The Origins of The Portable Nutcracker

Every music fan knows that The Nutcracker, Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece of a ballet, has been around the block a few times. Its melodies, hummable to all, feel like an old blanket—cozy and familiar for many, perhaps a little worn out for others.

When you distill a monumental work of 80 or 90 instruments down to a mere two, strange and miraculous things occur. There’s no room for anything more than the true essence of the work, so you have to pare all that beauty into its simplest form.

As an orchestra becomes two guitars, new colors emerge; personalities are transformed. We found a tinge of bluegrass in the Chinese Dance, Latin overtones in the stately Waltz of the Flowers, even some heavy metal in Mother Goose and the Clowns, of all places. It’s still Tchaikovsky, without a doubt. But it’s also something else entirely. Whether the old blanket feels worn in or worn out, we hope The Portable Nutcracker lets you hear this amazing work with fresh ears.

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