Pictures at an Exhibition

The inspiration for Mussorgsky’s most famous work came from his friend Victor Hartmann, an artist and architect. When Hartmann died at the early age of 39, Mussorgsky and the rest of the Russian artistic community were stunned, so they organized a memorial exhibit of his work. From that showing came Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, based on the sketches, watercolors, and architectural designs displayed at the exhibition, as well as a few private canvases that Mussorgsky had seen earlier. Each selection in this stunning masterpiece is connected by "Promenade" which moves between 5/4 and 6/4, representing the uneven gait of Mussorgsky walking to the next picture. Titles: Promenade * 1. The Gnome * Promenade * 2. The Old Castle * Promenade * 3. Tuileries: Children Quarreling at Play * 4. Bydlo * Promenade * 5. Ballet of Unhatched Chickens * 6. Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuyle * Promenade * 7. The Market Place at Limoges * 8. Catacombae * Lingua Mortua * 9. Hut of the Baba-Yaga * 10. The Great Gate of Kiev.