Pictures at an Exhibition
description
Transcript of Pictures at an Exhibition
In 1874, Modest Mussorgsky, a Russian composer, visited a memorial exhibition of
paintings by his artist friend, Viktor Hartmann.
Hartmann Exhibit…
Hartmann, a well-known artist and architect, had died the previous year at the age of 39
Deeply moved by his friend’s pictures, Mussorgsky chose ten of them for musical
illustration.
Although Mussorgsky composed the music for piano, Maurice Ravel arranged the most
well known orchestral setting.
Now, let’s try to imagine how each of these ten paintings may have
appeared…
Promenade IPromenade I
Depicts our composer walking
into the gallery, then moving from
painting to painting.
GnomeGnomeA little gnome, clumsily running with crooked legs
Promenade IIPromenade II
Key of A flat major. The promenade theme, illustrating the composer walking from work to work.
The Old CastleThe Old CastleA muted alto saxophone conjures images of a troubadour singing outside the walls of a medieval castle.
Promenade IIIPromenade III
Key of B major. The promenade theme, extremely short (8 measures).
TuileriesTuileries Children’s sol-mi chant evokes images of hide & seek and tag… and running home for dinner at the end of the day.
Bydlo (Ox Cart)Bydlo (Ox Cart)The ox cart approaches from the distance, plodding along as its driver deeply sings a Russian folk song. Then they both disappear into the distance…
Promenade IVPromenade IV Key of D minor. The promenade Key of D minor. The promenade
theme is now sad and pensivetheme is now sad and pensive
Ballet of the Unhatched Ballet of the Unhatched ChicksChicks
AABA’ form:
The last A’ section ends with what sounds like the peeping of the hatched chick
Goldenberg and Goldenberg and SchmuyleSchmuyle
Strong Strings and a Trembling Trumpet
depict a verbal disagreement between two old friends… one
particularly overbearing and the
other somewhat mild-mannered and
nervous. Who gets the last word?
The MarketplaceThe Marketplace
Rapid, high-pitched notes simulate the chattering voices of women and vendors bartering in the in the market
The Catacombs/ Cum The Catacombs/ Cum Mortuis in lingua Mortuis in lingua mortuamortua
Loud and soft chords mysteriously evoke the cavernous acoustics of the catacombs. The second part features a ghostly, hymn-like variation of the promenade theme.
The Hut of Baba YagaThe Hut of Baba YagaGrunting strings… snarling brass…
shrieking woodwinds…
All create Baba Yaga’s mysterious
hut on chicken’s
legs!
•ternary form (ABA)
The Great Gate of KievThe Great Gate of Kiev
Long Live
Hartman
n and
Mussorgsky!
CREDITS:
•Audio excerpts, for educational purposes only, from: Philips Digital Classics: Muossorgsky; Philadelphia Orchestra under the direction of Riccardo Muti, 1991
•Some descriptive wordings of the various suite sections from the album insert written by Bernard Jacobson