Six Tchaikovsky Duets by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Arranged for 2 C Flutes by Alfie Pugh
Two scores and separate parts
Duration: 9:48
Contents:
1. Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy (Nutcracker)
2. Puss In Boots & The White Cat (Sleeping Beauty)
3. Waltz (Swan Lake)
4. Dance of the Reed Pipes (Nutcracker)
5. Dance of the Cygnets (Swan Lake)
6. Russian Dance (Nutcracker)
Tchaikovsky’s most popular works are his Ballet Suites (Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty & The Nutcracker), which include a multitude of tunes that stand out amongst the entire repertoire of popular classics as perennial favorites. These six duets focus on passing the melodies – and more technical passages – between the two parts, resulting in a balanced experience for both players. Being dance tunes, the melodies often require a rhythmic accompaniment and where this is necessary, it is shared between the parts where possible, so both players get a go at the tunes.
Included alongside A-list pieces such as the Sugarplum Fairy and Swan Lake Waltz is the slightly less famous Puss In Boots dance from Sleeping Beauty. The arranger chose to include this pas-de-deux for its potential as a duet (albeit a challenging one), and for its creepier character, this being a result of Tchaikovsky’s ambiguous and often unresolving harmonies. It is a welcome inclusion alongside the other blockbusters presented here.
