Although
Williams and Tchaikovsky both make use of the celesta, the differences in
tempo, meter, and note emphasis bring about two different overall effects from
the instrument.
In
terms of tempo, both pieces are slow, yet “Hedwig’s Theme” is more drawn out
than “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” giving it a slower feel. Tchaikovsky
calls for andante non troppo tempo,
which means “slow, but not too slow,” while Williams specifies a misterioso feel (“Italian Musical
Terms”).
The
meter, too, reflects the composers’ different uses of the celesta. Whereas
Tchaikovsky composed in simple duple meter, Williams composed in simple triple.
This contributes to the first piece’s more upbeat tempo than the second.
At
points in “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” Tchaikovsky places a slight emphasis
on higher notes to project a positive, dancelike mood on the piece. In the beginning,
the string accompaniment leads into the celesta motif with soft quarter notes
that slightly stress the higher notes falling on the upbeats.
Upbeats
are not normally stressed, so this element stands out. This stress on normally
unstressed notes sets the piece up perfectly for a similar phrase to come:
The
staccato sixteenth notes in the second measure above follow the pattern of
stressing the normally unstressed parts of the beat. The second and fourth sixteenth
notes are stressed over the first and third. When played on the celesta, the stressed,
higher notes create a light-hearted, dance-like effect appropriate to the Sugar
Plum Fairy’s character and choreography.
In
contrast, the celesta feature in “Hedwig’s Theme” is legato and slurred, and
played with the sustain pedal.
“Hedwig’s
Theme” is smoother and more connected than “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.” This
serves to draw out the notes out in a dramatic, mysterious mood that reflects
the mystery in the movie.
The
difference in note emphasis between the two pieces—staccato in “Dance of the
Sugar Plum Fairy” and legato in “Hedwig’s Theme”—gives the same instrument, the
celesta, seemingly two different sounds. The celesta can produce a light
dancelike song, or a heavy dramatic song, and each composer writes according to
his desired effect.
