Even haters gotta give love to Tchaikovsky. Respect! “The Nutcracker Suite” is one of those pieces we only get to hear during Xmas time, and it’s one of the few classical compositions we unequivocally love. So when we came across this bizarre mash-up challenge, we had to hear it. From San Francisco-based composer Flip Baber (via Create Digital Music):I was recently approached by award winning advertising agency, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners to do a composition for their client, Specialized. Specialized is a bike manufacturer and they needed some Christmas music, but with a twist: They wanted me to create the music from only bike sounds … At first I didn?t think it could be done, but as I recorded sounds from my road bike and mountain bike it started to take shape. Here?s the instrumentation and score:
Tchaikovsky?s Nutcracker Suite, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
Glockenspiel & Clarinet melody = spokes.
Cello & Violin pizzicatos = plucked derailleur cables.
Triangle = disc brake hit.
Percussion = shifting, coasting, finger over turning spokes, chain pulls, braking, clipping into pedals, back-spinning, air out of tires.
Here’s his “Bikecracker”:
Head here for a video-interpretation of the tune, with a rundown of the pieces isolated sounds. And if you can think of a good Tchaikovsky/bicycle pun, we’ll change the post title for ya.
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Interestingly, though loved almost world-wide now, Tchaikovsky hated The Nutcracker. There’s collections of his letters to friends and patrons saying how terrible the piece was, and he refused to conduct it in performance. Of course, the man was totally insane, so.
Normally I accept people’s misuse of the word classical, because we all know what they mean. But since this is a site about music, I think readers should be aware that Tchaikovsky was not classical. If you want to categorize The Nutcracker Suite, you should use the broad term orchestral.
And The Nutcracker is awful, 19th century schmaltz. I don’t think we can all agree that we “unequivocally love” it.
I’m glad Tchaikovsky is related to Christmas
Nothing like nephew-datin’ composers scoring the Christian holiday
Bike-ovsky?
Pageblank, see lex’s comment. While not “unequivocally” loved, haters of this song tend to be of a certain type.
Don’t like “classical” – check out Duke Ellington’s version, especially Dance of the Sugar Rum Cherry.
It’s just wonderful! (Said in my best/worst ‘classical guy’ voice)
I’m wondering if anyone even bothered to read past your first couple of sentences? That’s an awesome piece. I love the unexpected!! Anthropomorphizing the music almost…the harsh turned beautiful. I think they could’ve done a better video though- maybe lots of bikers biking unintentionally creating as they rode. The christmas tree was a little too obvious for my taste.
Love it or hate it, I had fun doing it! A question for “wii”: “nephew-datin’?” Do I know you? Either way, I’m glad anyone enjoyed the creation.
Can I download or purchase a copy of this Nutcracker piece?