Track Listing

1. I. Promenade: Allegro Giusto Nel Modo Russo
2. II. Gnomus: Allegro Vivo
3. III. Promenade: Un Poco Largo
4. IV. The Old Castle: Andante Molto Cantabile E Con Dolore
5. V. Bydlo: Sempre Moderato, Pesante
6. VI. Promenade: Tranquillo
7. VII. Ballet Of The Unhatched Chicks: Allegretto Scherzando
8. VIII. Samuel Goldenberg And Schmuyle: Andante - Grave - Energico - Pomposo
9. IX. Catacombae: Sepulcrum Romanum: Largo
10. Con Mortuis In Lingua Mortua: Andante Non Troppo, Con Lamento
11. X. The Hut On Chicken's Legs: Allegro Feroce
12. XI. The Great Gate Of Kiev: Maestoso
13. I. Outside The Novodievichi Monastery - The Poeple Ask Boris For Protection - Pilgrims Are Heard Singing In The Distance - They Come Closer And Enter The Monastery
14. II. Coronation Of Boris
15. III. Monks Chanting In The Monastery Of Choudov
16. IV. Siege Of Kazan
17. V. Outside The Church Of Saint Basil - The Idiot Foretells The Fate Of Russia - The Starving Crowd Asks Boris For Bread
18. VI. Death Of Boris
19. Entr'acte
20. Witches Sabbath

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #268123 in Music
• Released on: 2004-03-08
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 65 minutes

Customer Reviews

A sound spectacle
As one who finds Stokowski's orchestrations of Bach as uninspired and boring, I approached this CD of his arrangements of Mussorgsky's best known works with trepidation. I am glad to say that I was pleasantly surprised. What Stokowski has tended to do here is take existing orchestrations - by Ravel or by Rimsky-Korsakov - and make his own arrangements. This bring out new meanings to the music and, in the case of "Pictures", emphasise the "Russianness" of the music.

Stokowski's arrangement of "Pictures" omits some of the movements that Ravel uses (such as "Tuileries") and beefs up others such as the Great Gate of Kiev to produce a sound spectacle. It is good to hear the music played with such commitment and energy by the Cleveland Orchestra under Oliver Knussen.

The suite based on Boris Godunov is a coherent introduction to this magnificent opera and the extract from Kovanshchina is powerfully performed.

The Night on the Bare Mountain is the arrangement used in "Fantasia" and is most obviously a re-arrangement of Rimsky-Korsakov's orchestration. The conclusion - which is Stokowski's own - is a short chorale which brings the symphonic poem to a thunderous conclusion.

Not for the faint-hearted but with sumptuous sound and excellent performances, this is music to wallow in for sheer enjoyment. There are very good programme notes, including some interesting insights - with illustrations - of how Stokowski set about his task.

overhyped and can't replace the best previous version
Unlike Mr Harnett I am a MAJOR fan of Stokowski transcriptions and own a number of these on CD. I bought this CD on the strength of a rave review in the Times. What a bummer! After I'd listened to it, I played my old version (and I DO mean old): Telarc CD-80042 Maazel/Cleveland Orchestra.
This completely blows the Knussen away such that I won't be hanging on to the Knussen, even as a comparative listen.

Missing something...
I bought this as a newcomer to Stokowski, but a big fan of Pictures at an Exhibition and initially was impressed with the early parts, The Old Castle being particularly entrancing. Unfortunately, Stokowski's decision to jettison Tuileries and The Market-place at Limoges for being "too french" (surprising that a piece about a French city should sound French!) leaves the work uneven, without the lightness to counterbalance the gloom of other pieces. In addition, Stokowski's (or Knussen, the conductor's) decision to speed up Bydlo is bizzare, an Ox-cart moving as fast as a race-horse!

The other works included are very well arranged, though my familiarity with them is not so great. The version of Night on Bare Mountain is recommended, being very quiet and very loud to good effect. The arrangement borrows from and improves upon Rimsky's attempt.

I would not recommend this version of Pictures at an Exhibition to a newcomer, and suggest that fans looking for something unusual look no further than one of the solo piano versions.