# Best score book for Nutcracker Suite?



## ALittleNightMusic (Oct 7, 2020)

Hi all,

Wondering if anybody had suggestions for the best book for the Nutcracker Suite for score study purposes? Amazon has this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0486253791/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1 (one) which is pretty cheap.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0486253791/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Cheers!


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## JohnG (Oct 7, 2020)

The links from AMZN don't print here for some reason.

Sometimes it's handy to buy a piano reduction too -- can save time especially with older scores. The FHN transposition in the bass clef is opposite -- up P4 instead of down P5


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## JohnG (Oct 7, 2020)

I have a number of Dover scores. They are the same ones I used at university; not The World's Best Conceivable but fine for learning.

Don't have this particular one.


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## YaniDee (Oct 7, 2020)

How about free? Go halfway through page, under "Sheet Music"..the second one is nice and clear..They also have parts. No signup or login required. 






The Nutcracker (suite), Op.71a (Tchaikovsky, Pyotr) - IMSLP: Free Sheet Music PDF Download







imslp.org


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## ALittleNightMusic (Oct 7, 2020)

YaniDee said:


> How about free? Go halfway through page, under "Sheet Music"..the second one is nice and clear..They also have parts. No signup or login required.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yes true though I would prefer a pre-made book if possible (don’t have a great printer).


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## YaniDee (Oct 7, 2020)

ALittleNightMusic said:


> Yes true though I would prefer a pre-made book if possible (don’t have a great printer).


Neither do I..sometimes I take stuff to my local copy place, have it printed in both sides per page with a spiral bind..but I see the price on Amazon is pretty cheap!..


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## synergy543 (Oct 7, 2020)

I have the Dover version and the print quality is very good. Alternatively, IMSLP does offer print services (though I've never tried them) which might be of help if you want another publisher from their site.





Large Booklet Printing Service - IMSLP: Free Sheet Music PDF Download







imslp.org


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## ALittleNightMusic (Oct 7, 2020)

synergy543 said:


> I have the Dover version and the print quality is very good. Alternatively, IMSLP does offer print services (though I've never tried them) which might be of help if you want another publisher from their site.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Oh cool! Thank you! How do you find the Dover version? It seems for Waltz of the Flowers, it has Clarinets in A whereas all other versions have Bb Clarinets. Curious if there are any major differences in the arrangements.


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## Gene Pool (Oct 7, 2020)

Terrific score choice!

_Waltz of the Flowers_ calls for A-Clarinets in the original.

BTW, don't use the harp cadenza as a model for harp scoring; harpists always rewrite it for playability.


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## synergy543 (Oct 7, 2020)

ALittleNightMusic said:


> Oh cool! Thank you! How do you find the Dover version? It seems for Waltz of the Flowers, it has Clarinets in A whereas all other versions have Bb Clarinets. Curious if there are any major differences in the arrangements.


The Dover edition is fine but everything is a bit "squeezed together", as if they wanted to save money by printing fewer pages. I also have the Kalmus edition which is larger and spaced a little nicer if that's important to you. Clarintes are in A in the Kalmus edition as well.

Are you planning to realize this score with samples?


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## bryla (Oct 7, 2020)

I have had this edition for years and it is wonderful and a joy to read.


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## ALittleNightMusic (Oct 8, 2020)

synergy543 said:


> The Dover edition is fine but everything is a bit "squeezed together", as if they wanted to save money by printing fewer pages. I also have the Kalmus edition which is larger and spaced a little nicer if that's important to you. Clarintes are in A in the Kalmus edition as well.
> 
> Are you planning to realize this score with samples?



That version seems to be over $200?

Won’t do the whole thing with samples but bits and pieces to help reinforce some ideas


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## tf-drone (Oct 8, 2020)

Hi,

I'd recommend https://imslp.org/wiki/The_Nutcracker_(suite),_Op.71a_(Tchaikovsky,_Pyotr) as well. PDF are good for viewing on a tablet an can be printed easily.


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## Al Maurice (Oct 8, 2020)

Also Eulenberg is a good choice, I have quite a number of theirs, mostly the orchestral score versions.

The only thing is, you might want to avoid the minature versions, as sometimes I feel after a session of score analysis, it would be handy if I had magnifying glasses for eyes.


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## mikeh-375 (Oct 8, 2020)

..you can't go wrong studying Tchaikovsky's orchestration imv.


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## iaink (Oct 8, 2020)

ALittleNightMusic said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Wondering if anybody had suggestions for the best book for the Nutcracker Suite for score study purposes? Amazon has this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0486253791/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1 (one) which is pretty cheap.
> 
> Cheers!




I have this Dover version and the Eulenberg mini. Both are just fine as study scores. 3 of the pieces (Overture, Chinese and Arab dances) call for Bb clarinets; the rest are A clar.

The Eulenberg was my very first study score and the spine has fallen apart over the years.


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## synergy543 (Oct 8, 2020)

ALittleNightMusic said:


> That version seems to be over $200?


I got it used on eBay. I don't remember the price but it certainly wasn't much. I scan all of my scores into pdf anyways so I can zoom in and see details better. And flip pages quickly with the "page down" button.



ALittleNightMusic said:


> Won’t do the whole thing with samples but bits and pieces to help reinforce some ideas


I like to realize scores in Sibelius or Dorico using NotePerformer. It gives me a quick and reasonable representation. This also forces me to spend time with each instrument from which I learn a great deal. In addition, I can play back individual lines, sections, or combinations of any to gain more insight into the orchestration. I also do a piano reduction to study the harmony. I find all of this immensely helpful and gives me a perspective I wouldn't have had if I only did a DAW realization.

DAW realizations "could" sound far better if you have the "conductor insight" and the "conductor perspective" to really create a cohesive performance. And if you take the time to edit each performance detail and balance the mix and most importantly, the timing. However, all of this takes a great deal of time, so I'd save that for something you really want to fully perform. Otherwise, if you're just entering note data, you probably won't learn too much and its likely not going to sound like a masterpiece (as this is not exactly an easy piece).

Whichever way you go, you'll certainly have a great deal of fun as Tchaikovsky's orchestrations and harmonies are extremely interesting.


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## ALittleNightMusic (Oct 8, 2020)

synergy543 said:


> I got it used on eBay. I don't remember the price but it certainly wasn't much. I scan all of my scores into pdf anyways so I can zoom in and see details better. And flip pages quickly with the "page down" button.
> 
> 
> I like to realize scores in Sibelius or Dorico using NotePerformer. It gives me a quick and reasonable representation. This also forces me to spend time with each instrument from which I learn a great deal. In addition, I can play back individual lines, sections, or combinations of any to gain more insight into the orchestration. I also do a piano reduction to study the harmony. I find all of this immensely helpful and gives me a perspective I wouldn't have had if I only did a DAW realization.
> ...



Good points! Part of doing the DAW rendition is also to improve my programming skills and knowledge of the libraries I own. However, I can probably do both in Dorico since it supports MIDI notes / CC along with notation of course.

Bought the Dover version - thank you for all of the thoughts on this! By the way, this video was what inspired me to get it:


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## synergy543 (Oct 8, 2020)

ALittleNightMusic said:


> Good points! Part of doing the DAW rendition is also to improve my programming skills and knowledge of the libraries I own. However, I can probably do both in Dorico since it supports MIDI notes / CC along with notation of course.


As much as I wish the notation and performance realization were the same, they are not. What you can do in Dorico is wonderful, but it doesn't even come close to the editing ability you have in a DAW. It is all of those little performance nuances of each individual player in an orchestra that makes it all sound so wonderful together. Notation in Dorico (even with NotePerformer or VST of your choice) is still just a sketch. And I encourage you to think of the two processes as being separate because there really is no comparison. 

I also would encourage you to do both processes if you really want to learn both the music and the performance (as well as mixing and editing). Yes, its a lot more work, but if your goal is to learn both the score and create a performance, there really is no shortcut without a compromise (unless you're already really good). And even if you watch an expert, you'll see that the performance process with samples is a tremendous amount of work if you want to create even a somewhat realistic performance. It all depends upon the standards you want to set for yourself too. Might as well start with high standards . And if the piece is too difficult, then possibly consider starting with a simpler one. Tchaikovsky wrote music that spans the spectrum of difficulty.


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## ALittleNightMusic (Oct 8, 2020)

Well said!


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