P. Tchaikovsky, Waltz of the Flowers
Waltz of the Flowers is an orchestral piece composed by Tchaikovsky. It is from the second act of his ballet, The Nutcracker.
Visualization is a very important technique in music - it can assist in many things, from preparing for performance on stage, how to physically play the piano, or how to phrase the music you play. Connecting visual experiences to music helps us to seek out effective musical intentions - for example, deciding how to phrase or what dynamics to use. We do not phrase simply for the sake of doing so, or only because it is written in the music. We must seek further meaning - why we should play this way? We can crescendo to create a momentary sensation of floating, such as the ping pong ball bouncing upwards (seen at 1:45). We can adjust dynamics and push the tempo to create a sense of danger and suspense (seen in the video shortly after).
It is nice to see this creative visual take on music - I found it very enjoyable and hope you enjoy as much as I did!
Questions
- Were there any visuals in this video that enhanced the musical experience for you? (Excluding the ping pong ball/sense of danger discussed in the description) What were they and why did they enhance your listening experience?
- Look at some of the musical decisions (phrasing, dynamics, articulation) in the pieces you are working on now. What are some visuals that connect to this way of playing the music? Why does playing in such a way enhance the music?