[Listening extract audio not available in printed QP] You hear a solo celeste playing a delicate melody over pizzicato strings. (a) Name one Tchaikovsky bal...

(a) One Tchaikovsky ballet that prominently features the celeste [1]

The answer is The Nutcracker. Tchaikovsky introduced the celeste to orchestral music in the 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy' from The Nutcracker (1892). He had recently discovered the instrument in Paris and was so taken with its bell-like, ethereal sound that he kept it secret from other composers until the ballet's premiere, fearing they might use it first.

(b) Effect created by celeste with pizzicato strings [1]

Any one of the following:

• The combination creates a magical, sparkling, ethereal quality. The celeste produces a bright, bell-like tone that shimmers in the upper register, while the pizzicato (plucked) strings add delicate, percussive points of sound beneath it. Together they create a sound world that suggests enchantment and wonder
• The plucked strings provide a light, detached accompaniment that allows the celeste melody to stand out clearly. Because both the celeste and pizzicato strings produce short, decaying sounds (rather than sustained tones), the overall texture is transparent and airy
• The pairing produces a delicate, tinkling effect perfectly suited to dance. The lightness of both timbres - metallic celeste above, gently plucked strings below - creates an accompaniment that sounds weightless and graceful, matching the character of the choreography