Customer Reviews

The Nutcracker: Complete Ballet in Full Score (Dover Music Scores)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have long awaited this publication. Shortly after I purchased the Nutcracker Suite from Dover 6 years ago, I wrote them multiple times asking them to consider publishing the complete work, but I was disappointed until now.

A reprint of an "Authoritative Early [Russian?] Edition," the score is very pleasingly engraved, close-spaced but not overly crowded. In the front, there is a translation of all the Russian notes that occur in the text, and all of the French stage directions are translated in footnotes at the bottom of the pages. Though it is over 500 pages, Dover has used paper thinner than their norm (yet with virtually no bleed-through), so the book is not too thick. It is, however, a little floppier than most of my other Dover scores. That, though, is a very small price to pay finally to own a full score of this most-popular ballet!

Finally, I can study the orchestration in some of the gems not found in the suite, such as the Waltz of the Snowflakes, Chocolate (Spanish Dance), and others--in an edition that is both affordable and well-made. I had been able to borrow a copy of the 2-volume paperback Kalmus edition (atrociously expensive for a student's budget) from my college library, and I was shocked at how poorly it was bound. The spine cracked after one or two GENTLE usings and pages were about to fall out. Such will not be the case with this Dover edition. I look forward to many years of pleasant study and enjoyment with this volume.

I finally broke down and bought this excellent reprint of the full score. It completes my circle of "Nutcracker" appreciation: first as music (as a kid - two recordings and the piano pieces that drove my parents crazy), then as ballet (as a teen, the first ballet I ever saw), then as orchestration (as the celesta player - "I AM Sugar-Plum!"), and now I can look at the score with full appreciation, with more than one exclamation of "So THAT'S how he did it!" Everything from the translated Russian to the French stage directions adds to the value of this highly affordable publication. A real joy.

at last a cheap, clear score of the nutcracker ballet. it seems to be a new engraving, not just a reprint of a 19th century edition. the orchestration is as fresh as ever and the score lets you into the nitty gritty of tchaikovsky's inspiration for this his last ballet. I hope we don't wait too long for similar editions of sleeping beauty and swan lake. have fun and enjoy.

Years ago, I purchased the Nutcracker Suite in full score, only to discover that it was only a few famous selections from the full ballet. This was my own mistake because I failed to realize that it was, in fact, merely the suite in full score. But now, after waiting for years after, Dover has presented us with a wonderful full score of the whole ballet that we all know as the most famous ballet ever written. If you are a great admirer of this magnificent work by Tchaikovsky, I highly suggest purchasing this well-priced score.

Despite the remarks of a couple of previous reviewers, this Dover score is very much a faithful reprint of the score first issued in September 1892 by P. Jurgenson, Moscow. The original price was 150 rubles, which was roughly the equivalent of $75 in 1892 dollars - or $1500 in 2005 dollars!! It's therefore safe to say that this Dover reprint is a terrific bargain.

I can understand the previous reviewers' excitement, though. Having the complete ballet available - with page after page of such glorious music - is a pure delight for music lovers. The quality of Dover's printing and binding is excellent even by their usual high standards. They absolutely deserve each and every one of the five stars I'm giving them in this review.

I was thrilled when I saw that Dover had published the complete score of Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" and snatched it up immediately. It is BIG. The pages are a normal 9 x 12 (or so) but the book is about 2 inches thick and for a score with only 90 minutes of music that's unusual (I know, that was trivial factoid). The cover and pages are sturdy and have held up well to my numerous readings of the score and flipping pages quickly as I follow along with a recording. It's nice to be able to follow one line, say, the clarinet part (I played clarinet) through the piece and be able to hear it because you're focused in on what an individual instrument's part is during the work (it's amazing to hear some of the little details that you normally don't pay attention to). The binding is strong, the print is easy to read, and it has a very reasonable price. It should be in the collection of anyone who reads music and, I guess, those who don't but want to see what the score looks like.