In spite of the great popularity of his symphonies, concertos, and smaller orchestral works, Tchaikovksky's compositional style finds its most suitable home in ballet music. Tchaikovsky was a master of orchestral color, sweeping melody, and character definition; the composer he most admired was Mozart, whose grace he tried to emulate. While large stretches of symphonic music must rely upon motivic coherence and taut development in order to be convincing, short ballet numbers can be completely captivating with rudimentary formal plans and one or two melodic ideas.
Tchaikovsky's three most famous ballets are Swan Lake (1876), Sleeping Beauty (1889), and The Nutcracker (1892). Although The Nutcracker is by far the best known, due to its now-ubiquitous performances every Christmas season, all three ballets are filled with terrific music and are staples of the repertoire. This waltz comes from early in Act I, where Aurora (the ballet's title character) has reached marrying age and is enjoying a celebration in her honor, during which villagers and peasants add to the festivities by dancing this waltz. A swirling introduction sets the stage for the main theme, which demonstrates Tchaikovsky's typically infectious lyricism. The middle section features a dialogue between a trio of treble instruments (flute, oboe, and glockenspiel) and a solo horn. The first theme returns without any changes, deviating only in the final phrase to arrive at a brief coda. The waltz is short and to the point, lasting only long enough to make a complete musical statement.