Three Centuries of "Pictures at an Exhibition"

Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky wrote his unique and highly original piano suite Pictures at an Exhibition in June 1874. His friend, the artist and architect Viktor Hartmann, had died unexpectedly in August of the previous year at the age of 39, and an exhibition of over 400 of his paintings (including two that Hartmann had given Mussorgsky) was presented in Saint Petersburg in February and March 1874. This exhibition of Hartmann's work was the inspiration for Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. Many of Hartmann's paintings are now lost to history, but fortunately Mussorgsky's music survives and has inspired both musicians and listeners ever since.

Mussorgsky, who also died young at age 42, never lived to see his colorful piano suite orchestrated, but numerous composers have orchestrated Pictures at an Exhibition from the 1880s up to and including the present century.

At this event, we'll begin by watching a remarkable 2015 performance in Kiev of the original piano suite by Georgian concert pianist Khatia Buniatishvili (b. 1987). Then, after a brief discussion, we'll be listening to a great performance of the orchestral version by Maurice Ravel, accompanied by images of Hartmann's surviving paintings that inspired the movements along with descriptions of each movement. Following another brief discussion, we'll conclude the program with an innovative electronic realization of Pictures at an Exhibition that well illustrates the infinite instrumental and tonal palette that is possible with electronic music.

Please join us on Saturday, November 16, 2024 at the Flowing Wells Public Library at 1730 W. Wetmore Rd. We'll be meeting in the large Multipurpose Room from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. David Oesper will be your presenter.