I am the conductor of the Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra [www.mysomusic.org
] in Romeoville-Joliet,
Illinois. Yesterday we gave a performance of the Nutcracker Suite.
Today, listening to a recording of Ippolitov-Ivanov's
second set of Caucasian Sketches, it occurred to me that the melody
of the Berceuse (second movement) is the same as that of the
Arabian Dance in
Nutcracker. Has anyone else made that connection?
Lawrence Sisk, PhD
Professor of Music
Lewis University
Romeoville, Illinois
Hello, Mr.Sisk,
The melody of the Berceuse, Ippolitov-Ivanov
collected and told to close relationship Tchaikovsky, is a Georgian folk
song in Caucasus "Sleep, Violet". (Cf. John Warrack, "Tchaikovsky
Ballet Music", p. 67-68) By the way, in "Coffee" strings play all with
mutes and in next "Tea" they play all in pizzicato.
I hope this "Coffee Break" is helpful.
Kamomeno Iwao