The Story Orchestra: The Nutcracker | Press the Note to Hear Tchaikovsky’s Music

Follow Clara on a magical Christmas adventure in this musical retelling ofThe Nutcrackerballet – push the button on each beautiful scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from Tchaikovsky’s original score.

Overview

It is Christmas Eve at Clara’s house. Scents of ginger, chocolateand peppermint waft through the air. Clara’s parents are having a party, and her little brother Fritz is decorating the Christmas tree. Clara’s godfather, a toymaker, arrives with gifts, including a very special one for her –a wooden nutcracker carved in the shape of a little man. After Fritz breaks it, the children are sent to bed.

The story follows Clara in her dreams as she battles and defeats a mouse king, then travels with her nutcracker-turned-prince to the Land of Sweets where she watches its enchanting inhabitants perform beautiful dances. As you and your little one journey through the magical scenes, you willpress the buttons to hear 10 excerpts from the ballet’s music, including ‘The Waltz of the Flowers’, ‘The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy’, ‘The Russian Dance’,and the awesome ‘Finale’.

At the back of the book, find a shortbiography of the composer, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, with details about his composition ofThe Nutcrackerballet. Next to this, you can replay the musical excerpts and, for each of them, read adiscussion of the instruments, rhythms and musical techniquesthat make them so powerful. A glossary defines musical terms.

Manufacturer’s note:please pull the white tab out of the back of the book before use. Sound buttons require a firm push in exact location to work, which may be hard for young children. All sound clips are 10 seconds long.

The perfect primer to introduce children to classical music.