Family concert: Christmas with Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker”
Nine woodwinds along with a celesta and a double bass are all the Berliner Philharmoniker need to capture the essence of the most beautiful pieces from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker. Horn player Sarah Willis, who was our presenter, explained not only what happens in the ballet, but also demonstrated the special qualities of the various wind instruments.
What do you actually call the oboe’s big sister? And what happens when you blow into a double bass? These and many other questions were answered at the Berliner Philharmoniker’s Christmas family concert. The main attraction was Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker, presented in an abridged version by wind players of the Berliner Philharmoniker. As usual, the concert was presented by Sarah Willis, horn player with the orchestra and as such a real expert when it comes to wind instruments.
The ten musicians presented Tchaikovsky’s famous Nutcracker, a piece that immediately makes you feel comfortable and at ease. They also showed how cleverly and ingeniously the composer wrote this memorable music. So that there was something for the eyes as well as the ears, 80 pupils were also there to dance to the famous waltz of the snowflakes. Even Santa Claus made a brief guest appearance.
Winds of the Berliner Philharmoniker
Rudolf Watzel
Henning Trog
© 2010 Berlin Phil Media GmbH
