Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker, Op. 71, TH 14 (Live)

Vladimir Jurowski's series of Tchaikovsky ballet recordings continues with The Nutcracker. He and the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia "Evgeny Svetlanov", who previously recorded an acclaimed Swan Lake together, interpret Tchaikovsky's delightful seasonal masterpiece, filled with familiar hits, that continues to enchant audiences young and old.

Featuring

Vladimir Jurowski
State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia “Evgeny Svetlanov”
Boys Choir of the Moscow Choral College
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Did you know?

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Composition History

Tchaikovsky struggled with the commission for The Nutcracker, even leading the director of the Imperial Theatres, Ivan Vzhevolozhsky, to apologize for forcing the subject on him.

Critical Reception

While the full ballet only became a genuine success in the mid-20th century, Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite, a selection of pieces performed before the 1892 premiere, was an instant hit.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Tchaikovsky admired the French aesthetic of 'le joli' (the pretty), which he believed allowed composers to create works of beauty that pleased audiences, setting him apart from many contemporaries.

Compositional Technique

Tchaikovsky used an elaborate tonal scheme in The Nutcracker, contrasting B-flat major with the distant E major for the fantasy world of Confiturembourg, and returning to B-flat in the concluding Apotheosis.

Recording & Production

This album was recorded live in January 2019 at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory main hall, featuring the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia 'Evgeny Svetlanov' conducted by Vladimir Jurowski.

Instruments

Tchaikovsky made remarkable additions to the orchestra for The Nutcracker, including rattles, a wordless backstage chorus, and the celesta, which he imported secretly from Paris.

Composition History

The Nutcracker's scenario, created by ballet master Marius Petipa, had shortcomings like an unbalanced distribution of scenes, with an action-heavy first act and a second act dominated by formal dances.