Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite
Tone Colour is an exciting way to enhance a piece of music. Choosing the right instrument and the right combination of instruments can create images and emotion in the listener's mind. In this activity, you can revisit the Prezi shown in class, listen to the work, and answer some questions about how Tone Colour is used in this piece.
Introducing Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite:
The Nutcracker Suite is a from a musical piece for ballet and has different movements, each depicting a different character or scene from the ballet. Tchaikovsky changes the instrumentation to suit this. You will recognise some of the movements from this work because the Nutcracker Suite has been widely used in film, TV and popular culture since its first performance. The movements are:
1. Overture
2. March
3. Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy
4. Russian Dance (Trepak)
5. Arabian Dance
6. Chinese Dance
7. Dance of the Mirlitons
8. Waltz of the Flowers
The Nutcracker Suite is a from a musical piece for ballet and has different movements, each depicting a different character or scene from the ballet. Tchaikovsky changes the instrumentation to suit this. You will recognise some of the movements from this work because the Nutcracker Suite has been widely used in film, TV and popular culture since its first performance. The movements are:
1. Overture
2. March
3. Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy
4. Russian Dance (Trepak)
5. Arabian Dance
6. Chinese Dance
7. Dance of the Mirlitons
8. Waltz of the Flowers
1. Make a heading in your music book "The Romantic Orchestra: Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite".
2. Have a look at the musical score below. This is one of the movements from the work titled "Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy". In your music books, list the instrumental families used.
2. Have a look at the musical score below. This is one of the movements from the work titled "Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy". In your music books, list the instrumental families used.
3. One of the unusual instruments that Tchaikovsky famously included in this suite is the Celeste (Celesta). Watch the video below to hear the celeste play 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy'. Which instrument does it remind you of?
