Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881): PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION (Arranged for two guitars by Michalis Kontaxakis & Dejan Ivanovich)

Abstract

Pictures at an Exhibition (1874) by Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881) is regarded as one of the most beloved classical music works of all time. Like Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique (1830), its direct conceptual predecessor, Mussorgsky’s Pictures follow the programmatic, descriptive nature of its music material, connecting the elements of reality with the world of fantasy and illusion. Inspired by a series of paintings by Viktor Hartmann (1834-1873), Mussorgsky’s close friend, Pictures narrates a story about personal transformation during the observation of the paintings— perhaps even the composer’s own self-reflection. This is particularly evident when comparing Promenade I with Promenade IV or Cum Mortuis in Lingua Mortua, which is, in fact, a Promenade, though differently titled and positioned. As in Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique, the main character moves between reality and hallucination, ultimately undergoing his own transformation. From Gnomus and Baba-Yaga to Ox Cart, Children’s Quarrel after Games or the Market in Limoges, the listener is constantly confronted with dualities of conscious and unconscious, real and imaginary, rich and poor, joyful and sad or funny and scary. The popularity of Pictures at an Exhibition increased significantly after Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) colorfully adapted the work for symphony orchestra (1922). Ravel’s orchestration added a new depth to Mussorgsky’s music, especially through its expanded palette of orchestral tone colors. This opened possibilities for bold, new experiments, which brought the idea of creating the version of Pictures at an Exhibition for two guitars.