# Nutcracker Favorite



## Pyotr

With Christmas just around the corner, thought it be fun to see what everyone's favorite number is. 
I know I left some out because of the limitations of polls, but I think I have the most popular. 
(no youtubes please, but pics ok)


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## dgee

There's something about the Pas de Deux! If your going Tchaik you may as well as go full cheesy

I enjoyed this irreverent take on Nutcracker recently - a bit rude so be careful if that's not your thing:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alf-lamont/i-went-to-see-the-nutcrac_b_6331464.html


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

dgee said:


> There's something about the Pas de Deux! If your going Tchaik you may as well as go full cheesy
> 
> I enjoyed this irreverent take on Nutcracker recently - a bit rude so be careful if that's not your thing:
> 
> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alf-lamont/i-went-to-see-the-nutcrac_b_6331464.html


Full cheesy?


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## trazom

Pine Forest in Winter, both the music and the dance; and I love having the excuse to post this again(thank you):


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## PetrB

While not a Tchaikovsky fan, I voted for _Pine Forest in Winter_, because it is the most 'symphonic,' theme or motif driven vs. the more directly folk-like melodies found in the rest of the score. I.e. it is the more abstract, and I also find it more in that vein of imparting something of the near triple-X rated quality of 'adult sensuality' which Tchaikovsky was also amazingly good at.

But hey, it is Christmas, and for many, believers in the faith or not, _The Nutcracker_ was a very early musical theater experience, if not their prime introduction to classical orchestral music....

Here is the whole thing, beautifully done, great sets and dancing and music making and all:
St. Petersburg / Marinsky / Gergiev





Really, with the score being pretty much one hit tune after another, I would think many a choice of favorite would have as much to do with 'the whole thing,' i.e. libretto, scene, appearance, etc. -- likely impressed upon the individual in early childhood -- as much as the music itself.


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## hpowders

My favorite part is the ending, because I can finally go home.


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## sabrina

trazom said:


> Pine Forest in Winter, both the music and the dance; and I love having the excuse to post this again(thank you):


Thank you for posting this. I love Alina Cojocaru...this is so beautiful!


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## Pyotr

The Final Waltz is my favorite, although I can’t think of one I don’t like. Normally by the end of a ballet, I’m ready to go but the finale of the Nutcracker keeps me completely entertained and wanting more! Coffee is my second but it depends on the performer. Maria Kowroski(NYC Ballet) danced this part on a PBS live broadcast a few years ago— visions of Maria dancing in my head. :devil:
I know it’s old and overplayed and cheesy but The Nutcracker is pure magic, in my mind, and just the thing to get one in the Christmas spirit.


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## LouisMasterMusic

How about the Waltz Of The Flowers? I know it's overly-familiar in a way, but try the transcription of it for two pianos. Martha Argerich and Mirabela Dina play brilliantly. Makes a change to the orchestral version usually heard.


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## LouisMasterMusic

hpowders said:


> My favorite part is the ending, because I can finally go home.


Does this mean you don't like it at all?


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## Speranza

Can't decide between the Russian dance and the Arabian. The dances/songs have such pretty names but does anyone know why they are named like that? I understand Candy Canes but why Tea and Coffee?

Thanks


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## Queen of the Nerds

I love them all, but I voted for "Waltz of the Snowflakes". So pretty, so brilliant, and yet SO UNDERRATED. I DON'T GET IT.
(Please excuse my mini-rant.) Second place is a tie between Final Waltz, Mother Ginger, and Decorating the Tree (not on this poll).
But as I said, I love them all.


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## MoonlightSonata

I do like the Waltz of the Flowers, with its lovely sweeping main melody.


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## VinylEupho

My vote goes to the Dance of the sugar plum fairty :clap:


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## elgar's ghost

I've got a soft spot for the Dance of the Reed Pipes as it was used for an advertisement for one of my favourite chocolate bars when I was young. However, I probably like the exotica of the Spanish/Arabian/Chinese and Russian dances the most.


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## elgar's ghost

Speranza said:


> Can't decide between the Russian dance and the Arabian. The dances/songs have such pretty names but does anyone know why they are named like that? I understand Candy Canes but why Tea and Coffee?
> 
> Thanks


Well, China is renowned for its tea and Arabia (along with neighbouring Yemen) was probably the first nation to produce coffee as we know it.


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## Speranza

elgars ghost said:


> Well, China is renowned for its tea and Arabia (along with neighbouring Yemen) was probably the first nation to produce coffee as we know it.


That's what i thought but still it doesn't seem as picturesque and/or christmassy as the others. I guess coffee/tea had more of an association with luxury back then so it would have felt more special like a sugar plum.

I suppose the first chocolate europeans got hold of would have come via spain hance the dance name.


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## elgar's ghost

Speranza said:


> That's what i thought but still it doesn't seem as picturesque and/or christmassy as the others. I guess coffee/tea had more of an association with luxury back then so it would have felt more special like a sugar plum.I suppose the first chocolate europeans got hold of would have come via spain hance the dance name.


My apologies - I see what you mean and you're probably quite right.


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## Speranza

elgars ghost said:


> My apologies - I see what you mean and you're probably quite right.


Don't apologise I was agreeing with you obviously not very clearly, sorry. I just thought the luxury bit might have been an aspect too it as well. I was also wondering if there was somthing else to it that I was missing like a russian tradition or something


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## Phu Nguyen

In Vietnam they cut "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" on stage. I have no idea why it happens. It's my favourite track ever.


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## Il_Penseroso

Toss up between the numbers...but ain't work! All of them! Please all of them! For Pyotr Ilyich's sake, this is the greatest ballet-score ever written


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## Celesta

The Grand Pas de Deux. It's just sublime and Tchaikovsky's best pas de deux. Gorgeous melodies starting with the harp arpeggios and then the cellos take over.

The mood of the GPDD is overtly and breathtakingly romantic which is a bit puzzling since there is no backstory of the Sugar Plum Fairy and her cavalier being in love. Marie and her Nutcracker prince are the love story, albeit a juvenile one. Maybe I'm biased towards the Balanchine production, but libretto-wise its a bit confusing.


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## Pyotr

Celesta said:


> The Grand Pas de Deux. It's just sublime and Tchaikovsky's best pas de deux. Gorgeous melodies starting with the harp arpeggios and then the cellos take over.
> 
> The mood of the GPDD is overtly and breathtakingly romantic which is a bit puzzling since there is no backstory of the Sugar Plum Fairy and her cavalier being in love. Marie and her Nutcracker prince are the love story, albeit a juvenile one. Maybe I'm biased towards the Balanchine production, but libretto-wise its a bit confusing.


Good point about the Sugar Plum Fairy. She's not in the Hoffmann tale; one reason the ballet opened to bad reviews in 1892 was the libretto's inconsistency with the original story.
That said, her entrance in the second act always gives me goose bumps. I love the way she takes complete control of the show as if to say "I'm here. Don't even THINK about watching anyone else." As the bona fide ruler of the Land of Sweets, why shouldn't she take a partner of her choice and entertain the happy couple?  Works for me. 
I have to take issue with your statement about Tchaikovsky's pas de deux's. I like Swan Lake's better, although they are both magnificent.


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## Queen of the Nerds

Pyotr said:


> I have to take issue with your statement about Tchaikovsky's pas de deux's. I like Swan Lake's better, although they are both magnificent.


Absolutely true.


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## elmago

YEP, Waltz of the Snowflakes is beautiful! This Christmas I went to a performance that was not Balanchine, and was disappointed, but hopefully will be able to attend Miami City Ballet this Christmas and watch the Balachine Choreography. It is so beautiful, all of it! : )


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## hpowders

I love the Grandfather Waltz.


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## Albert7

I tried to vote for all of the sections but wasn't able to...

The whole thing is just wonderful to me.


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## Pyotr

elmago said:


> YEP, Waltz of the Snowflakes is beautiful! This Christmas I went to a performance that was not Balanchine, and was disappointed, but hopefully will be able to attend Miami City Ballet this Christmas and watch the Balachine Choreography. It is so beautiful, all of it! : )


I've only seen the Balanchine production and have always been interested in seeing another one, especially the Petipa version where adults dance all of the roles - there are no children.


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## Couac Addict

The regicide............


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## hpowders

The best part of Nutcracker is walking out of the theater when it's finally over!


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## hpowders

hpowders said:


> My favorite part is the ending, because I can finally go home.


It's okay...it's just that when Nutcracker is featured, much of the audience consists of little kids with their mommies.


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## Pugg

A bit harsh, I love the whole Nutcracker and I am certainly not a mother with children


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## hpowders

After the Christmas Tree rises, I'm ready to go home and watch baseball on TV.


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## bestellen

Many characters appear onstage during a performance of The Nutcracker. The two-act story ballet is a popular holiday favorite. As the story begins, a young girl named Clara is hosting a holiday party with her family, including her brother Fritz. The strange Uncle Drosselmeyer, Clara's godfather, appears late and brings gifts for the children. He introduces entertainment for the guests that includes three windup dolls, including a ballerina doll, harlequin, and soldier doll. He then presents Clara with a toy nutcracker which Fritz promptly breaks during a fit of jealousy. Uncle Drosselmeyer magically repairs the doll to Clara'd delight.

During the night, Clara sets out to find her nutcracker under the Christmas tree. When she finds it, mice begin to fill the room and the Christmas tree begins to grow. The nutcracker magically grows to life size.


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## Il_Penseroso

Pugg said:


> A bit harsh, I love the whole Nutcracker and I am certainly not a mother with children


No problem, I love the whole Nutcracker and I'm not a father with children either!


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## Huilunsoittaja

HAH! I was actually quite surprised that quite a few agreed with me on the Final Waltz, I thought I'd be the only one... that's good stuff, man! And it's not just about being less hackneyed than the rest, I really like how it feels! So triumphantly expansive!

That's tied in my book with the Scene in the Pine Forest and dance of the Snowflakes.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Huilunsoittaja said:


> HAH! I was actually quite surprised that quite a few agreed with me on the Final Waltz, I thought I'd be the only one... that's good stuff, man! And it's not just about being less hackneyed than the rest, I really like how it feels! So triumphantly expansive!
> 
> That's tied in my book with the Scene in the Pine Forest and dance of the Snowflakes.


The Scene in the Pine Forest is somehow the most epic and probably the most original part, though the Pas de deux is 'pure' Tchaikovsky .


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## HaydnBearstheClock

I've voted for the Pas de deux - Tchaikovsky's masterful command of melody and sentiment is evident here.


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## hpowders

HaydnBearstheClock said:


> I've voted for the Pas de deux - Tchaikovsky's masterful command of melody and sentiment is evident here.


The deux of us agree on that one!


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## HaydnBearstheClock

hpowders said:


> The deux of us agree on that one!


Exxxxccelllent ....


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## hpowders

HaydnBearstheClock said:


> Exxxxccelllent ....


Deuxes are wild!!


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## Huilunsoittaja

HaydnBearstheClock said:


> I've voted for the Pas de deux - Tchaikovsky's masterful command of melody and sentiment is evident here.


Isn't that the one where the main melody is just a descending major scale that gets transposed in different places? :lol: Yes, Tchaikovsky's ability to make a descending scale worth hearing, _that _is art...


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## Pyotr

This being the Christmas season, maybe someone, who hasn't voted on this poll yet, will want to break the tie between Pas de Deux and Waltz of the Flowers?


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## jegreenwood

Pyotr said:


> This being the Christmas season, maybe someone, who hasn't voted on this poll yet, will want to break the tie between Pas de Deux and Waltz of the Flowers?


Done! Now, no one mess it up and vote for the Pas de Deux.


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## Merl

I went with the ever-popular waltz of the flowers but I also have a soft spot for the Chinese dance.


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## mbhaub

Phu Nguyen said:


> In Vietnam they cut "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" on stage. I have no idea why it happens. It's my favourite track ever.


Could be because there's no celeste available? The score indicates a piano can be substituted. It's a heck of a difficult part, too.

I voted also for Pas de Deux. Amazing what Tchaikovsky's genius could do with nothing more than a descending major scale. I've conducted the entire ballet four times and in rehearsal and performance that movement is the highlight - it gets me every time.


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## Pugg

I voted: Chocolate (Spanish Dance), just because I like it.


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## Sissone

I voted for Waltz of Flowers/the music is fantastic/but L also like Pas de deux.


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## Sissone

I voted for Waltz of Flowers/the music is fantastic/ but I also like Pas de deux.


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## Biffo

It is odd to think that Tchaikovsky struggled to complete Nutcracker. He had read the Hoffmann story and was presumably expecting something better than the scenario provided by Petipa. Tchaikovsky wanted strong dramatic stories for his ballets and operas but in Nutcracker he got a ballet where the story was over two-thirds through the 1st act - the rest is just a string of numbers for the dancers to show off. It is amazing then that he produces such a ravishingly beautiful work. I am not surprised that posters found it difficult to make a choice. I went for the Pine Forest scene.


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## Pyotr

Funny how this ballet was one of the very few ballets that Petipa did, and was not an immediate success. The most popular ballet of all time, choreographed by greatest ballet master and choreographer that ever lived. Although some believe Lev Ivanov actually did most of the chorography.


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## geralmar

Arabian Dance.

Also the Arabian Dance in the Peer Gynt suite.


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## valelediazr

Definitely the grand pas de deux coreographed by Balanchine


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