Mussorgsky - Pictures at an Exhibition - Karajan

[AmadeusRel]

A masterpiece composed by Mussorgsky (for pianoforte), made famous because of the Ravel's genius orchestration and when conducted by Karajan it goes beyond perfection. ♥♥♥

[gunterangel]

Originally Mussorgsky had composed this famous cycle for the solo piano in 1874.

Maurice Ravel orchestrated it about half a century later. This is the version we can hear here.

Several other composers have tried their own orchestrations, but Ravel's version is widely considered the most brilliant one and the most popular one today.

However, Vladimir Ashkenazy for instance in an interview prefered the much lesser known orchestration by the equally lesser known Finnish conductor and composer of Slovenic origin, Leo Funtek. Some recordings of that version are here on youtube !
( Ashkenazy also did his own orchestration, which he recorded with the Philharmonia Orchestra London in 1983. )

Ashkenazy considered Ravel's orchestration a bit "too polished" and therefore lacking the rawness of Mussorgsky's original, to some extent at least, though he still called it absolutely brilliant and masterfully done.
But it was simply too perfect in his opinion.
He also critizised some liberties Ravel had allowed himself by slightly changing the score, adding or dropping some notes here and there.
He had also dropped the entire fifth promenade.

And regardless of the best efforts of brilliant orchestra arrangers like Ravel or Funtek, Ashenazy regarded Mussorgsky's original for solo piano as still the best and most persuasive version, because it would have its own, rich and unique colorfulness, that simply cannot be fully translated in an orchestration.

[AVF]

Одна часть лучше другой, и с каждым разом интерес к мелодии только увеличивается! Чувствуется что-то невероятное: созидающее, вдохновляющее, мистическое... и в конце триумфальный звон колоколов, в результате которого возникает чувство победы светлых сил над тёмными...
Мусоргский непревзойдённый композитор!!!

[AxelCruzMEX]

Have you ever seen a live video and said "the editor doesn't have any idea of music!", well, this editor and director knows what they are doing. Is ma masterpiece from the musicians to the film technicians through directors

[stefanufer]

One of Karajan's finest films IMHO - a man completely obsessed by music

[kevinwright]

Like the previous comment- I first heard this piece in the Emerson, Lake and Palmer live version. I really had no idea how powerfully emotional classical music can be. It truly is food and drink for the soul.

[MarshallArtz]

This performance of “Pictures” with the Berlin Philharmonic and Herbert von Karajan was recorded at the Berlin Philharmonie on February 17-22, 1986.

[shin-i-chikozima]

This masterpiece will heal and quench and moisturize my parched soul

[donbarile]

Modest Mussorgsky's composition "The Great Gate of Kiev" is the final movement of his famous piano suite called "Pictures at an Exhibition." The suite was inspired by an exhibition of artwork by Mussorgsky's close friend, Viktor Hartmann, who was a Russian architect and painter.

Hartmann's sudden death in 1873 deeply affected Mussorgsky, and he attended an exhibition of Hartmann's artwork organized as a memorial tribute. Each movement of the suite corresponds to a specific painting or drawing by Hartmann.

"The Great Gate of Kiev" movement was inspired by Hartmann's architectural design for a monumental gate that was intended to be built in Kiev, Ukraine, in commemoration of Tsar Alexander II's escape from an assassination attempt. Hartmann's design depicted a grand, ornate gate with richly decorated towers and intricate details.

Mussorgsky's musical interpretation of the artwork captures the majestic and grandiose nature of the gate. The composition features powerful chords, majestic fanfares, and a sense of triumph and celebration. Mussorgsky intended to portray not just the physical beauty of the gate but also the spirit and pride of the Russian people.

It's important to note that "Pictures at an Exhibition" was originally written for piano, but it has been arranged and orchestrated by various composers, including Maurice Ravel, who orchestrated the version that is most commonly performed today.

[jameskleinecke]

Master conductor at the helm of a virtuostic orchestra. Arguably, one of the best conductor/orchestra matchups in our lifetime

[michaelmichelz]

When anything so magnificent and beautiful is performed as such ....I cry ....out of appreciation and because there seems to be less and less of it in the world

[johnclarkwillcox]

A really terrific rendering of Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition". Karajan and Ravel bring it to where I think Mussorgsky wanted it ...

[EdwardKimCello]

00:35 - Promenade
02:20 - Gnomus
04:54 - Promenade
05:57 - The Old Castle
10:02 - Promenade
10:41 - Tuileries
11:43 - Bydlo
14:20 - Promenade
15:16 - Ballet of the Chicks in their Shells
16:29 - Samuel Goldberg & Schmuyle
18:40 - Limoges
20:10 - Catacombs
22:18 - Cum Mortuis in Lingua Mortua
24:29 - The Hut on Fowl Legs (Baba Yaga)
28:03 - The Great Gate of Kiev

[basslinejoe]

My fav piece of the symphony💗
First time listening, this was in my early teens when I came to accept how influential music was to play in my life. Id listen to this over and over again, lol, annoying many of my friends who were far from liking or appreciating “classical” music.
I envisioned a traveler deep and weary, wandering from a distance, distracted by his long journey on foot nonetheless. Excitement slowly growing as his gaze, from afar, spotting the towers/spires lifting sturdily up into the heavens. With each stride closer the peaks seamlessly, with great gusto with extreme unapologetically and masterfully thrusting, parting his knowledge of his very own meager, humanly footsteps being crushed down into absolute nothingness by the hefty weight of hundreds of thousands exhales escaped from not only the constructors’ mouths, but also from each of their labored souls.

[TheJojoaruba]

One of the most brilliant pieces of music ever conceived. Beautiful performance

[DrChaad]

From the composer to the oboe, percussionists, conductor, audio production & masterful video editing— a humbling showcase of artistic synergy. 🇺🇦

[donaldwhittaker]

Anything with karajan as conductor is always.well done

[jamesdrynan]

I've wondered what Mussorgsky would have thought listening to his work performed by this orchestra.

[eduardooliverosanca]

Some people dont like him because he was popular, he makes with the BFO classical music more known and some purists dont like him for that. But he was amazing and he conducted the Berlin philharmonic at its best ever. With an iron hand as it should be, he was an amazing musician and the sound he gets from that orquestra, we will never see it again. Like it or not he was amazing indeed.

[Nicksonian]

Wonderful performance paired with a gorgeous production. Never seen an orchestral performance so well filmed and thought out. This performance of Pictures may have a few rivals, but it doesn’t get much better than this.