Modest Mussorgsky was born today in Russia. He was an important part of "The Five" Russian composers (see blog for January 2). His music contains both the grotesque and the majestic. Probably most people know him for his tone poem, "Night on the Bald Mountain", popularized by Disney in the original Fantasia movie. I don't think this piece is very uplifting, so aside from linking you to an impressive piano version here, I'll focus instead on my favorite work of Mussorgsky's, Pictures at an Exhibition.
This is a set of piano pieces he wrote after viewing a collection of paintings done by his friend Victor Hartmann, who had died at the young age of 39. Mussorgsky uses one theme over and over throughout the pieces, and calls it "Promenade". It is a beautiful melody, but has awkward timing, meant to depict the composer himself walking to each picture (he was very overweight and walked with an awkward gait). Each Promenade, although containing the same melody, has a very different mood, since each painting he viewed changed what he felt for that moment. Each piece depicts a painting of Hartmann's, and the ones we know about can be viewed here.
The following links are of the entire set of the pictures, divided into 4 videos:
- Promenade - The Gnome - Promenade - The Old Castle
- Promenade - Children Disputing While at Play - Polish Oxcart - Promenade - Dance of the Unhatched Chicks - Goldenberg & Schmuyle (Two Jews: One Rich, One Poor)
- Gossip/Bickering at a French Marketplace - Catacombs
- The Hut on Chicken's Legs (Baba Yaga) - The Great Gate of Kiev
These are amazing pieces with vivid imagery and colors, beautiful melodies, and wide dynamic ranges. It is made even more impressive than the original piano version Mussorgsky wrote by the masterful orchestration done by composer Maurice Ravel. Hope you enjoy them!
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4 comments:
I really love Mussorgsky and have several CDs of his music. Unfortunately, I'm not at home, so maybe I'll leave a more specific comment in a few days.
Sadly, Mussorgsky was prone to depression and alcoholism. "Pictures" is not unusual in having been orchestrated after his death by someone else. Rimsky-Korsakov, who was a friend of Mussorgsky's, did much of this work, including the orchestration of "Bald Mountain".
I don't really know much by him except his Pictures and Bald Mountain. When you get a chance, I'd love to hear about any others that you like.
Sorry I never came back to this. I particularly like "Dawn over the River Moscow", the opening movement of an unfinished opera. I sometimes see it as a Russian counterpoint to Grieg's "Morning Mood". Mussorgsky also wrote a series of "Songs and Dances of Death" (1, 2, 3, 4), which can be a counterpoint to Mahler's "Kindertotenlieder", though to be honest I haven't really mastered listening to either of the latter two.
Thanks for the recommendations!
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