One could not merely put aside one classical music when the holiday season is about to start. Sure, there are lots of Christmas music to choose from depending on which part of the globe you are on, your culture, language, music preference but I think there is something more to Christmas music if we are taking about this masterpiece: “The Nutcracker”.
Composed by Peter Tchaikovsky, this piece of musical art has paved its way to the hearts of people especially through the means of ballet performances, theatres and in the modern times, it is also used in various movies as soundtracks.
“The Nutcracker” was shown off during the early 1900s and it became linked with the holidays because of the San Francisco Ballet performance show on Christmas evening in 1944. The entire United States embraced “The Nutcracker” and performed it annually around the time of the holidays.
Taking account Tchaikovsky’s expertise, he had already composed the masterpieces “Swan Lake” in 1876 and “Sleeping Beauty” in 1889.Believe it or not, “The Nutcracker” was initially considered something of a failure but it was not because of Tchaikovsky’s music; rather it was because of the staging of the play.
This world class music has levelled up from being the accompaniment to different plays and ballet performances when I also heard it in a Barbie movie “Barbie in The Nutcracker” where the Prince and the main character danced their hearts out with each other. This was also heard in the movie “Black Swan.” Even though it was more widely known by those who have aged or those who have the passionate love for classical music, it has surpassed the generation gap by using it in those movies- a smart way to preserve a masterwork.
On a personal note, “The Nutcracker” makes me feel the holiday spirit for some reason I am not able to grasp. Maybe because this song is too magical to take in—all sorts of musical instruments making a melody which could make your heart sing to it or make my body sway to its rhythm (even though I’m not a ballerina).
Through times, music might have evolved. Classical music may not be that generally considered by most people as the “in” genre but there is always a huge reason why they are called as such- CLASSics.
