April: Mussorgsky: Pictures At An Exhibition
Re: April: Mussorgsky: Pictures At An Exhibition
Looking forward to Part 2 Jared!
To be is to do: Socrates
To do is to be: Sartre
Do be do be do: Sinatra
To do is to be: Sartre
Do be do be do: Sinatra
Re: April: Mussorgsky: Pictures At An Exhibition
Part 2 might be overstating the case, Fergus... an addendum, coda or epilogue might be more the reality! LOLfergus wrote:Looking forward to Part 2 Jared!
Re: April: Mussorgsky: Pictures At An Exhibition
Jared wrote:Part 2 might be overstating the case, Fergus... an addendum, coda or epilogue might be more the reality! LOLfergus wrote:Looking forward to Part 2 Jared!
Bring it on Jared!!
To be is to do: Socrates
To do is to be: Sartre
Do be do be do: Sinatra
To do is to be: Sartre
Do be do be do: Sinatra
Re: April: Mussorgsky: Pictures At An Exhibition
Hey everyone !
Just to give my 2 cents on that piece while I have time. I only have one version of the pictures at an exhibition for piano. It is that naxos recording:
I gave it a listen today for the first time is probably more than 5 years. I have always been very fond of that work. Lots of imagination in it and ultra melodic. But melodies with depth that are super clever. Not of the type that you get tired off. Ones that you always discover something new with each listen. This piece is truly a masterpiece.
In forms it is very similar to Schumann and his miniatures. The thing is that it is music that is more melodic than harmonic. The harmonies are nice but not great. However, the richness of the melodies greatly make it up for it.
Those here who know me know that I am a fan of Debussy. I am currently reading a book on Debussy and it is clearly indicated that Debussy was highly influenced by Mussorgsky's music. I have never read about his thoughts of the POE but he was completely at awe at Boris Godonov and he had was the piano score.
Debussy was not the only one influenced by Mussorgsky. He was among the favorite composer of Shostakovich. I once read that Shostakovich had a picture of this famous painting of Mussorgsky in his working area
And Shostakovich once told one of his friend: "You have no idea how many times Mussorgsky helped me in my compositions"
To conclude, I know this is not the topic of this thread but one of my favorite piano composition of all time is this other piano piece by Mussorgsky called 'Une Larme'
Cheers,
Matt
Just to give my 2 cents on that piece while I have time. I only have one version of the pictures at an exhibition for piano. It is that naxos recording:
I gave it a listen today for the first time is probably more than 5 years. I have always been very fond of that work. Lots of imagination in it and ultra melodic. But melodies with depth that are super clever. Not of the type that you get tired off. Ones that you always discover something new with each listen. This piece is truly a masterpiece.
In forms it is very similar to Schumann and his miniatures. The thing is that it is music that is more melodic than harmonic. The harmonies are nice but not great. However, the richness of the melodies greatly make it up for it.
Those here who know me know that I am a fan of Debussy. I am currently reading a book on Debussy and it is clearly indicated that Debussy was highly influenced by Mussorgsky's music. I have never read about his thoughts of the POE but he was completely at awe at Boris Godonov and he had was the piano score.
Debussy was not the only one influenced by Mussorgsky. He was among the favorite composer of Shostakovich. I once read that Shostakovich had a picture of this famous painting of Mussorgsky in his working area
And Shostakovich once told one of his friend: "You have no idea how many times Mussorgsky helped me in my compositions"
To conclude, I know this is not the topic of this thread but one of my favorite piano composition of all time is this other piano piece by Mussorgsky called 'Une Larme'
Cheers,
Matt
Re: April: Mussorgsky: Pictures At An Exhibition
A very nice post Matt and that is a lovely piece of music that you have included there.
To be is to do: Socrates
To do is to be: Sartre
Do be do be do: Sinatra
To do is to be: Sartre
Do be do be do: Sinatra
Re: April: Mussorgsky: Pictures At An Exhibition
Jared wrote:
I enjoyed the grandiose, almost stately feeling in the main theme of this section and the way that it is treated and develops as the section progresses. I also really liked the hymn theme and how it was interspersed into the work. The most captivating part however must be the capturing of the ringing bells which I must say was caught extremely well by Richter.
As I have already indicated the Richter is the only piano version that I have and it is played very well indeed. However, as a direct result of this thread I will be seeking out at least one other solo piano version for comparison purposes. I think that is a fine testament to Jared’s sterling work!
To be is to do: Socrates
To do is to be: Sartre
Do be do be do: Sinatra
To do is to be: Sartre
Do be do be do: Sinatra
Re: April: Mussorgsky: Pictures At An Exhibition
^^ thanks for your comments Fergus... normal service will be resumed on this thread tomorrow (my day off).. things have been rather busy, here!
Re: April: Mussorgsky: Pictures At An Exhibition
Henry Wood’s ‘Pictures’.
You will see from the list of orchestrators that Henry Wood, the founder of the annual Proms concerts in London, wrote an orchestrated version for ‘Pictures’ in 1915, 7 years before Ravel’s famous version was realised. Wood himself was a keen Russophile and supporter of the music of ‘The Mighty Handful (Borodin, Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Balakirev & Cui) in particular. In 1920, effectively just after the birth of the gramophone player, Wood even went as far as to record a few sections from his arrangement onto a pair of acoustic Columbia 70rpm disks.
The fascinating thing about the ‘history’ of Wood’s interpretation however is that it never had a future! I think it says a tremendous amount about the humility and integrity of the man that, upon hearing Ravel’s score in 1922, he immediately accepted it as a superior piece of work and suppressed his own. This needs to be put into a little perspective, as Wood, by now in his mid-forties, was a well-known and respected conductor, composer and orchestrator of the works of others who had performed his ‘Pictures’ on many occasions over the previous 7 years, and gone to the trouble of having recorded it for posterity, yet then placed a ban on the public performance of his own work throughout the 1930’s, in favour of what he believed to be Ravel’s superior work.
Wood’s work as a consequence went largely unheard and unnoticed until a recording of his ‘Pictures’ along with miscellaneous other orchestrations was released in 2007 by Nicholas Braithwaite and the LPO on the Lyrita label:
Wood included only the first ‘Promenade’ section, followed by the 11 pictures, one after the other. It was written in a very different style to Ravel’s, with significantly less use of subtle tone colouring, of pastels and light and shade, as one would expect from Ravel. Rather, it had far more of a bombastic Russian feel to it, more reminiscent of a Rimsky-Korsakov tone poem, in all its bluntness, pomp and grandeur. Certainly, we can hear how the use of the brass section is brought to the fore, coupled with his use of the organ and large bells; and as such I feel that it is far more ‘of its time’ and hasn’t aged as well as Ravel’s work.
Some may be aware that Wood’s original orchestration of ‘Pictures’ was recreated and performed at the Proms a couple of years ago by BBC NOW under Francois-Xavier Roth, from which there are two intriguing clips on YouTube to view; the first including the Opening ‘Promenade’ and part of ‘Gnomus’:
Quite different, isn’t it? A greater reliance on the brass and percussion sections, seems to give the introduction a more angular, brash and staccato sound makes it deliberately uneven, as if the artist is striding or dodging around the gallery in a more erratic manner. Wood’s use of instrumentation was also wider; the drum roll announcing Gnomus, whose darting movements are characterised by a rattle, is typical of Wood’s work.
The second, longer section is of the Great Gate of Kiev:
The differences in style are magnified still further. Wood’s sonic variations are extreme, as the piece commences with a gradually increasing percussion beat (approaching footsteps?), before launching into a loud orchestral ‘crash’ [0.57], signifying the onlooker’s first view of the Great Gate. Wood’s use of a hugely extended timpani section perhaps over-emphasises the celebratory nature of the piece; indeed, I keep thinking it’s about to burst into his ‘Fantasia on British Sea Songs’! Wood started his career as an organist, so it is therefore unsurprising that the instrument is used in the bridging section [1.58-2.31] before the finale, which, complete with crashing cymbals, has a ‘Last night of the Proms - everything but the kitchen sink’ feeling about it.
What are your impressions on this orchestral interpretation? I am a little torn because on the one hand, I accept perfectly that Ravel’s work is superior in many ways, yet I can’t help feeling that Wood’s ideas might be truer to Mussorgsky’s original intentions. The bombast expressed by Wood during what were to prove to be the final days of the dominance of the British Empire, were more consistent with the sentiments of later 19th Century Russian Nationalism than those of Ravel’s post WWI French introspection. Nevertheless, that style of interpretation would in my view, have ensured that it would in time have gone out of fashion, whether Wood had suppressed his own material or not.
You will see from the list of orchestrators that Henry Wood, the founder of the annual Proms concerts in London, wrote an orchestrated version for ‘Pictures’ in 1915, 7 years before Ravel’s famous version was realised. Wood himself was a keen Russophile and supporter of the music of ‘The Mighty Handful (Borodin, Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Balakirev & Cui) in particular. In 1920, effectively just after the birth of the gramophone player, Wood even went as far as to record a few sections from his arrangement onto a pair of acoustic Columbia 70rpm disks.
The fascinating thing about the ‘history’ of Wood’s interpretation however is that it never had a future! I think it says a tremendous amount about the humility and integrity of the man that, upon hearing Ravel’s score in 1922, he immediately accepted it as a superior piece of work and suppressed his own. This needs to be put into a little perspective, as Wood, by now in his mid-forties, was a well-known and respected conductor, composer and orchestrator of the works of others who had performed his ‘Pictures’ on many occasions over the previous 7 years, and gone to the trouble of having recorded it for posterity, yet then placed a ban on the public performance of his own work throughout the 1930’s, in favour of what he believed to be Ravel’s superior work.
Wood’s work as a consequence went largely unheard and unnoticed until a recording of his ‘Pictures’ along with miscellaneous other orchestrations was released in 2007 by Nicholas Braithwaite and the LPO on the Lyrita label:
Wood included only the first ‘Promenade’ section, followed by the 11 pictures, one after the other. It was written in a very different style to Ravel’s, with significantly less use of subtle tone colouring, of pastels and light and shade, as one would expect from Ravel. Rather, it had far more of a bombastic Russian feel to it, more reminiscent of a Rimsky-Korsakov tone poem, in all its bluntness, pomp and grandeur. Certainly, we can hear how the use of the brass section is brought to the fore, coupled with his use of the organ and large bells; and as such I feel that it is far more ‘of its time’ and hasn’t aged as well as Ravel’s work.
Some may be aware that Wood’s original orchestration of ‘Pictures’ was recreated and performed at the Proms a couple of years ago by BBC NOW under Francois-Xavier Roth, from which there are two intriguing clips on YouTube to view; the first including the Opening ‘Promenade’ and part of ‘Gnomus’:
Quite different, isn’t it? A greater reliance on the brass and percussion sections, seems to give the introduction a more angular, brash and staccato sound makes it deliberately uneven, as if the artist is striding or dodging around the gallery in a more erratic manner. Wood’s use of instrumentation was also wider; the drum roll announcing Gnomus, whose darting movements are characterised by a rattle, is typical of Wood’s work.
The second, longer section is of the Great Gate of Kiev:
The differences in style are magnified still further. Wood’s sonic variations are extreme, as the piece commences with a gradually increasing percussion beat (approaching footsteps?), before launching into a loud orchestral ‘crash’ [0.57], signifying the onlooker’s first view of the Great Gate. Wood’s use of a hugely extended timpani section perhaps over-emphasises the celebratory nature of the piece; indeed, I keep thinking it’s about to burst into his ‘Fantasia on British Sea Songs’! Wood started his career as an organist, so it is therefore unsurprising that the instrument is used in the bridging section [1.58-2.31] before the finale, which, complete with crashing cymbals, has a ‘Last night of the Proms - everything but the kitchen sink’ feeling about it.
What are your impressions on this orchestral interpretation? I am a little torn because on the one hand, I accept perfectly that Ravel’s work is superior in many ways, yet I can’t help feeling that Wood’s ideas might be truer to Mussorgsky’s original intentions. The bombast expressed by Wood during what were to prove to be the final days of the dominance of the British Empire, were more consistent with the sentiments of later 19th Century Russian Nationalism than those of Ravel’s post WWI French introspection. Nevertheless, that style of interpretation would in my view, have ensured that it would in time have gone out of fashion, whether Wood had suppressed his own material or not.
Last edited by Jared on Mon Apr 23, 2012 10:55 am, edited 3 times in total.
Re: April: Mussorgsky: Pictures At An Exhibition
I'm at work at the moment, but I can't wait to listen to this on the basis of your description.
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Sitting Room: Wadia 581SE - Rega Planar 3/AT VM95ML & SH - Bluesound Node II - Copland CSA 100 - Audioplan Kontrast 3
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Sitting Room: Wadia 581SE - Rega Planar 3/AT VM95ML & SH - Bluesound Node II - Copland CSA 100 - Audioplan Kontrast 3
Kitchen: WiiM Pro - Wadia 151 - B&W 685s2
Re: April: Mussorgsky: Pictures At An Exhibition
one of these days, I'll actually learn how to embed a Youtube clip into my posts... you wouldn't have thought it could be that difficult really, would you?Diapason wrote:I'm at work at the moment, but I can't wait to listen to this on the basis of your description.