial sound (hence its name). Upon hearing the sound of the instrument in 1891, Tchaikovsky asked his publisher to acquire one in secret, worried that his rival composers might use it first. He did not even allow it to be used in rehearsals, right until just before the performance.
NUSPE will be performing the four-hands version of this beautiful suite, and we hope that you will come and watch us! Again, Melodias 2014 is happening this coming Sunday, 14th December, 3pm, at library@esplanade, and YOU are all invited.