Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy - Solo Piano Version

Tchaikovsky's ballet 'The Nutcracker' was adapted from E. T. A. Hoffmann's 1816 short story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It has been popular with audiences all over the world, and Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy is probably its most popular movement.

Many people think that Tchaikovsky was the first composer to use a new instrument called the celeste for this piece. In fact he discovered the instrument in Paris when listening to an opera written by Charles Marie Widor. Widor was most famous for his organ works, but had great success with his opera, and he was indeed the first composer to use the celeste.

Tchaikovsky is my second favourite composer after Bach, and unlike most composers, I adore every single piece that he wrote. It was such an honor to visit his grave in St. Petersburg three years ago. I went early in the morning after snow had fallen, and had the place to myself. It was a most magnificent pilgrimige.

If you'd like to play this piece, you can get the score here - https://davidhicken.com/products/dance-of-the-sugar-plum-fairy-piano-solo

I also created a version for two pianists on one piano (piano four hands) - https://davidhicken.com/products/tchaikovsky-dance-of-sugar-plum-fairy

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