From the Chicago Tribune:<P><B>Barenboim pulls off near magical merger on 'Nutcracker'</B><P>By John von Rhein <P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Classical musicians and jazz musicians have always regarded each other with deep disdain, as if the former were mired in the olden days and the latter fatally lacking in academic credentials. It takes a persuasive third party who lives in both worlds to persuade them to sit down together and learn to take each other seriously. <BR>Daniel Barenboim is doing so this weekend at Symphony Center, where he is presiding over a delightfully different sort of "Nutcracker" than we usually see and hear this time of year. <P>Imagine the CSO players sharing the stage with a big band made up of some of Chicago's best jazz musicians. Now imagine them playing the numbers from Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker" Suite and Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn's jazz reworking of that music side by side.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><A HREF="http://metromix.com/top/1,1419,M-Metromix-CriticsReviews-X!ArticleDetail-14566,00.html" TARGET=_blank><B>MORE...</B></A> <BR><p>[This message has been edited by Basheva (edited December 20, 2001).]

MY,this is timely! I just saw the PBS special w/ Wynton Marsalis last night-WONDERFUL.<BR> He really made a nice speech about unity and intergration(in music and elsewhere),that its the sign of the times,and how theres room enough for everyone(to paraphrase the general message).<BR> I enjoyed the special thoroughly!<p>[This message has been edited by angela (edited December 23, 2001).]

I read a biography of Tchaikovsky many years ago that had quite a bit of information on his composing of the music for Nutcracker.<P>If I remember correctly, he particularly wanted the celesta for a special magical sound for this composition. I think I also remember that he had the instrument brought to Russia secretly so that no one would guess what was giving the music such a special sound.<P>I don't know if that is accurate - but that's the way I remember reading it.<P>Maybe the musicians among us will have better information.

You are correct about the celesta, Basheva.

And here's a story about the importance of the composer's music:

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