John McAllister
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Tchaikovsky and Christmas Music

12/7/2014

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I feel like Tchaikovsky's music for the Nutcracker defined the mechanics of what much of Christmas music is these days. From the harmonies to the orchestration, a hundred years of composers, musicians, and listeners have grown up on that music, and it has clearly infused much of other Christmas music that has been written since. Every time I watch Home Alone (I was a kid in the 90s and have to watch it every year), I feel like John Williams was paying homage to Tchaik. I think what I like most about The Nutcracker, and really just Tchaikovsky, is his immaculate ability to orchestrate. The colors he achieves are glorious. 

I will definitely be listening to plenty of the Nutcracker Suite this holiday season...music I very much believe is the "Christmas" sound. What a great piece of music from a great composer!
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  • Start Here
    • Search Site
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    • Concert Band - Marches
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    • Video Games
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    • Christmas/Holiday
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    • Flute >
      • Flute Warm-Ups
      • Flute Scales & Technique
      • Flute Duets
      • Flute Trios
      • Flute Choir
      • Flute Choir Christmas
    • Oboe >
      • Oboe Warm-Ups
      • Oboe Scales & Technique
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    • Warm-ups >
      • First Fundamentals
      • Foundation Warm-Ups
      • Young Ensemble
      • Symphonic Warm-Ups
      • Comprehensive Warm-Ups
      • Advanced Warm-Ups
      • Build A Warm-Up
      • Chorales
      • Seasonal
    • Warm-Ups Symphony
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    • Pop Rhythms
    • Classical Improv
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