Review

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
A Night at the Ballet: Excerpts from the Nutcracker for Brass Quintet

Arranged by James Haynor

2 B-flat trumpets, F horn, trombone, tuba

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2020
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Brass Ensemble - 5 brass

The Nutcracker, written in 1892, is one of Tchaikovsky’s last works. The eight brief excerpts comprising this arrangement are: Overture (A-flat), March (F), Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (F), Trepac (F), Arabian Dance (F minor), Chinese Dance (A-flat), Dance of the Reed Flutes (C), and Waltz of the Flowers (C).

These selections cover four keys and four meter signatures (2/4, 4/4, 3/8 and 3/4) and are of intermediate difficulty. There are few rest measures in any part. There is much use of staccato in all parts, except in the final selection, in which the predominant articulation is marcato. Dynamics range from pp to fff. Trumpets play the melody in Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (optional mutes), with trombone playing off-beat eighth notes. Horn plays the melody in Waltz of the Flowers and tuba in Trepac. Trombone, in a supporting role throughout, covers G-f¹; 1st trumpet tops out at a² (concert). This is an excellent addition to the brass quintet repertoire. James Haynor is a free-lance trumpet player in the Milwaukee, WI area, and has numerous published arrangements to his name.