Daniel Kaplan
Professor Francisco Javier Jáuregui
Approaching the Arts: Music
9 December 2015
Introduction: For my final paper, I have chosen to analyze the piece “The Nutcracker Suite, Op 71a” by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and more specifically, the movement titled “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.” I picked the Nutcracker specifically because, to be honest, although I am not extremely familiar with a variety of classical songs, when I listened to “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” I began to get nostalgic because it reminded me of when I was a little kid who used to attend my sister’s ballet performances. At the time, it seemed boring and I did not pay much attention to the performance. However, now that I have matured and can both understand…show more content… He was born in 1840 and died in 1893. Although he called Russia home, he spoke several languages and was familiar with many cultures. By being so culturally active and having such a wonderful ability to adapt, Tchaikovsky was able to create a wide range of popular scores such as the Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and the Third Piano Concerto. He attended the Saint Petersburg Conservatoire and later worked as a teacher at the Moscow Conservatoire. These experiences helped contribute to Tchaikovsky becoming an independent composer and allowed him to become such an exceptionally talented international composer. In a time where most of the other famous composers focused on composing music based on far-off lands, ancient times, and stylized folklore, Tchaikovsky chose to compose music in which the human mind could “release its creative potential ”. In doing so, Tchaikovsky’s style involved being open-minded and expressive, relatable to the Romantic-Era which began in the early 19th century. The Nutcracker was a unique piece compared to its period in history because it was not about themes such as ancient times or distant lands. Instead, it was about liberating the mind in a thought-provoking, creative