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 Castle

A 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).

TuileriesTuileriesChildren’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