Prom 16 - 26.07.17: Mussorgsky – Pictures at an Exhibition

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

If we're going to drag Night on a Bald Mountain into the argument, the composer's own orchestration is an early effort that possibly deserves its neglect. R-K didn't orchestrate this, so a comparison is futile. His version was an orchestral transcription of similar music in Sorochyntsi Fair, but was given a misleading label.

[Richard Tarleton]

Ravel is a superb orchestrator - and I would be very interested in hearing his arrangement(s) of Khovanschina - which is why his substandard effort with the Pictures can only be an intentional satire, pointing out the stupidity of the very idea of altering the piano original. If it did bring greater to attention to a work not previously as well-known, then it has served its purpose ........ and it's time to let the originality of the original take its place and to honour both Ravel and Musorgsky by putting the orchestrations to rest; they bring credit to nobody.

As a devotee of the original I'm greatly cheered by this Ferney - even when I owned the Ashkenazy LP with piano on one side and orch on the other I would play the former. Nowadays I only own one version - Olli Mustonen as it happens. I most recently heard it performed live by Llyr Williams. And talking of R-K I'm a devotee of original 7-scene Boris. I like my Mussorgsky unplugged

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Many thanks, Richard.

[BBMmk2]

I have come to like the original piano version quite a lot, these past few months,especially recordings of Paul Lewis and Steven Osborne.

[Pulcinella]

The original version I have (coupled with the [Ravel] orchestrated version: Rotterdam Phil/De Waart) is played by Misha Dichter.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pictures-Exhibition-Orchestral-Piano-Versions/dp/B00000E3KU/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1501241436&sr=1-2&keywords=mussorgsky+waart

I have no idea why I bought that particular version (i.e., if it was recommended or I just spotted it and bought it).
Anyone know it?

[Boilk]

Well, there are plenty more to choose from:


Mikhail Tushmalov ...

...Peter Breiner

And in 1975 there was a painstakingly-made electronic realisation by the late Isao Tomita.
The Ballet of the Chicks was recenlty played on R3 by Rob Cowan and is rather entertaining...

[cloughie]

And in 1975 there was a painstakingly-made electronic realisation by the late Isao Tomita.
The Ballet of the Chicks was recenlty played on R3 by Rob Cowan and is rather entertaining...

A great version - but the stereo chicks really used to confuse my cat!

[bluestateprommer]

The BBCSSO were on top form tonight under Volkov. Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition were wonderfully characterised and the orchestra made a strong case for Ravel's orchestration. The concert as a whole could have been subtitled "Orchestral Pictures" and it was good to hear both Liszt pieces being played with conviction and colour. Julian Anderson's curious Piano Concerto with its echoes of other composer's travel suites was full of brilliance and wit, and the performance had none of the timidity that can blunt the impact of works receiving their world premiere. I remain worried that at heart Julian is a miniaturist, a latter day Liadov, but, like Ravel, his works are finely engineered without the French composer's originality. Full marks to the sound engineers for creating a marvellous sound stage on R.3, curiously, I found it much better than that created for the RVW / Holst concert last evening.

Agreed about the sound engineering and quality for IV and the BBC SSO, compared to JW and the BBC SSO. That is, unless it had more to do with the conductor, rather than the engineering. Counterargument: the miking was close enough to be able to hear IV's sharp breath intakes at times.

After reading the comments, my impression of IV's take on Pictures was that it wasn't as hard-driven as I was expecting from the comments. The one place where things threatened to get slightly out of hand was "Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuÿle", where the trumpeter missed some of the articulation, perhaps understandable and the end of the evening. (No problem with the Promenade, though.)

Full-blooded orchestral sound in the two "FLiszt" (to misquote Victor Borge) works, and fine work from SO and company in the new Julian Anderson work. I'd also like to transpose edashtav's words of praise for Kate Molleson as host from the previous night's BBC SSO Prom into this Prom as well, in terms of her quality of presentation manner.

[Pulcinella]

Mussorgsky Pictures alert: coming up on today's Essential Classics; not the Ravel orchestration, according to RC in a trailer on Breakfast.