Before we get into the nuts and bolts, get it nuts, laugh out loud, The Nutcracker? of today’s AOTD, I shall tell a story about an entirely different Tchaikovsky piece. Picture it, it was about two and half years ago when I caught this special on PBS: “To celebrate Tanglewood’s 75th Anniversary, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, and Tanglewood Festival Chorus will all appear, along with conductors John Williams, Keith Lockhart, Stefan Asbury, Andris Nelsons, and David Zinman; soloists Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax, Peter Serkin, James Taylor, and Anne-Sophie Mutter. The program will be wide-ranging and will include works by Tanglewood legends including Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein.” ^ It was absolutely wonderful. I had more than one moment where I got the chills, got teary or just plain felt the power. But the performance that moved me the most was Yo-Yo Ma and The Tanglewood Youth Orchestra’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s Andante Cantabile for Cello and Strings. The second movement from Tchaikovsky’s 1871 String Quartet No. 1 in D major, the Andante Cantabile (B♭ major) was so beautiful it took my breath away. I cried. And when I say I cried, I mean I cried. The emotion I felt from this piece was overwhelming. I felt sadness. I felt joy. I felt wonder. I felt awe. This is why I LOVE music with so much intensity and passion; music is apart of my soul.
Having had such an experience with the Andante Cantabile, I thought I would do an album featuring that number. Ah, but given that it is Christmas Eve, I went with a record that featured a holiday tradition for many, The Nutcracker. Bonus, I got a few extra Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s pieces as my own presents for the day. Yay for me. The first holiday that is represented on this excellent collection by the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, conducted by Charles Dutoit is the much loved work that we Amercians associate with Fourth of July, The 1812 Overture (cue the cannons). Why not have a little Independence Day on Christmas Eve? Next up was a work that I first heard in sixth grade when my music teacher led the high school strings and band in a performance of the Capriccio Italien. This was certainly an ambitious choice. And let’s be real, they didn’t nail it. Still, the gorgeous melody of this piece stayed with me for all of the years. I spoke about a similar experience in my #365AOTD 124, “Peter and the Wolf.” Again, the great mightiness of music has had such an impact on me, both subtle and strong, and a lot else in between, that melodies, verses, or even notes stay with me for years and years. Next on this well-performed album are excerpts from Casse-Noisette Suite. I do recall seeing this ballet once when I was maybe six or seven. It was a school field trip. Now that’s how you do field trips, you take the children to the Pittsburgh Ballet. Even though I am not a big ballet gal, the music for The Nutcracker transcends the stage. Cleary today’s holiday was appropriate for this piece. The album ends with the grand Slavonic March Op. 31 (B-flat minor). Not a bad closer if I do say so myself.
When I think of Tchaikovsky’s composing, particularly in the works found here like 1812, Capriccio, Marche Slave and The Nutcracker, I think of three Rs: Rich, Romantic and Robust. His music is full, deep and splendid while also being at times fun and playful. Now how can you beat that combination? You can’t. And that is why Tchaikovsky was such a fantastic composer.
A few more presents to wrap, a playlist to compile and a much needed shower; now on to the Christmas Eve festivities…
* “Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture (1880); Capriccio Italien (1880); Marche Slave (1876); Suite ‘Casse Noisette’— ‘The Nutcracker’ (1892) Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal Charles Dutoit, Conductor 1999 Decca Label
^http://www.bso.org/brands/tanglewood/features/tanglewood-75th-telecast-in-europe.aspx
Here’s a performance of the Andante Cantabile by Yo-Yo Ma with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Opening night gala concert, October 2005. Sir Andrew Davis, conductor
365, Album of the Day 2014 