Nutcracker Nouveau: The Russian Expedition Ensemble Polaris

• 1 I. Trepak 02:32
• 2 II. O'er the Snowy Steppes 03:13
• 3 III. Bright Face, Round Face 02:17
• 4 IV. Waltz of the Flowers 05:06
• 5 V. Sugar Plum Fairy 02:25
• 6 VI. Kazanka 03:13
• 7 VII. Juniper on the Hill 02:50
• 8 VIII. Danse Arabe 05:46
• 9 IX. Danse Chinoise 03:48
• 10 X. Two Guitars 00:12
• 11 XI. Danse des Mirlitons 02:38
• 12 XII. Bandura 03:34
• 13 XIII. Karovushka 03:05
• 14 XIV. Overture 02:36
• 15 XV. Not the Wind 01:57
• Total Runtime 45:12

Info for Nutcracker Nouveau: The Russian Expedition

Premiered at St Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre in December 1892, Tchaikovsky’s music for The Nutcracker received glowing praise, but the ballet production itself was not a roaring success. No one could have predicted that almost seventy-five years later The Nutcracker would become a festive season favorite, a ‘Christmas bonus’ for ballet companies around the world.

In their brand-new release Nutcracker Nouveau, Ensemble Polaris celebrates Tchaikovsky’s popular music with influences ranging from traditional Scandinavian, bluegrass, Roma and Klezmer to Chinese classical and The Nightmare Before Christmas, and juxtaposed with instrumentals and songs from Russian folk tradition. Music to bring you good cheer, at any time of year!

Marco Cera, guitar
Kirk Elliott, harp, bagpipes, accordion, violin, psaltery
Ben Grossman, hurdy gurdy
Jeff Wilson, percussion, saw
Margaret Gay, cello
Alison Melville, flutes, recorders, seljefløyte
Katherine Hill, voice, violin, nyckelharpa
Colin Savage, clarinet, bass clarinet, recorders
Debashis Sinha, percussion

Ensemble Polaris Hailed as ‘something of a revelation’ (Classic CD, UK) and ‘half ethno, half hip, and always enjoyable’ (American Recorder, USA), POLARIS brings an eclectic array of instrumental colours and musical sensibilities to everything they play, from lullabies and laments to dance tunes and nonsense songs.

Founded to explore 'the idea of North' in music, Ensemble POLARIS uses improvisation and arrangement alongside more traditional methods of music making to treat tunes from Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Scotland and Canada in innovative, categorization-defying ways. In recent years they have also developed a significant body of original repertoire using Nordic themes as their inspiration.

‘I dare you not to love this music!’ (Amazon.com)

'In truth it's not how far afield we're taken by Uncharted Waters that reflects Ensemble Polaris' particular genius. It's how the group leads us to re-discover what we've loved all along — a heartbreaking melody, a snappy dance beat — in the guise of some unexpected form.' (Peter Goddard, Toronto Star)

‘…a most attractive whole…not a single ponderous or difficult moment.’ (New Folk Sounds, Holland)

The band has performed at Toronto’s Northern Encounters Festival, Salle Pierre Mercure in Montréal, Guelph’s River Run Centre and numerous other venues, and has been heard on radio across North America and Europe on CBC-Radio 2, Radio-Canada, NPR, BBC and others. Touring thus far has taken them across western Canada and to the Maritimes.

Polaris has four critically-acclaimed CDs to their credit, all of which are physically distributed across North America by Naxos of America, and are available for download from most e-vendors. Their first, ‘Midnight Sun,’ received a ‘Disc of the Month’ rating in Britain’s Classic CD magazine. Subsequent titles are Not Much is Worse than a Troll, Vikings on Vacation, and Uncharted Waters.

The band members are Marco Cera (guitar), Kirk Elliott (violin, harp, bagpipes, psaltery, etc.), Margaret Gay (cello), Ben Grossman (hurdy gurdy), Katherine Hill (voice, violin), Alison Melville (flutes, recorders, seljefløyte), Colin Savage (clarinet, bass clarinet, recorders); Debashis Sinha (percussion); Jeffrey Wilson, (percussion).

POLARIS receives support from the Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts.

This album contains no booklet.