Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893) was a Russian
composer who lived in the Romantic period. He is one of
the most popular of all Russian composers. He wrote
melodies which were usually dramatic and emotional. He
learned a lot from studying the music of Western
Europe, but his music also sounds very Russian. His
compositions include 11 operas, 3 ballets, orchestral
music, chamber music and over 100 songs. His famous
ballets (Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty)
have some of the best...(+)
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893) was a Russian
composer who lived in the Romantic period. He is one of
the most popular of all Russian composers. He wrote
melodies which were usually dramatic and emotional. He
learned a lot from studying the music of Western
Europe, but his music also sounds very Russian. His
compositions include 11 operas, 3 ballets, orchestral
music, chamber music and over 100 songs. His famous
ballets (Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty)
have some of the best known tunes in all of romantic
music.
The "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" is a dance for a
ballerina. It is the third movement in The Nutcracker
pas de deux. This pas de deux is from Act 2 of the 1892
ballet The Nutcracker. It is danced by the principal
female dancer. The number was choreographed by Lev
Ivanov to music written by Tchaikovsky.
Choreographer Marius Petipa wanted the Sugar Plum
Fairy's music to sound like "drops of water shooting
from a fountain". Tchaikovsky found the ideal
instrument to do this job in Paris in 1891. It was then
that he came across the recently invented celesta. This
instrument looked like a piano. It sounded like bells.
Tchaikovsky wrote, "[The celesta is] midway between a
tiny piano and a Glockenspiel, with a divinely
wonderful sound." He wanted to use the celesta in The
Nutcracker. He asked his publisher to buy one. He
wanted to keep the purchase a secret. He did not want
other Russian composers to "get wind of it and ... use
it for unusual effects before me."
Tchaikovsky introduced the celesta to Russian music
lovers on 19 March 1892 when the Nutcracker Suite was
performed for the Russian Musical Society in St.
Petersburg. The instrument is forever identified with
the Sugar Plum Fairy. It is heard in other parts of Act
2 of The Nutcracker besides the Sugar Plum Fairy's
dance. The "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" is one of
the ballet's best known musical numbers. It is often
"jazzed up" for television commercials at Christmas
time.
Source: Wikipedia
(https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyotr_Ilyich_Tchaiko
vsky).
Although originally created for Orchestra, I created
this Transcription of the "Dance of the Sugar Plum
Fairy" from the Nutcracker Suite (Opus 71a Mvt. 3) for
Small Orchestra (Flutes, Oboes, Bb Clarinets, French
Horns, Bassoons, Celesta, Violins, Violas, Cellos &
Bass).