Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition

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Performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Fritz Reiner, Mussorgsky's classical favorite "Pictures at an Exhibition" is a lively, florid masterpiece. Originally composed as a suite of ten movements for piano based on the watercolors and drawings of friend Viktor Hartmann from his travels abroad, "Pictures" has been arranged for and performed by orchestras many times over, the best arrangement being that by Mussorgsky friend and fellow composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Although the included "Night on Bald Mountain" by Mussorgsky is orchestrated by Rimsky-Korsakov, I believe this version of "Pictures" is orchestrated by Maurice Ravel. Other Russian favorites are included for a great compilation. While this is but one of many good interpretations of "Pictures" as an orchestral piece, at Amazon's present price of $7.98, a better bargian can't be had, unless you buy a few other classical music favorites that are similarly priced at Amazon and receive free shipping in the deal as well.

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Many have commented on the Mussorgsky performaces, and those are both very well performed, especially in Night on Bald Mountain and the end of Pictures at an Exhibition (Which was orchestrated by Ravel and Rimsky-Korsakov).
Prince Igor march and Colas Breugnon overture (Which I have not heard of outside of this this CD, but is a very nice overture nonetheless)are also excellent and provide great insight into some less well known Russian composers that deserve our attention. The miniature Tchaikovsky piece is also outstanding, especially when you consider what the composer, and this orchestra, had to pack into about two minutes
Just all this would probably warrant the price for me, but the best is yet to come.
The Slavonic March is simply brilliant, on both performance and composition levels. It is amazing how so much is packed into a mere ten minutes, all stemming from a simple opening line. There seems to be so much emotion in this piece, that it is hard to imagine that this was written to be more of a patriotic march than anything else. All I can think is that Tchaikovsky really must have loved his homeland.
The CD ends off with the famous Ruslan and Ludmilla overture, which I believe is the definitive overture, and especially for Russia. Even Tchaikovsky drew from Glinka, and the only thing I can say for composers of other nationalities that didn't (or don't if they are still alive) is that they should have. In this overture, Glinka expresses musical mastery few have ever come close to, regardless of whether his writings are a pivotal point for Russian music or not. This is where I feel the performance lags in my opinion, as I feel that the orchestra or the conductor slows down as soon as most of the orchestra drops out in the middle, and picks up again when they reach the opening restatement. Maybe its just that I feel that they lose energy, but regardless of whether I am right or not, it just felt lagging in the middle. Suffice to say that I wish they could have done a more gripping rendition of one of the most important musical works.

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Five stars are really insufficient to rate this pinnacle of orchestral playing and recording. Reiner leads (or drives) his Chicagoans to an unmatched level of performance here. The level of precision is absolutely unreal, yet it never stifles or impedes the flow of the music (as George Szell could do with the Cleveland Orchestra). The orchestra plays with an agility that makes many other good renditions of "Pictures" sound almost clumsy. The energy of this performance will stun you if you haven't heard it before.

As far as "Night on Bald Mountain" is concerned, I differ with the reviewer who objects to its' frantic pace. I own and enjoy about 20 recordings of the piece, but Reiner's rendition has an unmatched ferocity, which seems appropriate to me for a demonic (or at least pagan) ritual.

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It is difficult to put into words how much I enjoy this music. While I realized that this had been recorded in the 50's and I was prepared for some background noise, what I received instead was a kind of majesty and purpose that is difficult to find today in an orchestra or its conductor. There is no doubt about the glorious interpretation of this music and the orchestra is likewise single minded.
I freely admit that I purchased this CD realizing that my only copy on digital vinyl left me tied to my listening room at home. I also freely admit that I purchased this with the intent on revenge against the Mustangs playing what passes for music these days, a cacophony of filthy lyrics and vulgar pounding. I have to say that the result is both worthwhile and pleasurable, watching people with their baseball caps on backwards cringe at the sound of a real orchestra. Such is true delight!
In addition, I have found that when I arrive at a destination with this CD, I almost always finish listening to the selection before exiting the car, even when it makes me a few minutes late. There are few pleasures in life beyond music that, even though hopelessly romantic and idealized, stirs the soul and helps us focus on greater things. If nothing else, this recording is a sharp contrast to the shoddy values of the modern age, both in content and execution.

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The only comparable orchestra to Reiner's late fifties Chicago Leviathan was another Midwestern ensemble a few hundred miles to the east in Cleveland (also commanded by an expatriate Hungarian Jewish maestro).

It's a toss up over which orchestra was better, but this disc features ensemble playing of such overwhelming strength and authority that I can hardly think of a Szell/Cleveland recording that tops it, especially since the RCA Living Stereo sound is far better than the shabby sonics of Columbia/Sony.

Glinka's "Russlan and Ludmilla: Overture" alone is worth the unbelievably low admission price. The orchestra is simply on fire and it was captured in fabulous fifties sound that hasn't aged.

If a little tape hiss puts you into a hissy fit then by all means avoid this disc. (And also avoid those musty old paintings in the Prado and the Metropolitan.) Otherwise just buy it and crank up the volume to something approaching the hundred-plus decibels Reiner heard as the CSO burned onto tape one of the finest recordings in the history of classical music.