Pictures at an Exhibition

1. Pictures at an Exhibition Music by Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (1839-1881) This Power Point is for presentation with the Music CD: Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky.

2. Russian Nationalism • Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky was a Russian composer who lived from 1839 – 1881. • He was a part of a group of Russian nationalist composers known as “The Five”. They were Mily Balakirev, Modest Mussorgsky, Nikolav Rimsky-Korsakov, Aleksandr Borodin and Cesar Cui. Nationalism was a movement in music in which each composer expressed the ideals and cultural aspects of his/her native country. • Mussorgsky was the son of a land owner and became an officer in the Russian Army. • He had no formal training in composition, although he was a gifted musician. • Mussorgsky held various Civil Service positions while he continued to pursue composition. • His most famous works are Pictures at an Exhibition and Night on Bald Mountain. Pictures was originally written for piano and then later orchestrated by Maurice Ravel.

3. Promenade • You are the viewer taking a walk through the art exhibit. As the music begins, you enter the Museum. Use your imagination and join Mussorgsky in viewing the great works while listening to his exciting music! • As you enter the gallery, you will hear the theme called the Promenade. This theme is heard between each movement. • It indicates that the viewer is leaving one room and entering another room of the museum. • Each time the Promenade is heard, it’s time to view a new painting.

4. Gnomus • This is the first room of the exhibition. It goes with the first movement of the piece, entitled Gnomus. • What do you think it’s about? • What does the music sound like? • Promenade

5. The Old Castle • This is the 2nd movement of the piece. • What part of the castle is this? • What does the music sound like? • Promenade

6. The Tuilleries

7. Bydlo By looking at the picture, can you tell what a “bydlo” is? Promenade

8. Ballet of the Chickens The next six paintings are in the same gallery

9. Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuyle

10. Limoges: The Market Place

11. The Catacombae What is this?

12. The Hut on Fowl’s Legs

13. The Great Gate of Kiev The Grande Finale!

14. Pictures of Mussorgsky This was painted days before his death As a young man