Record of the day: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, “The Nutcracker”

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, “The Nutcracker” (Cd Philips 462 114-2)

Certain compositions are so famous that sooner or later the listener tends to take them for granted, as if they had always been with us, but if you look closely you don’t often have the chance to give them a complete look, especially if we’re talking about the great ballets composed by Tchaikovsky. The music is famous above all in the symphonic suites extracted from the original scores, but (except when we go to the theater to watch the ballet) how many of us have listened to Tchaikovsky’s choreographic compositions with the same attention that is dedicated to his Symphonies or his Concertos ?

Aesthetic prejudices about the supposed inferiority of “ballet music” are hard to disappear, but in the case of “Swan Lake” and “The Nutcracker” the music is absolutely splendid from start to finish and deserves a complete listen, to fully enjoy of the exquisiteness with which the Russian composer set to music this fable taken from a story by ETA Hoffmann. Christmas ballet par excellence, “The Nutcracker” is a prodigy of lightness, a treasure chest full of fantastic colors and unforgettable melodies brought to the stage by the author with loving tenderness. The brilliant orchestration shows the way to the other great twentieth century ballets by Stravinsky and Prokofiev, the composer’s constructive ability is found even in the shortest numbers, and listening to the ballet in its entirety one realizes that the fairy inspiration of the the author never fails throughout the eighty minutes of duration, thanks also to his ability to coherently organize the various numbers, giving them a symphonic compactness that was unprecedented and daring for the time.

Yet this work too, like “Swan Lake” previously, was a real failure with the public (as incredible as it may seem), probably because the music did not limit itself to providing support for the dancers’ evolutions but became the protagonist, claiming a attention that listeners of the time were not willing to grant; only after the composer’s death did the work gain its rightful place among the masterpieces of the stage. This ballet is performed at Christmas in many cities and its magic is renewed every time, entertaining children and adults alike

Carlo Boccadoro, composer and conductor, was born in Macerata in 1963. He lives and works in Milan. He collaborates with soloists and orchestras in different parts of the world. He is the author of numerous books on musical topics.

This text is taken from “Lunario della musica: A record for every day of the year” published by Einaudi, courtesy of the author and the publisher.