Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • Pictures at An Exhibition - Eulembergs Preface

    Uploaded by

    João Rocha
    9 views11 pages
    PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION - EULEMBERGS PREFACE

    Original Title

    PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION - EULEMBERGS PREFACE

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Report this Document
    PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION - EULEMBERGS PREFACE

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    9 views11 pages

    Pictures at An Exhibition - Eulembergs Preface

    Uploaded by

    João Rocha
    PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION - EULEMBERGS PREFACE

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 11
    PREFACE Moses Mussorgsky (1839-1881) composed Kar- Tinkis vistavki (Picnures at an Exhibition) in a burst of creative activity between 2 and 22 june 1874, The com- poser’s title refers to a commemorative exhibition of Paintings, watercolours and architectural designs by his colleague Victor Hartmann (1834-1873), that was organized in St Petersburg by their mutual friend Vladi- mir Stasov, the noted ar criti! Mussorgsky described his new project in a-letter to Stasov writen in June 1874 Hartmann is boiling as Boris (Godunov) boiled; sounds and ideas have been hanging in the air; [am devouring them and stuffing myselt ~ I barely have time to scribble them on paper. [am writing the 4th number ~ the links are good (on ‘promenade’). I want (o finish it as quickly and securely as I can My profile can be seen in the interludes. I consider it successful to this point. On I July Stasov wrote to Rimsky-Korsakov (184-1908) about the second part ofthe piece: {. . .] I feel that all the best things are there, “The Gossipers of Limoges’ at the market is a delightful ‘Scherzino and is very pianistic. Then comes ‘Baba- Yaga,’ which is magnificent and powerful, and, for the conclusion, “The Bogatyrs’ Gate at Kiev’, in the ‘manner of a hymn or finale & la ‘Slavsia’s! of course fit is) a hundred million times worse and weaker, but [it is} a beautiful, powerful, original piece just the same, There is a particularly beautiful church melody here, “As You Are Baptized in Christ’, and the sound of bells in an entirely new manner. In this same second part, there are some unusually poetic moments. These appear in the music for Hartmann’'s, painting “The Catacombs of Paris’, which consist of nothing but skulls. At first Musoryanin has a depic- tion of a gloomy cavern (with purely orchestral chords held out long with a big “). Then, above a ‘remolo in minor, comes the first promenade theme; this is the glimmering of little lights in the skulls; here, suddenly, Hartman's enchanting, poetic appeal to Mussorgsky rings out [. . .]. But don’t imagine, admiral, that Musoryanin has only been applying himself to this [work]: now there suddenly has awakened in him such a desire for composition, that it seems hardly a day passes him by without it "Mussorgsky dead Piewres ata Ehiition wo Stor, ad wre ‘on the tie page of his manus “To you penralissine [generals Sino} the ofganizer ofthe Hartmann exibition in memory of or deat Victor, 27 Jue [18]74" The original tile ofthe pose was apparel Hansa 2 Quoted in Alexandra Orlov, Musorgsty’s Days eed Works, tans aan ed. Roy J. Guenther, Ans Arto, 1983p. 416 » Referring to the majestic ial for chon tnd orchestra, “Glory to the “Tsar fom Glink’ opera Af for he Tsar Stasov's comments regarding the ‘sound of bells’ ‘and ‘purely orchestral chords’ tuned out to be proph- clic: no other work for the piano has been orchestrated so often.s Mussorgsky and Hartmann met in 1870 and soon became close friends. They were among those forward- looking artists who were seeking fresh sources of in- spiration by avoiding foreign influences and turning to Russian folklore, Russian history and the Russian lan- ‘guage. A modern critic has summed up Hartmann’s im- portance as follows: [. . .] He had only just begun to hit his stride atthe time of his death, and it is therefore not surprising that nearly all of his output is lost [. . J. His mod- est, skilful but far from extraordinary pictures are of interest today primarily as documents intensifying our knowledge of Mussorgsky’s milieu. They also have a further value insofar as they show us how the visual concepts of a man of unexceptional talent can serve to bring forth musical concepts from a man of genius. Mussorgsky’s piano suite interprets 10 of Hartman's works. In addition, five promenades are interspersed that capture the differing moods of the composer as he strolls from one picture to another. The promenades are all based on the opening promenade melody, which also appears in “With the Dead in a Dead Language’, and the finale, “The Great Gate of Kiev’, thus produ ‘cing a broad cyclical unity. The pictures and their musi- cal interpretations may be summarized as follows. 1, ‘Gnomus’ [Latin: The Gnome]. In a letter to a colleague, Stasov described this carved, wooden dwarf as ‘a kind of nutcracker, a gnome into whose mouth ‘you put a nut to crack’. The music, which is grotesque, nervous and not without a touch of tragedy, is a spiritual ancestor of Ravel's ‘Scatbo’ from Gaspard de la nuit 2. “Il vecchio castello” [Italian: The Old Castle} Hartmann’ painting portrayed a medieval Italian castle, with a troubadour singing and accompanying himself oon the lute. A pedal point on G sharp in the bass extends throughout the 107 bars of this hauntingly sustained serenade, 3. ‘Tuileries (Dispute d’ enfants aprés jeux)’ (French: Tuileries (Children Quarrelling After Play)], The artist's 5 Inaction to Ravel's wanserpion, tere re orcosttions by Mikhail “Tashmalov (1891), Henry 3 Wood (1913), Leo Funte (1922), Leonidas Leonardi (1924), Lacien Callt (1937), Leqpold Stokowski (1939), Walle: Gosh (192), Sergei Gorchakoy (195, ané Vadis Ashik ‘my (1982). Thre ae alo transrptions for chamber rests piano and orchestra, brass instruments, guitar symphoaic band, wind en- ‘bl, organ, an lecwonic interpretation by the Japanese composes Isao Tomita, and version by the rock group Emmerson, Lake and Palmer. It appeas tht nether Musoreaky nor Rims -Korsakoy ever Intended io trnseibe Picures at an Esko, © Alte V. Frankenstein, Frewend to Massergsy's Pictures a an Eh 4 Orava, op. cit pp. 19-120, bivon, Iniestionl Music Company Baton, Nest York, 1952 Vv watercolour of this famous Parisian park highlighted a _gtoup of quatrelling children. Mussorgsky's playful inter- pretation never exceeds mezzo forte, and his sensitivity to the pristine world of childhood is much in evidence. ‘A similar melding of innocence and sophistication is found in Ravel’s Ma Mére l’Oye and L’Enfant et les sontileges. 4, ‘Bydlo’ (Polish: Cattle]. Hartmann sketched a wagon with large wheels drawn by two oxen plodding, along a muddy road. With its steady, lumbering rhythm and Slavic despondency, Mussorgsky’s setting recalls ‘Chopin's Prélude in A minor (Op. 28/2). 5, ‘Balet nevylupivshikhsa ptentsov’ (Russian: Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks). This is the first of only three Russian ites in Mussorgsky’s piece. Hartmann painted several watercolours for the costumes in a ballet by Julius Gerber entitled Trilby, which was staged in St Petersburg. Stasov explained that the scenario called for a group of little boys and girls dressed as canary- birds, who scampered on the stage. Mussorgsky’s fleet- ing, Lillipatian music is set in the form of a scherzo, trio, scherzo and coda, 6, “Samuel Goldenberg und Schmujle’ [German, perhaps Yiddish: Samuel Goldenberg and Schmufjle]. The title would sound virtually the same in Yiddish, which Mussorgsky may have tried to convey by waiting a diaeresis over the ‘y’. The portraits were sketched in Sandomierz, Poland and Stasov later entitled them “Two Jews: Rich and Poor’. Hartmann gave the por- traits to Mussorgsky as a gesture of friendship, and the composer had them displayed at his colleague's exhi- bition. Ina brief statement of his aesthetic views, Mus- sorgsky observed that: Artis a means of communicating with people, not an end in itself [. . ]. The mission of the art of ‘music [is] to be the reproduction in musical sounds of not only the nuances of the emotions, but, even ‘more important, the nuances of human speech ? ‘The authoritative opening and the humiliating begging found in Mussorgsky’s impressive dialogue admirably convey his aesthetic viewpoint. 7. “Limoges. “Le marché” (La grande nouvelle)’ [French: Limoges. The Market Place (Important News)]. Stasoy asserted that Hartmann had painted a picture of a crowd in a market place in Limoges, France. The gos- sip, commotion, clatter and chatter in this piece (which reappear in Strauss’s Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche) ‘were interpreted in prose by Mussorgsky in his manu- scrip, but subsequently crossed out. He wrote in French: Important news: Monsieur Pimpant de Panta- Pantaléon has just recovered his cow, ‘Fugitive’ “Yes, Ma'am, that was yesterday. No, Ma'am, it ‘was the day before yesterday. Why yes, Ma'am, the beast roamed about the neighbourhood. Why’ no, Ma'am, the beast didn't roam at al.’ Bte# 7 Malo Harpe Brown, ed, Masorgky in Memoriam 1881-1981, ‘Arm Aor 1982.0. 3 "La rand nouvel: M, Pingu de Put Paton in rover sa vacho “La Fogitve Ou Mabie" «Gather ~ Non *Madie™ eat vane hier ~ Eh bie, "Maire a beter danse vos ‘age. Bi ben, non, “Mate a bene dit pas uv fout =e ‘A second version reads: Important news: Monsieur de Puissam recovered his cow, ‘Fugitive’. But t of Limoges are not in complete ae matter because Mme de Remboursa ‘quired a fine set of porcelain tects, wt de Panta-Pantaléon is nursing his & which is the colour of a peony. 8. ‘Catacombae (Sepulcrum roman Catacombs (A Roman Sepulchre). Hart watercolour portrayed himself, 2 colleass examining the catacombs in Pais. At the: cof human skulls. Mussorgsky’ incomect the second part of this piece is writtem i ‘manuscript: ‘Con {instead of “Cum”] Mew Mortua’ [With the Dead in a Dead Lam adds (in Russian): “May well it be in Latin spirit of the late Hartmann leads me to 4 invokes them: gradually the skulls begin frightening gloom and touches of the spe in this eerie diptych form a striking com ‘carefree mood of the preceding piece. 9. ‘Tzbushkah nah kuryikh nozhcak (Russian: The Hut on Hen’s Legs (Babe- man’s omate pencil sketch showed a clock as part of a witch’s hut resting om pounding, tempestuous opening sectios the wild flight of the witch Baba- Yaga, = ‘bones. The quieter middle section com ‘remolos throughout, and a reprise of the tion leads to a Lisztian coda which comm with the finale. Thus, after interpreting artistic excursions in Italy, France and Pa cluding pictures retur to Russian folelor and Russian history (the finale). | 10. “Bogatyrskie vorota (vo stolnos Kieve)’ [Russian: The Knight's Gate (ls Capital City of Kiev)]. Hartman's desi monial gateway was entered in a compes ‘memorate an event which occurred im Ki 1866, The event, understandably sepa ‘censors, was an attempt to assassinase Ts I, who escaped unharmed, (The competi off and the monument was never built) signed an arch resting on two pillars ta ‘verse from Psalm 118: ‘Blessed be fe the name of the Lord.” Above the aria» lass chapel, a figure of the Archangel Ma top the Russian imperial eagle. To the ma ‘was a belfry. The composer's finale ss processional, with massive chords. = chorales and bell-like sonorities, andl eam grandiose majesty that is strikingly ones ‘gande nowelle: M. de Puissngeout vie | “La Fugitive": Mais les bonnes dames de Lams fat accord sur ce sujet, parce que Mme Rem | ie uno belo denture en porcine, ana gue a {de oajus son nes sent cules pore ‘w Although eomety pinot in Ris. Komen Pictures (Cum!) most subsequent cio a sxe incomect (‘Con’) ‘The noted pianist and conductor Viadimir Ashkenazy has written regarding the interpretation of Pictures at an Exhibition: Pethaps the most important and crucial point in un- derstanding this piece is that although it was con- ceived initially as a programmatic cycle, the result is music that not only goes far beyond mere descrip- tive qualities but in fact gives us a penetrating insight {nto the dark and brooding spirit of Mussorgsky — or for that matter of Russia itself, Indeed everything in his music — including Pictures — is seen through and by the eyes of a human being in the midst of the narrative. If the potential performer keeps this in mind and realizes how much good and evil, tragedy and wiviality, fairy tale and stark reality are ‘contained in this opus, he will be on the path of re- alizing the composer's intentions." It was the Russian-bom American conductor Serge Koussevitzky (1874-1951) who commissioned Ravel to transcribe Pictures at an Exhibition.\2 Although well- known as a champion of contemporary music, Kousse- vitzky’s subsequent activities were truly extraordinary: on 19 October 1922 he conducted the world premiere at the Paris Opéra;!3 in 1929, his publishing company, Edition Russe de Musique, printed the first edition of the score; finally, on 28 November 1930 he conducted the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the first recording of Ravel's transcription.4 Ina taped interview with this writer, Ravel's col- league and biographer Roland-Manuel recalled their ‘musical activities during the summer of 1922. 1 was privileged to watch Ravel orchestrating Mus- sorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. We were at my parents’ home in the country [at Lyons-la-Foret, some 60 miles northwest of Paris] where there was a room we shared which had a piano. We were seated side by side at the same table; I was orches- trating a song by Debussy, Le Faune, while Ravel was orchestrating Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition [. . .]. He would occasionally show me ° Vladimir Asicnary, ‘Suggestion for Perfomance in Mussorgsky’ Pictures a an Eshibiin, 2, Matted Schanien, Wiener Urtext Ed ‘ion, Mainz/Vinna, 1984. This eiton (andthe Intemational Mac {Campa edition, opt) contains reproductions of Hartman's Work, © Pais, and ss conductor ofthe Boston Symphony Orcherta for 25 years, Koussviteky comaissioned many oulsanding works, among fem Honegger’s Pacific 231, Stavinsky's Symphony of Psa od CCoplana’s Tir Symphony. His anual concer in Pain the 19208 ‘were a highlight of the musical season "The frst part of the programme consisted of works by Respigh, Wag: re, Schmit, and Rachmaninov. Following the imersission, Pictures an Exon was played (according 10 the programme) by an or ‘esta of 100 performer (This group was an ensemble of ouetand ing Pasian ochasta players) The cies were favourably imprest although some thought that Mussorgsky"s shortcomings sere not ompleey atenuated by Ravel's excellent orchestration, ors ex: ‘rested the highest prize for both comoners (See Roland Manvel, [Es Revue Marcos, 1 November 192, pp. 165-106; Rober Brussel ‘Le Figaro, 23 October 1922; Josep Bars, Le Ménewrel, 27 Octobe om.p 828) “This coding was fist sued on 78 rpm in France, Great Bitsiaand the USA. and subsequeny reissued an 33 pm (France: RCA. Mono 731025; Great Briain: RCA-Vietola VICS ISL USA: RCA-Caren cALitn v Mussorgsky’s score and say: “What instrument ‘would you use here” Perhaps,’ I ventured on one ‘occasion, ‘a clarinet,” ‘A clarinet?” he replied, ‘that ‘would intrude!’ Very well, it would intrude. He there- ‘upon returned to his work, and later said, “Come Took’. It wasn’t clarinet, it was a saxophone! saw ~ this was a great privilege — how he or- chestrated, Of course it wasn’t his own music, but it ‘was nevertheless very interesting. He attentively examined the passage he was working on; he wrote, distributing the instruments like any other orches- trator. Then, very often, he went to the piano and isolated an instrumental group. He needed, he said, to hear what one group was doing in relation to the others. For example, he looked at what the strings were doing and played their parts on the piano. He said that he used the piano far more when orches- trating than when composing the first drafts of his own works.15 Regarding Ravel's need to isolate instrumental groups, it appears that many of his tuttis are organized by families of instruments, with each instrumental ‘group (except of course the percussion) having the melody, harmony and the bass note (see the final bars ‘of the opening ‘Promenade’ or the conclusion of “The Great Gate of Kiev’). Ravel’s ability to create unex- pected, memorable orchestral sonorities is evident in his transcription: there are extended solos for the saxo- phone (‘Il Vecchio castello") and the tuba (*Bydlo’); in “Gnomus’ (fig. 9) Mussorgsky repeats the preceding 10 bars but Ravel reorchestrates the passage, this time with the celesta (replacing the woodwinds) accom- panied by string glissandos on the fingerboard; ‘Schmufle's begging is conveyed (somewhat paradox- ically!) by a muted trumpet playing fortissimo (fig. 58). In addition to many subtleties in the percussion section (for example at fig. 55 or from fig. 121ff.), one of Ravel's most striking passages for the brass family (accompanied by the woodwinds and double basses) appears in ‘Catacombae’. In general, the transcription indicates a thorough assimilation of Rimsky-Korsakov's orchestral technique, coupled with Ravel’s own pen- "8 This interview took place atthe Pris aparamet of Rolnd-Manel on | Febuary 1966, (Faleue pevildge asister 4 orchestration es Tableaue d'une ex- Position. Nous tons 8 a campagne cher mes parents [8 Lys Fert environ 100 kilomédes noat-ovest de Parts] News aviont whe pidce our nous dex avec ane plano, Nous tons ass dle cite [etn able orchestras une melodie de Debusy qu s'appele Le Faume, pendant que Ravel de on ot orchestra ls Tablet dune ‘expos de Moussorgky[..,.Deterps en temps il apport Parton de Moussorgsky etme disuit “Qu'estce que vous metriez FP Alors, je ut dsas, "Une clarinets, peut Ste?” I me répond, ‘Une clarinet, casimpose" Cas impote Apres quo ise emt {tear ti mappa en re dian, "Venez vote" Ce ea pas une clarinet, eat sxophone! ‘Vai vag c'estun grand privilege —j'i wu commenti fist pour cree. Neturellement i he sagissatt pas de a propre musique, mis eain et car meus ileresan Il examin atetvercn es meses sor esque tava i drivat i dicebuat ox inst meni comme tout orhesteur le passage. Pu tes souvent i allt ‘4 piano ei isoaitun groupe inseumena- aval me atl besoin

    You might also like