Music Notes

Day Two: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, by Lindsey Stirling

My second of twelve holiday tracks is one I picked up by chance at a truck stop last year, just as the Xmas music season was drawing to a close. I'd never heard Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy before, and Lindsey Stirling’s rendition is one I find absolutely fascinating. I had it on repeat for ages when I discovered it.

To me, there's something vaguely ominous, even treacherous, in the light, delicate notes. If you listen carefully, you can detect a spiraling bass downbeat underneath at certain points that feels almost like a plane crash, to put it rather ridiculously. It feels like something exciting is happening: a chase, a battle of wits, a fencing match, a spy encounter. The frosty high notes rise and dip, leap and skip, with the vibrant, engaging grace of an acrobat or a ballerina, all while hinting at a deeper mystery taking place, threading soft tension through even the most twinkling of harp strums.

This is the kind of music I find inspiring. It tells a story: of what, I don't know. Maybe I'll be the one to tell it.

Words: 187.