Sheet Music Review: The Nutcracker Suite, arranged for two flutes by Jennifer Seubel

As the Christmas season is now in full swing, I have thoroughly enjoyed playing from this new Nutcracker Suite arrangement by Jennifer Seubel, published this year by Bärenreiter. Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker has long been popular with flutists especially, as the flute plays a key role in the orchestral version, as Seubel notes in the Preface to the work.

Seubel maintains the original character of the work while reducing it to a flute duet. Of course this means that the arrangement is most suitable for advanced players. To my mind, this arrangement hits the chamber music “sweet spot,” where it provides enough of a challenge to be interesting to an advanced player, without being overwhelmingly difficult. It is, in short, a joy to play.

As you would expect from Bärenreiter, the publication is excellent quality, with the book being sturdy and the notes clear and legible.

Seubel’s biography indicates that she is a writer, teacher and musician in Cologne. She has previously published arrangements of Carnival of the Animals and The Moldau, which I certainly hope to try now, given how much I have enjoyed her Nutcracker Suite.

Highly recommended.