TSCHAIKOVSKY'S NUTCRACKER SUITE

Radio Record, 19 August 1938, Page 46

TSCHAIKOVSKY'S NUTCRACKER SUITE

SO "NUTCRACKER SUITE"! What a peculiar title for a musical work! What conceivable connection could there be between the hard, cold, mechanism for cracking nuts and the poetical art of tones? Phe solution of the mystery will be found in the story that underlies the work. The subject is a French version by Dumas the Elder of a fairy tale by bp. T. A. Hoffman, entitled "Nutcracker and Mouseking." The scene represents a Christmas party for children in the house of President Silberhaus, The children gather around the illuminated Ciaristmas tree, eager for the distribution of presents. A friend of the family, Councillor Drosselmeyer, brings some dolls, which move like living beings. To little Marie, the daughter of the host and hostess, he gives a nutcracker, with which she is delighted. Hgr prother and the other boys rovet the gift, and in the struggle for its possession itisbroken. Marie is heart-brokea and she tenderly lays it aside. After the end of the party Marie, in bed, is kept awake by the thought of the dis aster to her favourite present.

= About midnight she slips out of bed and goes downstairs to have a peep at the nutcracker. Then, suddenly, ihe room ig invaded by mice; the toys and sweets come to life, and a pitched pattle ensues between them and the mice, which soon turns in favour of the latter. At this the nutcracker comes to life and leads the tin soldiers in a fresh charge. ‘The leaders of both forces engage in a "hand-to-hand" conflict, in which victory is apparently about to crown the leader of the mice, whenunheard of in the annals of feminine courage and heroism-little Marie throws her shoe at the general of the mice, hitting him on the ‘head and killing him!. A miracle then occurs! The nutcracker is suddenly transformed into 4 handsome young prince, with whom Marie flies over snow-clad fields and forests to the Kingdom of Sweets... Tschaikovsky’s ballet was not a great suceess, but the orchestral suite of dances from the ballet is now firmly fixed in the affections of lovers of colourful orchestral music, Tschaikovsky’s "Nutcracker" Suite, played by the Philadelphia Orchestra, will be heard from 1YA. on Sunday afternoon, August 28.