The Nutcracker, Op. 71, No. 15: Valse Finale et Apotheose Cover Image

The Nutcracker, Op. 71, No. 15: Valse Finale et Apotheose: Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works Conductor Score & Parts

$80.00 USD

The Nutcracker, Op. 71, No. 15: Valse Finale et Apotheose: Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works Conductor Score & Parts

Name: The Nutcracker, Op. 71, No. 15: Valse Finale et Apotheose: Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 36-A628202
Price: 80.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky

Item: 36-A628202

$80.00

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The Nutcracker is a two-act “fairy ballet” written by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky (1840-1893). Based on E. T. A. Hoffmann’s 1816 short story, “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” the original 1892 production, choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov in Saint Petersburg, was not considered a success, although the 20-minute suite extracted by the composer was. Starting in the 1960s, the popularity of the full ballet has grown enormously, with frequent performances every Christmas season among the major ballet companies. The “Final Waltz and Apotheosis” is the final dance by all of the sweets in the Land of Sweets as Clara and Prince exit. Instrumentation: 2+Picc.2+EH.2+BCl.2: 4.2.3.1: Timp.Perc(1-2): Hp(2).Clst: Str (4-4-3-3-3 in set).

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Series: Kalmus Ballet Library

Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.

UPC: 735816384999

SKU: 36-A628202

Instrumentation: 2+Picc.2+EH.2+BCl.2: 4.2.3.1: Timp.Perc(1-2): Hp(2).Clst: Str (4-4-3-3-3 in set)

More about this title

About the Composer: Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky

Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) stands as one of the most performed composers in the orchestral repertoire, bridging nineteenth-century Romantic expression with the classical forms of his predecessors. His ballets, symphonies, and concertos reveal a gift for melody that speaks directly to performers and audiences alike, combining Russian sensibilities with Western European structure. Though he faced professional scrutiny during his lifetime, his music's emotional directness and orchestral brilliance secured his legacy permanently.

Tchaikovsky's approach to ballet raised the form itself. Before him, ballet music was often secondary to choreography; Tchaikovsky composed scores that could stand alone as concert suites. The Nutcracker and Swan Lake demonstrate his mastery of orchestration, his ability to sustain narrative through purely musical means, and his understanding of what makes both dancers and listeners move.

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Why we love this

This finale crowns an orchestra concert with genuine festivity and technical brilliance. The writing sits perfectly for college and advanced high school ensembles, offering each section memorable material while demanding unified ensemble control across the full complement of instruments. Conductors love the clarity of Tchaikovsky's orchestration here: no section drowns out another, yet the cumulative effect feels grand and celebratory.

What to expect

A choreographed celebration in sound: sweets from across the magical kingdom parade before you in waves of orchestral color, each entrance announced with grace and momentum. The music propels forward with infectious joy, combining the delicacy of celesta and harp with the warmth of full brass, never losing its sense of enchantment even at its most exuberant.

Who it's for

Conductors of college orchestras, advanced high school symphonic orchestras, and community orchestras seeking substantial holiday programming that fills a full concert slot with prestige. This movement demands secure musicianship throughout the ensemble and sufficient rehearsal time to balance the full instrumentation, but the payoff in audience response and musician satisfaction is substantial.

How to get the most out of it

Balance the harp parts carefully against the strings; in full orchestra they can easily disappear if the harp players assume the orchestra will hear them without projection.
Mark the tempo early and maintain it steadily through section transitions; rubato sounds elegant in the concert suite, but in full orchestra context it fragments the ensemble.
Shape the string figurations with clear articulation rather than relying on volume; Tchaikovsky's countermelodies in the violas and second violins drive the harmony and need audibility.
Prepare your percussion section to execute the rhythmic punctuation crisply; loose timpani and triangle work will soften the brilliance of the final measures.

How to use it

Position this finale as the closing work of a holiday concert or as the climax of a dedicated Nutcracker performance suite. Its duration and orchestral scope make it ideal as a season centerpiece that bridges the classical and popular concert worlds, particularly effective when preceded by shorter works that contrast in scale or mood.