The Chubby Drummer is 9 inches tall. He is wearing a tall black stove pipe style hat with black plume, double looped gold chain and gold brim. His Jacket is deep emerald green and gold with amber jewel buttons. His trousers are red and his boots are black. He using gold drum sticks to tap out a cadence on a red and gold drum that is attached to his waist. Select this link to view our Wooden Nutcracker Soldiers.
Snare Drum.
Originally, snare drums were military instruments originating from Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries. They were commonly called a tabor and were used with the fife in the Swiss military. Today, the snare drum can be found in nearly every form of western music. Snare drums are used by fife and drum corps, marching bands and drum and bugle corps to provide a steady source of rhythm. The sound of a marching snare is a classic military sound. The snare drum was incorporated into European classical music to provide color, or timbre, for march like segments of music. Select this link to view our Nutcracker Drummer.
Snare drums are now used in popular music styles like rock and roll and jazz to accompany, support, and interact with other musicians. The snare drum is the driving force in samba music where ghost notes are played continuously with accented strokes outlining the rhythm. The snare is also used extensively in Reggae ton, and in extreme metal to provide a blast beat. Select this link to view our Slender Drummer Nutcrackers.
Snare drums may be made from various wood, metal, or acrylic materials. A typical diameter for snare drums is 14 inches. Marching snare drums are deeper in size than snare drums normally used for orchestral or drum kit purposes, often measuring in at a foot long. Orchestral and drum set snare drum shells are about 6 inches deep. Piccolo snare drums are even more, shallow at about 3 inches deep. Soprano, popcorn, and firecracker snare drums have diameters as small as 8 inches and are often used for higher pitched special effects. Select this link to view our Skiing Nutcrackers.
The History of Nutcrackers
According to German folklore, nutcrackers were given as keepsakes to bring good luck to your family and protect your home. The legend says that a nutcracker represents power and strength and serves like a trusty watch dog guarding your family from evil spirits and danger. A fierce protector, the nutcracker bares its teeth to the evil spirits and serves as the traditional messenger of good luck and goodwill. Select this link to view our Soldier Bear Nutcrackers.
Nutcrackers reflect ancestral dining customs where amusing or unusual nutcrackers were part of the social setting adding a whimsical conversation piece as guests linger over the dessert course which included treats such as pecans and hazelnuts. Select this link to view our Fisherman Nutcrackers.
Writers, composers and artists sang and danced the praises of the legend of the Nutcracker beginning with the novel “The Nutcracker and the King of Mice,” written sometime between 1776 and 1822, by E.T. Amadeus Hoffman. This novel became the basis for Tchaikovsky’s magnificent “Nutcracker Suite”, which debuted as a ballet in St. Petersburg in 1892 and lives on as a holiday tradition throughout the world. Select this link to view our Palace Guard Nutcracker.
