The Steadfast Tin Soldier

“The Steadfast Tin Soldier” is a ballet retelling a classic fairytale that captivated (and traumatized) me in elementary school. The piece’s rough sonata form mirrors the action of the story—normalcy, an adventure abroad, and a return home. It opens with a primary theme featuring the brass and snare drum that depicts the soldier’s mechanical, ceaseless marching rounds; meanwhile, discordant woodwinds represent other toys jeering at him. The secondary theme belongs to the paper doll, whose grace is mimicked in upper woodwinds and sparkly percussion. When the soldier faces catastrophe, a stormy development accompanies his misadventures. As the soldier daydreams of the doll, the music settles on a third theme symbolizing their love, built out of fragments of both of their themes. Finally, the soldier’s return home marks the recapitulation, finishing in a heartwarming coda.