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My new version of THE NUTCRACKER will be
published this coming October. I'm thrilled to give you an
inside preview of my new book. Of the many hours I have
spent listening to music in Symphony Hall in Boston,
Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker brings the most vivid
imaginings, together with a wish that every child could
experience the transporting, fantastical music.
With E. T. A. Hoffmann’s 1816 story The Nutcracker and the
Mouse King and happy memories of the Nutcracker ballet as my
guide, this book is my visualization of Tchaikovsky’s
enchanted music. From the ‘Overture in Miniature’ during the
Christmas Eve party, the ‘March’ that leads to the battle
against the wicked Mouse King, the string of dances through
the Land of Sweets, and all the way to the ‘Waltz of the
Flowers’ at the end, the music’s ebbs and flows inspired
fanciful scenes for the beloved characters that Marie and
the Nutcracker meet throughout their journey. The music also
reminds me of trips to Saint Petersburg, so a Russian
setting seemed perfect. The borders star animals playing the
instruments you’ll hear in each of the movements in The
Nutcracker. I especially like imagining the bassoon sounding
like a puffing dragon.
I hope this book transports readers through magical
sights and sounds as the music of The Nutcracker Suite does
for me.
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