When I first decided to start arranging, my first instinct was to tackle "popular" classical music - pieces that non-listeners of the genre may already know or would have heard of at some point. The goal would be to showcase the violin's technical and expressive possibilities, through re-interpreting some of history's most recognizable melodies.
One of the pieces that came to mind was Tchaikovsky's ballet The Nutcracker. Using my miniature score of The Nutcracker Suite by Nippon Gakufu, I tried some movements out on my violin . . . and immediately felt like giving up. Back then, I expected solo violin arrangements to include absolutely every melody possible, with left-hand pizzicatos for parts that were too far apart from each other, even if it meant the chords would be torturous. This meant a series of never-ending "Wait but how do I keep this bass running here" or "But this sounds empty if I get rid of this part" or "I can't tell whether this genuinely doesn't work or if I'm just bad."
Eventually, after many attempts, I completed and performed my first The Nutcracker solo violin arrangement - one that I genuinely did not expect to fit the violin as well as it turned out to be - the "Coffee", or "Arabian dance".
Before the violin
The Nutcracker is a piece that has meant a lot to me way before I started violin; it was the first ballet I danced in, when I had just turned eight. I was one of Clara’s party guests, so I was basically in Act I Scene I, then never came back for the rest of the show until curtain call - which meant that I was watching Act 2 on the television in the dressing room. I was over the moon (jealous too!!) hearing my favorite music and seeing the dancers wearing gorgeous costumes and dancing en pointe. Although I was sad I was not part of my favorite part of the show, it was still magical to watch.
I loved ballet as a kid, even though during lessons I would zone out, stare at the mirror, and could never stand still nor focus on fixing mistakes. I owned two ballet books: The Illustrated Book of Ballet Stories by Barbara Newman, and Ballet for Beginners (『バレエ入門』) by Tetsutaro Shimizu. Both went into detail about the storylines of some major ballet classics, including Swan Lake and Giselle and, of course, The Nutcracker. These books revealed to me how there was so much to ballet, more than barres and steps and movements, and the gorgeous illustrations also inspired me to do my own ballet doodles.
And there was the music. Ballet was the first sub-genre of classical music that I fell in love with. I think a big reason was in its role to tell a story, so as a kid it was definitely easier to follow and understand. That miniature score of The Nutcracker Suite was also the first music score that I had ever owned; I wanted to see which instruments played which parts.
Even after quitting so that I could focus on violin, I still loved ballet a lot. I remember listening to Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto for the first time, and I immediately recognized the composer - it was interesting to hear his style in a way that was different yet similar to his ballet work. Sometimes I would even envision ballet scenes to some of the concerto passages.
Arranging The Nutcracker: a violinist's repertoire
Back when I chose to arrange pieces from The Nutcracker, I initially didn't do it out of personal attachment - I just wanted to complete an arrangement that was both playable and recognizable. For a while, many of my sketches either remained incomplete, or completed yet not ready for performance.
"March", one of the first arrangements I had started on, was completed after three years, after finally figuring out the answer to measure 49 to the end. "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy", one I actually did finish but could not yet perform, was revised seven years later to be slightly more playable, and I finally performed it in concert. After becoming more familiar with Tchaikovsky's writing, I wanted to expand my horizon, and made my first arrangement for chamber ensemble: the "Pas de Deux" for piano trio. "Valse des Fleurs", one that I actually attempted to arrange for solo violin (failed), ended up becoming a piece for violin and string ensemble, which I then revised again into a violin and piano recital number.
As of now, I have performed seven Nutcracker arrangements: five for solo violin, two for chamber ensembles with violin. The solos in particular I have performed in venues with no piano, including galleries, cafes and libraries. My "Valse des Fleurs" arrangement for violin and piano I recently performed in my recital at Vega Hall.
The Nutcracker, once a personal piece of nostalgia and a testament to my (brief) background in ballet, ended up becoming an important part of my repertoire and self-expression - not as a dancer, but as a violinist.
The Art of Retelling
The arrangement process is all about the technical "what does/doesn't work." It is the performance stage in which I face the question: why is it so important for these pieces to belong in the violin repertoire? Why The Nutcracker in a violin recital?
As a listener first and foremost, there is one thing that I would never want to lose sight of: respect for the original. This goes for both the arrangement and the performance of it. Whether I'm trying to incorporate as much of the orchestra in one violin line, or getting rid of some parts in order for the melody to come through, I'm always considering what the original composer wanted. When I perform, I experiment with technique to make the violin sound like different kinds of instruments all at once, as well as ensure that my interpretation is as musically and emotionally true to the original as possible.
Furthermore, with ballet music and other works for the stage, it is important to consider how the music is only one tiny part of a multi-faceted art form. Aside from the number of instruments already being reduced, also absent are the hundreds of performers in costumes, the huge sets, lightings and effects, even lyrics if it were an opera.
I consider arrangements to be both the past and the future: a continuation of classical music's tradition to "preserve history", as well as an artistic representation of the arranger's skills. I strive for audiences to experience the endless possibilities of my instrument ("that was all just one violin!?"), yet at the same time discover music beyond the violin. The Nutcracker feels particularly special to me because of my past connection to it beyond simply the music. However, I always perform it as a piece not by me, but by Tchaikovsky.
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