Tchaikovsky's enchanting Christmas fairy tale is his most popular work and, along with <I>Swan Lake,</I> the world's most frequently performed ballet. The work is a masterpiece of orchestration (including the historic first use of the celesta, in <I>Dance</I> <I>of the Sugar-Plum Fairy</I>) and is essential study for students of orchestral combinations and effects. Musicians will rejoice that previously difficult-to-find favorites like <I>Waltz of the Snowflakes</I> and <I>Spanish Dance</I> (Chocolate) are now available, along with the rest of this beloved score, in an affordable, single-volume edition.