# List your Mussorgsky Pictures At An Exhibiton collection



## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I have five performances on piano, one on organ, 
the Shostakovich Trio (violin, cello, and piano), 
the Fine Arts Brass Ensemble (trumpets, horn, trombone, and tuba), 
MA.GR.IG.AL. (bayan accordian and strings: balalika, domra viola, and contrabass), and
a curious and quite enjoyable electronic version. 

I also have several orchestrations: Ravel, Stowkowski, Ashkenazy and one comprised of 15 different orchestrations (compiled by Leo Slatkin). And I just ordered one done with piano and orchestra together. 

Curiously, the Great Gates of Kiev in the Douglas Gamley orchestration (on the mixed orchestrations) and on the electronic version have a bit of vocals, which is quite nice.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

I have this recording on the German budget label PILZ -

Mussorgsky: 
_Pictures at an Exhibition; Largamente_ (Gerhard Eckle, piano); 
_A Night on Bare Mountain_ (Radio Symphony Orch., Ljubljana/Samo Hubad, cond.)

In terms of orchestrations, I've heard Ravel's one (who just about hasn't?) & I think it's good, but ultimately comes across as sounding more like Ravel than Mussorgsky. He should have done what Schoenberg did with his orchestration of Brahms' _Piano Quartet #1_, arranged it in a way that fitted the style of the composer, not just his own style...


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

orch. by Ravel: Karajan and Reiner

piano: Pletnev, Pogorelic, and Horowitz


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Original version for piano solo
Orchestrated version by Maurice Ravel
Orchestrated version by Vladimir Ashkenazy
Orchestrated version by Leopold Stokowski
Orchestrated version by Tushmalov
Orchestrated version by various composers mixed
Brass ensemble version by Elgar Howarth
Organ version by Jean Guillou
Organ version by Hansjorg Albrecht
Guitar version by Kazuhito Yamashita
Two accordions version by Crabb/Draugsvoll
Wind quintet version by Joachim Linckelmann
Piano trio version by Grigory Gruzman
Saxophone quartet version by Johan van der Linden
Jazz band version by Allyn Ferguson
Progressive rock band version by Emerson, Lake and Palmer
Heavy metal band version by Mekong Delta
Electronic version by Isao Tomita
Avant garde version by Kawabata Makoto and Tsuyama Atsushi

I am preparing a long blog post about these, hoping to get it out this year....


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

My sustained interest is only in the piano recordings.

Mustonen's interpretation is (as one would expect) nowhere near centrist, but is believable and interesting.

Yudina's interpretation is serious, forceful, and generates what feels like a rather morbid religious intensity. It's a keeper, but the mood generated is not 'for daily use'.

Webster Atkins' performance is full of little oddities, some of which must be boners. The cumulative effect is to turn a serious interpretation into an amusing one.

The two great Richter recordings, Prague 1956 and Sophia 1958, I have raved about in TC before. The emotional charge they generate - with different 'charge-rates' and release points, is phenomenal.

I have heard dozens of other recordings and radio performances, but those above will do for the survey.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Here is the curious electronic version that I have. 
http://www.archive.org/details/ModestMussorgskysPicturesAtAnExhibition
It is a free download. I think you will find it quite enjoyable for what it is.

By the way, I do have the Emerson Lake and Palmer version but did not include it because I keep it on my Blues/Rock mp3 player, not my classical player. Also I didn't care for the vocals or some of the weird sounds and cut them out. Now it is listenable, but my son and I decided to rename the ELP version, "Pictures as an Abominition."


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Karajan orch. version
Bronfman piano version


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

BPO/Karajan (DG,1965-66)
Pogorelich (DG, 1995)


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## DavidMahler (Dec 28, 2009)

Piano Version - Pogorelich
Piano Version - Kissin
Piano Version - Feltsmann
Piano version - Richter Sofia Concert
Piano Version - Andsnes
Piano Version - Demidanko
Piano Version - Janis


Orch. version - Reiner
Orch. version - Giulini
Orch. version - Bernstein
Orch. Version - Szell
Orch. Version - Rattle
Orch. version - Ashkenazy (his own orchestration)
Orch. version - Gergiev
Orch. version - Karajan
Orch. Version - Ormandy

Silly Rock version - Emerson Lake & Palmer

Im probably forgetting at least 5


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

Impressive! Let me see what I have...I'm sorry, tea time, I have no time.

Martin


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## Oldhoosierdude (May 29, 2016)

Found this at a thrift store for a dollar. Good investment. Quite an enjoyable work. Berlin Radio Symphony, Gerald Levine.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Good to revive this thread. I started it only one month into my TC membership.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

I do love Ashkenazy with his orchestra and Pogorelich as solo Piano


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Pugg said:


> I do love Ashkenazy with his orchestra and Pogorelich as solo Piano


Those are probably the best two.


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## Tallisman (May 7, 2017)

Art Rock said:


> Original version for piano solo
> Orchestrated version by Maurice Ravel
> Orchestrated version by Vladimir Ashkenazy
> Orchestrated version by Leopold Stokowski
> ...


You're kidding, right?


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

^
no. Why would you think that?


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

Wowie! Are there that many versions?! I don't even have 1 in my CD collection...I've heard the piano and orchestral versions and also 2 for guitar; Kazuhito Yamashita & Jorge Caballero, who is awesome beyond belief.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Art Rock said:


> ^
> no. Why would you think that?


Because Ashkenazy has his own orchestration, though I suppose each orchestration (Ashkenazy, Stowkowsky, Ravel, etc.) are has its own merits. But Pogorelich for solo Piano can't be topped in my opinion.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Florestan said:


> Because Ashkenazy has his own orchestration, though I suppose each orchestration (Ashkenazy, Stowkowsky, Ravel, etc.) are has its own merits. But Pogorelich for solo Piano can't be topped in my opinion.


I was referring to post 15, not 14 (which was yours).


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

The only performance I auditioned was the coughfest known as the Sviatoslav Richter "live" performance. The sound....the coughing....too bad. Through it all, it seemed to be a great performance.


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## David Phillips (Jun 26, 2017)

I used to like Karajan's Columbia stereo version on LP but now I'm sold on the Fritz Reiner SACD transfer.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Art Rock said:


> I was referring to post 15, not 14 (which was yours).


Right, but I assumed that since that post (#15) was one minute before yours, that maybe it happened while you were posting and so thought you might be referencing my post. It didn't help that your post came at the top of a new page either. No problem.


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## Oldhoosierdude (May 29, 2016)

Freebie mp3 download with Stokowski conducting is available from internet archive. But I like my bargain bin CD.


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