Johnson (1976) A Stylistic Analysis of The Early and Late Songs of Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881)

A STYLISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE EARLY AND LATE SONGS
OF MODEST PETROVICH MUSSORGSKY (1839-1881)
by
DANIEL M. JOHNSON, B.M.
A THESIS
IN
MUSIC LITERATURE
Submitted to the Graduate Faculty

of Texas Tech University in
Partial Fulfillment: of
the Requirements for
the Degree of
MASTER OF MUSIC
Approved
August, 1976
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I wish to express deep appreciation to Dr. Paul F. Cutter
for the direction of this thesis and to Dr. Judson D. Maynard and
Professor Richard A. McGowan for their helpful criticism. I also
wish to thank Professor Charles W. Post for his help in obtaining
the music under study as well as for his helpful criticism.
ii
CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ii
LIST OF SONGS AND EXAMPLES v
INTRODUCTION 1
Chapter
I. BIOGRAPHY AND BACKGROUND 4
Mussorgsky's Life A
Criticism by Mussorgsky's Contemporaries 18
Criticism and Acceptance by Later Generations .... 22
II. THE EARLY PERIOD SONGS 27
Where Art Thou, Little Star? 27
The Harper's Song 49
The Outcast 63
III. THE MIDDLE PERIOD SONGS 80
IV. THE LATE PERIOD SONGS 87
Without Sun 87
Within Four Walls 88
You Did Not Know Me In the Crowd 96
On the River 110
Songs and Dances of Death 117
Lullaby 119
Trepak 134
The Field Marshall 142
iii
V. CONCLUSIONS 147
Mussorgsky's Style 147
Musical Techniques 148
BIBLIOGRAPHY 155
iv
LIST OF SONGS AND EXAMPLES
Songs
1. "Where Art Thou, Little Star?"; First Version 29
2. "Where Art Thou, Little Star?"; Second Version 41
3. "The Harper's Song" 51
4. "The Outcast" 64
Without Sun
5. "Within Four Walls" 90
6. "You Did Not Know Me In the Crowd" 97
7. "On the River" 104
Songs and Dances of Death
8. "Trepak" ^ . . .' 125
Examples
1. "Where Art Thou, Little Star?"; First Version, Mm. 1-3 ... 33
2. "Where Art Thou, Little Star?"; First Version, Mm. 4-5 ... 34
3. "Where Art Thou, Little Star?"; First Version, Mm. 15-16. . . 36
4. "Where Art Thou, Little Star?"; First Version, M. 18 . . . . 37
5. "Where Art Thou, Little Star?"; First Version, Mm. 28-30. . . 39
6. "Where Art Thou, Little Star?"; Second Version, Mm. 1-3 . . . 44
7. "The Harper's Song"; Mm. 1-3 54
10. "The Outcast"; Mm. 21-22 72
v
11. 'The Outcast"; Mm. 32-35 74
12. 'The Outcast"; Mm. 47-48 76
Without Sun
13. 'Within Four Walls"; Mm. 1-2 92
14. 'Within Four Walls"; Mm. 12-14 95
15. 'Elegy"; Mm. 1-2 103
16. 'On the River"; Mm. 6-9 112
17. •On the River"; Mm. 24-25 113
18. •Lullaby"; Mm. 1-3 120
19. •Lullaby"; Mm. 41-42 120
20. 'Serenade"; Mm. 1-4 122
21. 'Serenade'^ Mm. 34-36 122
22. 'Serenade" Mm. 63-67 123
23. 'Serenade'^ Mm. 99-101 123
24. •Serenade"; Mm. 107-112 124
25. •Trepak^'; Mm. 4-5 136
26. •Trepak^^; Mm. 17-18 137
27. 'The F i e l d Marshall^'; Mm. 1-2 143
28. •The F i e l d M a r s h a l l " ; Mm. 15-17 144
29. •'The F i e l d M a r s h a l l " ; Mm. 61-63 144
vi
INTRODUCTION
Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky wrote some of the most artistic,
expressive, and original songs of any that came from the Romantic
period. Ranging from lyrical to declamatory to dramatic, Mussorgsky's
songs explore the gamut of human emotion and human experience. Most
of his songs are not pretty pictures; many are bitter and terrifying,
both in subject and description. Most of his songs are based on a
subjective-objective viewpoint; he described what he saw in life as
truthfully as was musically possible. It was through this realistic
vision that he came to be denied and his music came to be defiled by
members of his own generation, and in some cases, mambers of his cvn
circle.
There is a need to present Mussorgsky's music in an objective
light. Though there are authorities who have published volumes dedi-
cated to his music, they concentrate on the better known songs and
the operas. The objective of this paper is to analyze several songs
intensely and discover how Mussorgsky attains his musical realism,
using the songs of the first and third periods as these present the
greatest possibilities for stylistic comparison. The songs chosen
in the first period exemplify Mussorgsky's techniques in dealing with
lyricism and his early attempts at declamatory music. The examples
from the last period characterize the composer's methods in the
fields of miniturization, lyricism, and drama.

This author first experienced Mussorgsky's music as a voice
student, and then as a student of music history. However, it was on
the intuitive, subconscious level that the music made its greatest
impressions.
This work is in no way a complete analysis of all of Mussorg-
sky's songs. There is not enough room in a study of this scope and
the music Itself is rather difficult to obtain in its original state.
This work endeavors to show that Mussorgsky's songs are indeed the
work of a maturing genius and not the scribblings of an idiot, as
some of his contemporaries felt. The real tragedy in Mussorgsky's
life lies not in his reputation as a bungler, but in the fact that
his creativity was shortened by his self-destruction. Mussorgsky's
style grew from his early lyrical vein to a pantomimic portrayal of
life and speech, and then to a combination of both methods in his last
period. He worked with the utmost concentration to produce music that
was true to his artistic credo and philosophical tao or way.
In order to simplify the task of understanding this study, a
short explanation of musical codes follows:
m., mm.—measure, measures
D — D major key or D major sonority
d — d minor key or d minor sonority
E^—E flat pitch
G — G major chord with a minor seventh
g or gm — g minor chord with a diminished seventh
f ® — f diminished chord with a diminished seventh
f"°* — f diminished chord with a minor seventh or half-

diminished f
M7
A — A major chord with a major seventh
C — C augmented chord
I» IV—tonic major, subdominant major
i» iv—tonic minor, subdominant minor
According to the four major authorities whose works are
translated into English, there are four ways to spell Mussorgsky's
name. Oskar von Riesemann chooses Moussorgsky; Jay Leyda uses
Musorgsky; both M. D. Calvocoressi and Gerald Abraham use Mussorgsky,
which is the spelling adopted in this study. Accordingly, all quotes
which use Mussorgsky's name are altered to this spelling. The rest
of the Russian names in this work generally employ the spellings used
by Gerald Abraham in his article on Mussorgsky in Grove's Dictionary
of Music and Musicians. The texts of the songs were translated from
the original languages by E. Ray Cox for the poems in Russian and A.
Terese Stewart for "The Harper's Song." The poetic renditions by the
author were made from these translations and were intended to portray
the mood and subject of the poems rather than to compete with more
artistic renditions. Accordingly, literal translations of the words
have been included with all songs and most of the musical examples.
Few of Mussorgsky's songs are performed or recorded. Fewer
still are actively studied in music history, music theory, or vocal
repertoire classes. Perhaps this situation will change as more
people become acquainted with the powerful and expressive songs of
Modest Mussorgsky; hopefully this study will make at least a few
people in high positions aware of this thoroughly Russian composer.

CHAPTER I
BIOGRAPHY AND BACKGROUND
Mussorgsky's Life
1 2
Modest P e t r o v i c h Mussorgsky was b o m March 21 or March 28
i n 1839 i n Karevo i n the Government of Pjskoff. His f a t h e r was of the
s m a l l landowner c l a s s , possessed moderate means, and was supposedly

e x c e p t i o n a l l y m u s i c a l . Modest's mother was d e s c r i b e d by h e r r e l a t i o n s
as a h i g h l y romantic and s e n t i m e n t a l woman. From h i s mother t h e boy
o
got his cheerful nature and his delight at story-telling, while his
3
father's blood gifted him with his musicianship. Modest passed his
first ten years close to home and close to the peasants who lived
around the countryside. It may be that his love of the masses evolved
from this association. The composer's brother, Philaret, wrote the
following: "In boyhood and youth, as well as in his later years, ray
brother Modest had a special predilection for everything connected
with the people and the peasantry. Even the Russian nxjujik [serf]
4
was a human being in his eyes." At any rate, his relations with the
peasants as well as the Russian fairy tales told to him by his nurse
"Hi. Montagu-Nathan, A History of Russian Music (Boston: Mil-

ford House, 1973), p. 115.
2
Oskar von Riesemann, Moussorgsky, trans. Paul England (New
York: Tudor Publishing Co., 1935), p. 6.
3
Ibid., p. 7.
Ibid., p. 8.
inspired him to improvise music at the piano—based on his fantasies—
before he had any technical knowledge of the instrument. Later, with
his mother as his teacher, he made such progress at the piano that he
played small pieces by Franz Liszt at age seven, and at age nine he
performed a concerto by John Field at a party given by his parents.
In 1849 Modest and his brother, Philaret, entered the school
of SS. Peter and Paul in Petersburg, a private school of Germanic
inclinations which provided basic and methodical instruction. At this
time his parents engaged a well-known piano teacher, Anton Herke, under
whose tutelage Modest made rapid progress; at age twelve he played at
a private concert and met with such success that his overjoyed teacher
presented him with a copy of a Beethoven piano sonata. Two years
later he entered a preparatory school to train for the entrance exam-
ination to military school, as it was tradition that, as the younger
son from a noble house, his career would be that of an officer. In
1852 he passed into the Cadet School of the Guards, and soon after
composed his first published piece, •'Porte-Ensign Polka," dedicated
to his classmates. Also at this school he came under the tutelage
of one Father Krupsky, a very tolerant priest who instructed Mussorg-
sky in the old church music of Russia, both Byzantine and Catholic
styles. This was a background of great importance for the "under-
standing of the essence and spirit of Russian church music that the
Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians. 5th ed., s. v.

"Mussorgsky, Modest Petrovich,•' by Gerald Abraham, 1955, p. 1030.
(Hereafter referred to as GDMM.)
6
Montagu-Nathan, p. 116.
Riesemann, p. 13.
6
o
composer displayed later on in many of his works, great and small."
Little else is known of his life in the cadet school except that,
again according to his brother, Philaret, he was always at the top of
his class, he was well liked by his classmates, and he devoted a great
deal of time to reading, especially historical works and the German
philosophers (which he studied '•with great enthusiasm, but little

Q
discrimination'^).
After leaving cadet school in 1856 he entered the Preobrazen-
sky Regiment of the Guards. It was at this time that he first met
Alexander Borodin, who later described Mussorgsky to art critic V. V.
Stassov as an "elegant pianoforte-playing dilettante." Mussorgsky
met Alexander Dargomizhsky in 1857 through a mutual friend, Feodor
Vanliarsky. Dargomizhsky was already a well-known composer who was
trying to attain realism in music. This meeting was destined "to
influence the whole development of Mussorgsky's personality and the
direction of his creative talent." Mussorgsky himself said, "It
was at the moment I became acquainted with Dargomizhsky that my

12
musical life began." Mussorgsky also met Cesar Cui and Mill Bala-
kirev, who introduced him to V. V. Stassov, who in later years became
Mussorgsky's friend and champion. Balakirev soon began to instruct
D
Ibid., p. 16.
Ibid., p. 14.
^^GDMM, p. 1030.
Riesemann, p. 21.
^Îbid., p. 21.
Mussorgsky In the history of the evolution of musical art. Balakirev
wrote to Stassov in 1881:
Being no theorist, I was unable to teach Mussorgsky harmony

. . .but I explained form to him. We used to play together
all Beethoven's symphonies at the piano and also works by
Schumann, Schubert, Glinka, and others. I explained to him
technicalities of their structure, and made him analyze their
form. So far as I can remember, I gave him few paid les-
sons; somehow or other, they gradually turned into friendly
conversations. ^-^
In another statement, Balakirev mentioned Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart,

14
Berlioz, and Liszt, as more subjects of study.
While at Preobrazensky, Mussorgsky led a rather dissolute life,
although not as hedonistic as that of his comrades, for while he devel-
oped merely a craving for drink, most of them developed more exotic
cravings. He resigned his commission in the summer of 1858. After
he left the army, he tried to break his drinking habit. However, it
returned in 1864-65 and again in 1875, from which time it stayed with
him, eventually causing his death.
In 1859 he visited Moscow, an experience which created a deep
patriotic fervor. He wrote to Balakirev: '•You know I have been a
cosmopolite, but now I feel a certain regeneration; everything Russian
13
M. D. Calvocoressi, Modest Mussorgsky (Fair Lawn, New Jersey:
Essential Books, Inc., 1956), p. 24.
""•Îbid.
^Îbid., p. 19.
M. D. Calvocoressi, Mussorgsky, ed. Gerald Abraham (London:
J. M. Dent and Sons, Ltd., 1974), p. 7.
8
seems suddenly near to me.'^ Upon his return in the autumn to Peters-
burg (where he lived with his mother and brother in the family mansion),
he suffered a nervous or spiritual breakdown. He attributed it not to
drink, but rather to the consequences of "mysticism, mixed with cynical

18
thoughts about the Deity" on his sensitive nature. In 1860 there was
another crisis or nervous breakdown; "during the greater part of this
time, from May to August, my brain was weak and in a state of nervous
19
disability." During the autumn there were petulant complaints that
Balakirev was keeping too much of a hold over him. Some conclude this
20
to be a continuation of his nervous disability, though it may have
been merely an indication of his future independence.
The emancipation of the serfs in 1861 involved Mussorgsky in
family affairs at the estate in Karevo. This venture took up most ol
the next two years, entangling him in mundane, maddening problems.
The liberation of the lower classes eventually helped to hasten his
tragic end, as he proved to be unfit in the struggle for social ani
financial security. Nonetheless he continued to stand up as the
champion "of whatever seemed to him right and true and of good report
21
—and of course he was bound to fall." How ironic that one so much
Jay Leyda and Sergei Bertensson, ed. and trans.. The Musorg-
sky Reader (New York: W. W. Norton and Company, Inc. , 1947), p. 18.
^Îbid., p. 21.
^^GDMM, p. 1030.
20ibid.
21«^ cr
Riesemann, p. 55.
in favor of the abolition of serfdom, so full of idealistic love of
"the people" would be shaken to his soul by that event and would later
himself be completely destitute because of it.
After the musically barren year of 1862, Mussorgsky resumed
composition in earnest, composing some songs and the beginning of a
stage work, Salammbo. In the autumn of 1863 he returned to Petersburg
and joined a commune with several other young men, all under the influ-
ence of Tchemishevsky's novel. The Vital Question, which posed theories

22
of living communally. The members of the commune, all of whom were
involved in scientific or artistic quests, exchanged ideas on religion,
art, politics, philosophy, and cultivated what they called an "intel-

23
lectualized sociability." During this period Mussorgsky began to
absorb the ideas of Tchernishevsky and Dobroliubov concerning artistic
truth and the necessity of subordinating art to life. The first musi-
cal evidence of these ideas in Mussorgsky's song output was the first
24
version of "Kalistratushka" of 1864. Meanwhile Mussorgsky began one
of a series of government jobs, taking employment in the Central Engi-
neering Board of the Ministry of Transport with the rank of collegiate
secretary.
When his mother died in 1865, he suffered an attack of dipso-
mania which led to the delirium tremens. His mother's death was a
terrific blow to him; '•not only did Mussorgsky cling to his mother
22
Calvocoressi, Modest Mussorgsky, p. 62.
23
Riesemann, p. 77.
^^GDMM, p. 1031.
10
with a childlike devotion, but a bond of real friendship developed

• 25
between mother and son.^' Even though his idealism and childlike
nature were subjected to many dark nights, the results were never
turned toward anyone but himself. His alcoholic self-destructiveness
was merely his reaction to the blows of life. It was his way of
responding without turning his emotions toward others. Liudmila
Shestakova, Glinka's sister and Mussorgsky's friend from 1866 until
his death, wrote the following: "Never did I know him to lose his
temper or in any way forget himself, even to the extent of using one
26
unpleasant word to anybody."
He spent most of his free time in 1866 composing songs ('•Hopak";
"Darling Savishna'^; '•The Seminarist") with a strain of full-fledged
naturalism. Due to a reduction of the staff of his department, he was
dismissed from his job in April, 1867, after which he began living with
his brother in Minkino. While there, he occupied himself with orchestral
compositions and several more songs. After returning to Petersburg in
the autumn, he again became most interested in Dargomizhsky, who was
engaged in his most extreme experiment in operatic naturalism. The Stone
Guest, music that conveyed •'exactly what the words expressed—plain
truths without the slightest concession to operatic usage or reigning

27
fashions." This music was so intriguing to Mussorgsky that, after
suggestions by Cui and Dargomizhsky, he began an opera in an even more
25
Riesemann, p. 55.
26
27
Calvocoressi, Mussorgsky, p. 27.
11
extremely realistic vein—The Marriage, a setting of Gogol's prose
comedy. He began this experiment in June, 1868; he finished the
first act in July, and then abandoned the project. One positive
aspect of The Marriage was that it interested V. V. Stassov in
Mussorgsky's music for the first time; henceforth he became Mussorg-
sky's friend, advisor and champion. A new interest began to fill
Mussorgsky's time, Boris Godunov, in which he could combine his new

28
strain of realism with his older style of lyricism.
In January, 1869, he re-entered the government service in
the Forestry Department of the Ministry of State Property. Being
financially more secure, he could devote more time to composition
with a freer mind. The original version of Boris Godunov was com-
prised of seven scenes and was completed by the end of July (with
the full score being finished on December 27). While beginning
negotiations for a production of Boris, he began a set of studies
of child life. With the addition of an earlier piece, this was
published as The Nursery, his first song cycle. Early in 1871 the
opera committee of the Maryinsky Theater rejected the score of
Boris. After making additions, cutting portions offensive to the
censor, and asking advice of his circle of musical friends, Mussorg-
sky re-submitted the work, a prologue with four acts, in July of

29
1872."^^
GDMM, p. 1032.
29
Calvocoressi, Mussorgsky, pp. 37-38.
12
During August of 1871 he had begun sharing an apartment with
Rimsky-Korsakov. Though they had known each other for years and had
been a part of Balakirev's circle, a close friendship had not devel-
oped. However, their relationship soon became rather close and stayed
30
that way for several years until it was broken off. Borodin felt
that the living arrangement was of musical benefit to both composers:
Musically they are diametrically opposed; each is the com-

plement of the other, and their influence on each other has
been of the greatest advantage to both. Modest has developed
Korsinka on the recitative-declamatory side; and the latter
has got Modest out of his craze for rugged originality; he
has toned down the roughness of his harmonies, his orchestral
mannerisms, his illogical ways of developing his subject—in
short, he has made Modest's work far more musical.-^^
In June, 1872, Rimsky-Korsakov got married, an act which had serious
consequences for Mussorgsky. Rimsky-Korsakov had been not only a
companion and friend but also a source of moral support without which
Mussorgsky fell into an irresponsible Bohemianism. In addition to
this, the circle of friends (which had been satirically dubbed "the
mighty handful" and "the Five"—Balakirev, Rimsky-Korsakov, Mussorg-
sky, Cui, and Borodin) began to disintegrate in 1872, largely because
Balakirev himself withdrew from all the musical activities of Peters-
burg.
Oddly enough, during this time there was a surprising series of
letters from Mussorgsky to Stassov in which a new self-confidence and
30
Riesemann, p. 223.
^•'"Ibid. , p. 225.
13
artistic credo became evident. In a letter written July 9, he wrote
the following:
Boundaries in the artist's creed spell stagnation. . . .

It is true that up to a point, there are boundaries of a
kind: sounds cannot do the work of paintbrush or chisel—
all best things have their weakness, and conversely, as
every child knows. I have taken up my cross and shall
march, head raised, boldly and joyfully, against all
opponents, towards the grand, the true, the luminous goal,
toward the true art that loves humanity, living all its
joys, pains, and labours.^^
Earlier, on July 4, he had written:
How would it be if Mussorianin took Mother Russia by

storm? I want. . .not to scrape acquaintance with the
people, but to identify myself with them—terrible but
fine!. , .My duty is: the past living in the present.
But, it will be alleged, we have progressed. Not in
the least: we are at a standstill, and shall remain at
a standstill so long as the people are unable to see
with their own eyes how they are misrepresented, and so
long as they have no say in the matter, no will to pro-
test. Books are written, documents drawn, but the people
suffer and groan; they seek relief in drink, and suffer
and groan all the more.-'-^
From October 30 came the following:
In poetry there are two giants: coarse Homer and refined

Shakespeare. In music there are two giants: the thinker
Beethoven and the super-thinker Berlioz. , . ."And our
own?" Glinka and Dargomizhsky, Pushkin and Lermontov,
Gogol and Gogol and again Gogol. . .all great generals
who led their armies of art to the conquest of good lands.
Since then their artistic descendants have spent their
time manuring the soil of the lands, conquered, but not by
them, although it is so naturally fertile that no ferti-
lizer is required. , . .The artistic depiction of beauty
alone, that is, in its material sense, is sheer childish-
ness—art in its infancy. The finest traits in man's
32
^Îbid., p. 126.
14
nature and in the mass of humanity, tirelessly digging

through these little-known regions and conquering them—
that is the true mission of the artist. "Toward new
shores!"3^
These quotes all exhibit the Mussorgskyian lifestyle and artistic
credo—straightforward, with no sham, with no lies for the sake of
beauty. In these letters are positive visions—he knows where he
is, what he wants to achieve, and he sees the possibilities of ser-
vice to the people through an understanding of them, through being
one with them.
In the autumn the opera committee of the Imperial Theater
rejected the second version of Boris; nonetheless, it was performed
several times at benefits and public performances. Meanwhile, on
Stassov's suggestions, Mussorgsky had been collecting historical and
musical data since June, 1872, for another opera, Khovanshchina: A
National Drama. Mussorgsky wished this work to be "his contribution

35
to the fulfillment of the people's desire to come into being." He
began to work in earnest on Khovanshchina in 1873, with the bulk of
the work being done in 1873, 1875-76, and then intermittently until
1880, after which it remained unfinished.
Solitude not being to his taste, Mussorgsky was fortunate to
find another friend and roommate, another former aristocrat and dis-
tant relative on his mother's side. Count Arseni A. Golenishchev-
Kutuzov. This young poet had natural abilities and "had the gift of
34
Leyda and Bertensson, The Musorgsky Reader, p. 199.
35
15
turning facts of experience, without effort, into artistically beau-
tiful pictures of faultless poetical form." Mussorgsky had been
losing his struggle with alcohol all of 1873, and the Count tried to
act as a restraining factor in this area, though it may be that it
was the death of a dear friend, Victor Hartmann, an architect and
painter, that shocked him into sanity again. Supposedly his drinking
had made him incapable of sustained effort and his "character had
37
begun to deteriorate seriously."
In 1874 Mussorgsky settled down enough to be industrious,
composing several songs. Pictures at an Exhibition for piano (dedi-
cated to Victor Hartmann), and a song cycle. Without Sun, set to
poems by the Count. He also began work on a comic opera, Sorochintsy
Fair. During 1875 he finished the greater part of a new song cycle,
again to poems by the Count, Songs and Dances of Death (the last song
of the cycle was finished in 1877). In 1875 there also came a more
or less final split between Mussorgsky and both Rimsky-Korsakov and
Cui. In a letter to the Count on August 7, 1875, he wrote:
When will these people, instead of their fugues

[Rimsky-Korsakov] and obligatory third acts [Cui]
glance into sensible books and converse with
sensible people? or is it already too late? . . .
Life, wherever it shows itself; truth, no matter
how bitter, . . .that's what I want ^°
36
Riesemann, p. 308.
•^ GDMM, p, 1032,
38
16
Unfortunately Mussorgsky was to lose his roommate as he had lost his
former one—to marriage—early in 1876, As Mussorgsky had a strong

39
aversion to the idea of marriage in the first place, a split
occurred between him and the Count, one that was happily mended
before long.
The spring of 1876 was a happier period for him as he joined
with Glinka's sister, Liudmila Shestakova, in organizing the jubilee
celebration of the famous gypsy bass, 0, A, Petrov, the first Varlaam
in Boris, Afterward, Mussorgsky returned to work on both his unfin-
ished operas. He became even more convinced of his destiny for creat-
40
ing realism in music. After Petrov's death in 1878, Mussorgsky
relapsed again into dipsomania. He was rescued by Balakirev and
Stassov, who helped him to be transferred to a post that was under
the direction of T. I. Filippov, a folk song enthusiast who proved to
be a very lenient and understanding chief. In fact, Filippov allowed
Mussorgsky a three-month leave for a concert tour—his first—in the
Crimea, Ukraine, and the Don and Volga River towns with Darya Leonova,
a singer and old friend. He appeared as accompanist to Leonova (who
included some of Mussorgsky's songs on her program) and as a soloist,
playing pieces by Chopin, pieces of his own, and extemporizing
excerpts from his operas. This tour was rather successful, but more
importantly it provided fresh hopes during a dark period of his life
39
40
17
and a "change of surroundings and the enjoyment of seeing regions new
to him and natural scenery, to the beauty of which he was always most
41
sensitive,"
Early in 1880 his job with the government service was termi-
nated, but Filippov and others arranged a monthly pension for him on
condition that he finish Khovanshchina, This would have been a most
fortunate turn of events, except that another group offered another
pension to finish Sorochintsy Fair. He became so entangled with both
that neither was finished. Darya Leonova tried to help also, persuad-
ing him to work at the singing school she opened in Petersburg; his
duties were to teach theory, work as accompanist, and be the resident
composer. However, his duties depleted his energies as far as compo-
sition was concerned.
Mussorgsky's next-to-last public appearance was on January 25,
1881, at a commemoration of Dostoievsky's death, at which he improvised

42
a funeral march. According to Darya Leonova "it is very probable that
everything was weighing on him—his spiritual excitements as well as his
material privations. . . .One day [February 23] he called on me. . .and
said that he had no place to go, that nothing was left for him but to
43
walk the streets.'• After suffering several fits of alcoholic epilepsy
on February 23 and 24, he was taken to the Nikolaevsky Military Hospital,
^Îbid., p. 57.
Riesemann, p. 349.
43
18
where, thanks t o the help of an o f f i c i a l who was a l s o an admirer, he
was given a p r i v a t e room. Mussorgsky made some improvement, posed
for the famous p o r t r a i t by Repin, and even made plans for t h e f u t u r e
when he d i e d , suddenly, on March 28.
C r i t i c i s m by Mussorgsky's Contemporaries
Mussorgsky's l i f e was one of s t r o n g l y c o n t r a s t i n g y i n and yang,
i n t e n s e c r e a t i v i t y and u s e l e s s s e l f - d e s t r u c t i o n . He c r e a t e d a musical
m i r r o r i n which the world could view i t s e l f , y e t he never t r u l y viewed
h i s own s o u l , as i s e v i d e n t i n h i s s e l f - d e s t r u c t i o n . His l i f e was a l s o
a mystery to most of h i s contemporaries, people with whom he s p e n t a
good d e a l of time, y e t n e v e r , or i n some cases t a r d i l y , excused h i s
independence and o r i g i n a l i t y . In 1863 V. V. Stassov wrote to Bala-
kirev: "His thoughts seem t o agree to mine, y e t I d i d n ' t hear from him
a s i n g l e i d e a or a s i n g l e word expressed with r e a l profundity of under-
s t a n d i n g , with t h e p r o f u n d i t y of a r a p t u r e d , moved s o u l . Everything
about him i s flabby and c o l o r l e s s . To me he seems a p e r f e c t i d i o t . , ,

44
T h e r e ' s nothing i n s i d e him." Happily S t a s s o v ' s low opinion of t h e
composer was s h o r t - l i v e d . L a t e r he s t a t e d t h a t Mussorgsky, along with
Dargomizhsky, was the advocate of r e a l i s t i c music i n Russia and t h a t

45
h i s songs claimed the h i g h e s t spot i n a r t .
Rimsky-Korsakov, as Mussorgsky's c l o s e s t comrade for s e v e r a l
y e a r s , gave a r e p o r t concerning Mussorgsky's p l a c e i n B a l a k i r e v ' s
circle:
44
I b i d , p . 47.
45
• Vladimir V. S t a s s o v , S e l e c t e d Essays on Music, ed. and t r a n s .
Florence Jones (New York: F r e d e r i c k A. P r a e g e r , I n c . , 1968), p , 101,
19
I shall observe that, in the sixties, Balakirev and Cui,

though very intimate with Mussorgsky and sincerely fond
of him, treated him like a lesser light and of little
promise at that time, in spite of his undoubted talent.
It seemed to them that there was something missing in
him, and in their eyes, he was in need of advice and
criticism. Balakirev often said that Mussorgsky had
"no head^' or that his "brains were weak," , . .the
relations of Borodin, Mussorgsl^, and myself were those
of comrades; but toward Balakirev and Cui—we were in
the position of pupils,^°
Reporting on the period of the late sixties, Rimsky-Korsakov wrote:
His ideal style lacked a crystal-clear finish and grace-

ful form. This he lacked, because he had no knowledge
of harmony and counterpoint. At first, Balakirev's musi-
cal circle ridiculed these needless sciences, and then
declared them beyond Mussorgsky, And so he went through
life without them and consoled himself by regarding his
ignorance as a virtue and the technique of others as
routine and conservatism. But whenever he did manage to
obtain a beautiful and flowing succession of notes, how
happy he was! I witnessed that more than once. . . .
During my visits, Mussorgsky and I used to talk freely,
uncontrolled by Balakirev or Cui, I went into ecstasies
over much that he played.
As the primary editor of Mussorgsky's music before the Russian revolu-
tion, Rimsky-Korsakov proved himself to be a dedicated friend, but he
also proved his misunderstanding of the man's music in his editions,
making it much more conservative-sounding than it truly was,
Boris Godunov drew some of the most denigrating responses
imaginable from the Russian critics after its first presentations,
Alexander Famintzin, in Petersburg's "Musikalyni Listok^^ of February
15, 1874, wrote that there was a "heavy, unhealthy, sordid atmosphere
in Mussorgsky's music. , .His resources are represented by a pot of
46
N, A. Rimsky-Korsakoff, My Musical Life, trans. Judah A.
Joffe (New York: Alfred A, Knopf, 1923), pp, 55-56.
^Îbid., p. 68.
20
mixed color, which he tosses indiscriminately into the score with no
concern for harmony or elegance of design. This crudity is a perfect
proof of the composer's ignorance of the art of music." In the
Petersburg "Vedomosti^^ of February 18, 1874, Cesar Cui (a member of
the Five) wrote that Boris consisted of •'chopped recitative and loose-
ness of musical discourse, resulting in the effect of a potpourri" and
was the consequence of immaturity and an "indiscriminating, self-

49
complacent, hasty method of composition,'• Tchaikovsky, in a letter
of October 29, 1874, wrote the most damning criticism of Boris: '•l
consign it from the bottom of my heart to the devil; it is the most
insipid and base parody on music,"
The admiration that Mussorgsky felt for Liszt was, at least in
part, mutual, Vasili Bessel, while in Weimar in 1873, reported an
incident in which Liszt examined parts of The Nursery cycle: "You
should have heard Liszt crying out at each new page: 'How interest-
ing!, . .and how new!, , ,What discoveries!, . ,No one else would have
said it this way, . ,' and thousands of other excleimations of satis-
faction and pleasure which we all shared." Conversely, the abhor-
rence that Mussorgsky felt for Tchaikovsky was also mutual. Early in
1878 Tchaikovsky wrote: "He is 'used up,' His gifts are perhaps the
48
Nicolas Slonimsky, Lexicon of Musical Invective (New York:
Coleman-Ross Company, Inc,, 1965), p. 127.
49
^Îbid.
^Qlbld.
Leyda and Bertensson, The Musorgsky Reader, pp, 210-211.

21
most remarkable of all, but his nature is narrow and he has no aspir-
«
ation toward self-perfection. . , .Mussorgsky, with all his ugliness,
52
speaks a new idiom. Beautiful it may not be, but it is new." The
latter part of the statement, though not exactly a hymn of praise,
was about the most flattering statement ever from Tchaikovsky con-
cerning Mussorgsky, After studying the score of Khovanshchina in
1884, he wrote the following: •'I discovered what I expected: pre-
tensions to realism, original conceptions and methods, wretched
technique, poverty of invention, occasionally clever episodes, amid
an ocean of harmonic absurdities and affectations."53
Indeed, the entire circle of ••the Five^' came under attack for
their nationalistic style that ignored the traditions of Europe. In
1875 Alexei Apukhtin, a minor poet and member of the Tchaikovsky
"camp" wrote a poem in the form of a parody of Zhukovsky's poem,
"Minstrel in the Russian Camp." The parody was entitled, "A Minstrel
in the Camp of Russian Musicians"; the following excerpt is the part
that concerns Mussorgsky:
You, Mussorgsky, by means of notes can show us anything:

To sew a seam and grow mushrooms, how children laugh and
cry. You've killed off Boris Godunov—serves him right,
the villain! Did he have to murder the child! I can't
really blame you,^^
S2
Modest Tchaikovsky, The Life and Letters of Peter Ilich
Tchaikovsky, ed. from the Russian by Rosa Newmarch (London: John
Lane, the Bodley Head Limited, 1905; reprint ed,, 1924), pp, 252-
253,
^Îbid,, p, 461.
54
22
As has been s t a t e d , Rimsky-Korsakov took i t upon himself to
e d i t Mussorgsky's music. For many y e a r s — a t l e a s t in R u s s i a — t h e
a l t e r e d v e r s i o n s came to be known as t h e only v e r s i o n s , though i n
t r u t h most audiences were not aware t h a t the music they were hearing
was more Rimsky-Korsakov than Mussorgsky. In t h e t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y ,
with the e a r s of t h e musical p u b l i c more accustomed to d i s s o n a n c e ,
t h e r e has been a gradual r e t u r n to the o r i g i n a l v e r s i o n s of the music.
This p r e f e r e n c e for t h e o r i g i n a l c h a r a c t e r and power of Mussorgsky's
music began t o a r i s e i n £ , 1906 (though i n France the movement began
as e a r l y as 1896), "Against the old view t h a t Mussorgsky's music
was h e a l t h l e s s u n t i l Rimsky-Korsakov i n t e r v e n e d , t h e view t h a t i t s
v i t a l i t y must have been g r e a t indeed for i t to have survived d e s p i t e
the a l t e r a t i o n s has a r i s e n . I t i s most u n f a i r to Rimslgr-Korsakov,
but i t gains ground every d a y . " In f a c t , i t i s a testament of
s o r t s t h a t Mussorgsky r o s e to fame on t h e s t r e n g t h of compositions
which, except for a few songs and piano p i e c e s , were not known i n
t h e i r o r i g i n a l form, but only i n a v a s t l y d e v i t a l i z e d v e r s i o n .
Criticism and Acceptance by Later Generations
As was mentioned e a r l i e r , t h e French s t a r t e d a movement to
r e t u r n to Mussorgsky's o r i g i n a l music. They were q u i t e impressed
with Mussorgsky's way of d e p i c t i n g l i f e .
C a l v o c o r e s s i , Modest Mussorgsky, pp. 219-220,
^ ^ I b i d , , p . 231,
^ ^ I b i d , pp, 231-232,
23
It is not hard to trace the reasons for which the French

singled out Mussorgsky from all the Russian composers. . . .
In the first place, it was the healthy musical naturalism
that Mussorgsky displays in all his work that attracted the
French. A nation that counts as its own Balzac and Zole,
Mieunier and Rodin, could not remain insensible to an artist
who was the first to treat music in a similar spirit. This
effect was helped by the unusual musical language that
Mussorgsky speaks, a language that sometimes disregards
grammatical propriety, but is always interesting, original,
and magnificently impressive. . . .We may add that possibly
a strong motive for this action was the fact that the
Russian master's art was a welcome set-off against the
ever-encroaching influence of Wagner,58
The following is among the stories relating the entrance of
Mussorgsky's music into France. In 1875 Saint-Saens went to Russia;
while there, he met Tchaikovsky and the two discovered a mutual love
of Mozart and a mutual aversion to Mussorgsky. Saint-Saens acquired
a copy of Boris Godunov and took it back to France with him, though
he was opposed to its musical merits. Jules de Brayer took away the
score to study it. De Brayer*s enthusiasm influenced some of his
friends to organize a series of concerts to popularize Mussorgsky's
songs. Debussy attended a few of the concerts and studied the score
that de Brayer lent him. These combined to confirm Debussy's mount-
ing interest in Mussorgsky. "So it was, in this roundabout way and
more or less unwittingly, that Saint-Saens brought the volcanic influ-
ence of Mussorgsky into the mainstream of French music,"
Among the individual members of the French impressionist
school, Debussy, Satie, and Ravel were quite reverent in the light of
the Russian's music. It is well known that Debussy spent some time in
58
Riesemann, p, 386,
59
James Harding, Saint-Saens and His Circle (London: Chapman
and Hall, 1965), pp, 142-143.
24
Russia and some of Mussorgsky's work that he heard there had a great
influence on him. Accordingly, Debussy preferred the Five to Tchai-
kovsky. But even among the Five, he spoke only of Mussorgsky as
this god of music. . , ,No one has ever appealed to

the best that is in us in deeper or more tender
expression. He is unique and will remain so, for
his art is free from artifice or arid formulas.
Never was refined sensitivity interpreted by such
simple means. It is like the art of an inquisitive
savage who discovers music at every step made by his
emotions. Neither is there ever a question of any
definite form; or rather, this form is so manifold
that it cannot possibly be likened to the recognized
or orthodox forms. It is achieved by little consecu-
tive touches linked by a -ysterious bond and by his
gift of luminous intuition. Sometimes, too, Mussorg-
sky produced the effect of shuddering, restless shadows
which close around us and fill the heart with anguish."^
In his writings, Eric Satie divided musicians into dualistic sects—
the pundits and the poets. The pundits, in whose class he placed
Rimsky-Korsakov, deceive the public and the critics. Satie con-
sidered the poets to be Liszt, Chopin, Schubert, Mussorgsky,
Debussy, Mozart, and Beethoven. Ravel and Mussorgsky were com-
pared favorably in their personal habits in Victor Seroff's
biography of Ravel.
The string of composers that profited from Mussorgsky's
innovations includes the following:
Victor I. Seroff, Debussy: Musician of France (New York:

G. P, Putnam's Sons, 1956), pp, 131-132,
Rollo H. Myers, Erik Satie (London: Dennis Dobson Limited,

1953), p. 54,
62
Victor I, Seroff, Maurice Ravel (New York: Henry Holt and
Company, 1953), p. 128,
25
Debussy, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, and Milhaud,

and their styles involve greater use of modal scales and
harmonies, new approaches to part writing and harmonic
relationships, thematic ideas evolved from or based on
expressive goals of a different type, , . .[Mussorgsky]
was the greatest of the group [the Five] by virtue of his
originality, his impetus which he injected into the European
musical milieu."^
So Mussorgsky, ignored and defamed in his lifetime, has been
redeemed by the most famous of the composers of the late nineteenth
and twentieth centuries. Among modern musicologists Paul Henry Lang,
for example, has raised Mussorgsky to the ranks of the genius class
of composers:
Mussorgsky is the founder of modern musical realism and

naturalism, but we must not take these terms in too narrow
a sense, for while his ability to convey "dramatic truth"
is overpowering in its directness, he sought this dramatic
truth in the poetry of the human soul. The blind and fatal
forces of life are so real in Mussorgsky's world because
these crushing and unbridled forces lived in his creatures
and were not merely pleasant Russian tunes arranged in nice
bouquets, as with his fellow members of the Five."^
Similarly, Gerald Abraham wrote that there had never been a sharper
analyst of the human soul than Mussorgsky. Mussorgsky's music has
been a liberating element in several areas. "Mussorgsky certainly
ranks among the greatest innovators of harmonies, rhythms, and

66
melodic patterns that ever were." Even Toscanini, the critical
^îlliam R. Ward, Examples for the Study of Musical Style,

Music Series (n.p.: Wm. C. Brown Company Publishers, 1970), p. 233.
Paul Henry Lang, Music in Western Civilization (New York:

W. W, Norton and Company, I n c , 1941), p. 951.
Gerald Abraham, Studies in Russian Music (Freeport, N.Y.:

Books for Libraries Press, Inc., 1968), p. 6,

26
maestro," had some kincTwords for Mussorgsky's creative talents:
"If the composer knows his business, like Verdi, Wagner, and Mussorg-
sky. . .he sets the words for their meaning. Even if I didn't know
the language, I would know what the correct verbal sound should be.
The music tells all, if the composer is greatly gifted."
The following statement should suffice as a rebuff to the
attacks of Tchaikovsky, Saint-Saens, and others:
Very little indeed in all that has been observed so far

could serve to justify the ceaseless rigmarole about his
amateurishness and technical incapacity. On the contrary,
all the features mentioned are of the kind that make for
firmness, terseness, clarity and flexibility. The most
extraordinary thing is how consistent, how perfectly
subservient to his ends his methods are, how well he knew
when to be thrifty and when prodigal.^°
The balance of this study will be devoted to discovering
exactly those things mentioned in the preceding quotes—Mussorgsky's
methods, his means and results. Will it be possible to perceive the
man's soul, his tao, through a study of a relevant portion of his
songs?
Howard Taubman, The Maestro: The Life of Arturo Toscanini

(New York: Simon and Schuster, 1951), pp. 290-291,
68
Calvocoressi, Modest Mussorgsky, p, 287.
CHAPTER II
THE EARLY SONGS
"Where Art Thou, Little Star?"
First and Second Versions
In 1857 while in the Preobrazensky Regiment of the Guards,
Mussorgsky wrote his first song under the tutelage of Balakirev,
"Where Art Thou, Little Star?" This song, with its folk-like nature,
exists in two very different versions. The first, for voice and piano,
was lost for many years and was not known until 1909, when it was found
in a manuscript which contained seventeen of Mussorgsky's youthful
songs. The second version, which is for voice and orchestra and is
dated from 1858, had been known as the only version until the first
version was discovered..
The difference between the two versions is too great to be
merely the result of mistakes or editing for orchestra, but the con-
cept is the same for both versions—to recreate Russian folk music
in all its simplicity and chilling beauty. The first version is so
free and the second so stilted, one might imagine that the second
version was the result of Balakirev's misguided instruction.
In its first version, modal in character, Eastern in color,

with its beautiful supple melodic line (in which many orna-
ments occur) and its subtle, sensitive accompaniment, the
song is most attractive. . . .The orchestral version, which
has additional music and bears the delightfully childish
27
28
note: "My little song, orchestrated by my own self," is

less poetic, less satisfying. The melodic line, much
simplified and shorn of its coloratura, is less shapely,
less varied, less bold in its sweep. , . .Everywhere else
the changes result in impoverishment. The modal character
69
is less marked, the harmony and cadences are more ordinary.
The text of the poem of the first version, by Nicolai Grekov
(1810-1866), is very unpretentious and simple, yet alternates between
light and dark timbres.
69
Calvocoressi, Modest Mussorgsky, pp, 52-53,
29
xzocMii|«w« n.jt. rp»»6tp$. J. L. Orunbtrf MUfttigmt.
n eCHJ! Lied
Ffle TM, SBesflOHKa? 0, mein Sternelein.
[„K)HKe roflhi".>4lJ (vJuêndlitder" Ml]
[Krilc P M * U ( . ]
M. MyCOPrCKHJl.
[
C.no>» H. rp«KOHa. 1
Ttxt von N. Orekow.J Dtuttch VH D. Uii9W. M. MUSSOKOSKY.
PtXAiaia n. JIAMM.
Har&ut(*c«^B TO: PAUL LAMM.
MeAJieuuo. [Ada^lo.l Vhere art U t t ll ee Ch,wher«

sfflr^ pirt il)^t
HC . Ha fl? H/Ib3aT-MH . n a . CH Ty-MCH Sep . HO . lO, Ty.siH

Sltr . ne hint DUk Ter.hai. leL. tccAl ei.ne He/ . ic<_ stktcjrz, e i . /it*
Copyright UNIVERSAL EDITION A,G,, Vienna, reprinted by permission.

30
VhexB art thou, Hiere art thou.

qirl,
V. r-0—
raC TbI, K . BH . Ua, riC. TbI,

Zie iej J/jy. it . lein, aek,. W9
(15)
pretty one? Are you leaving (your) friend belovdi? Friend
' f=3 , ^ ^
^53 5a
i^^-p-t -( 1 « 1 W ' M •>-
•y r-
Kpac - Ha . «? Hnb no . KH . ny . na ipy.ra ny. . r.:3 . sa? Hpy. ra
rei . Uit.^duf Hast ter . la$ . cen vcAI dtt.ntn Utr . stns.freunJ, d*.i. ntn
BS\
beloved. Darling friend?
'^ M H . no
aîj n/^ - Da,
na HC.Ha
u « u a . rn;?fl.
man HO.
ur\ . ro?
res')
Eer . zens.freunJ, dei.nen teu.tr . .sten..
^'"j r^J' ^'fLJ^ '• '.j~;

31
i^M^ a^^T
X cloud
•
hides (the) little star, (The) earth
I—r—-'^ r»>—r^-3 * -
. ^
Ty . Ma—Mcp.HA . Ji CKpuna 3E^J . fios . )(/, Svy-n
£< . n c HoL i[0 tirfiun.itr Stfr . nt . hxnûndim
iH
' ^ ,
5=^ rr—
-fiitFî^ ro:
--f
JGL
^ ^
m
ccld captures (the) g i r l .
>^^ I'ycôcmentHHOyMOAKax [perdtndosi}
(30)
Mi,
^
^
it £S:
^ EBt P rtt?; ^ -»-
^ ^ ^
I8S7roca.C. FleTCpiypr. MOMCT Myccprc;'.-..V
iiS7. St. Peiersturf. Xtdcht jtusi$rgtkp.
32
Where art thou, little star?

Oh, where art thou, little pretty one?
Have you been eclipsed by a dark storm-cloud?
A menacing storm-cloud?
Where art thou, lass, where art thou, pretty one?

Are you leaving your beloved friend?
Your darling friend?
A dark storm-cloud has hidden the little star.

The cold earth has taken the lass.70
The form of the song is ABA', with the piano introducing each
of the sections and closing the short thirty-bar song. The vocal line
is in F Aeolian throughout. The accompaniment, however, is much freer
in concept as it uses many notes, chords, and scales that are foreign
to both the Aeolian and/or Dorian modes and also the more common f
minor scale. The outline follows:
A
Introduction—Mm. 1-3
Vocal section—Mm. 4-10
B^
Vocal section—tto. 13-18
A/.
Coda
Mm, 26-30
The first section consists of an introduction and three two-
bar vocal phrases with a short closing in the piano. The introduction,
a line in the treble (Ex. 1 ) , presents one major theme and two major
motives. Due to the alternation of the E and E in motive 1-2, one is
Translation of the Russian is by E. Ray Cox, Poetic rendition

is by the author.
33
Ex, 1:
MeAîeuuo. [Adagio.]
not sure whether to expect f minor of F Dorian. However, as the
raised seventh degree never returns during the A section, even in the
accompaniment, the entire vocal section is firmly in F Aeolian. The
micro-form of the A section follows:
A = phrase a—mm. 3-5, 2 + 1 with theme 1', motive 1-1' and

motive 1-3
phrase b—mm. 6-9, 2 + 2
The vocal part enters with an augmentation of motive 1-1; on
the words, '•little star," the vocal line presents a very ornamented
variation of motive 1-1 (Ex. 2), all of which centers on the subdomi-
nant harmony. This ornamentation, which a sensitive singer might
present quasi-improvisatorily (as in folk music), is heard above the
arpeggiated style of a balalaika (another folk music element). The
second part of phrase a (m. 5) is similar to the first part as there
is an ornamentation and the harmony again serves a plagal function.
In this case the progression is from D—A (or IV—I in the relative
major, a bright move brought on by the words "little pretty one").
The temporary shift to the relative major creates an emotional
response that will deepen the feelings for "the bright little star,^^
3A
Ex. 2:
MeAJieuuo. [Adagio.l Where art little Oh,where

a&EE
I MeA'Veuuo. [Adagio.] r w TbI,3863.flOH
^^ 0,meinS(er.ut.
. ^
.
^
Ka?Ax,rfle Tb.,
. ItinîneinftUMS
fit
-J.4:
aSE zz 5^
^
f ±± u^^«
$
3!^
^ ^ ^
r\ II' t5-
i
i^*:
lyjTzr
which is merely a metaphor for a human love, in fact, the girl of the
poem. The second vocal phrase begins with a statement and tonal ans-
wer (mm, 6-7). Phrase b begins with a characteristic trait of
Mussorgsky's: a single note, F , in octaves in the accompaniment
(m. 7 ) , The result is a dispersal of prior emotions, as something
new, perhaps a new conflict, is imminent. A conflict does appear in
this case, an alternation from happiness to darkness. The text is
ominous: "A dark storm-cloud, a menacing storm-cloud?" This is
echoed in the piano with open fifths in octaves in the bass. This
is followed in m. 9 by a subdominant chord which has been altered to

°6
become a leading tone chord to the dominant. This vii chord comes
on the word "menacing" and is a rather successful attempt at realism.
Since one expects the cadence to come on the dominant, the progres-
sion is surprising as the following chord is the tonic (m, 9 ) , The
effect is somewhat that of an eerie plagal cadence. The piano then

35
reaffirms the plagal cadence in more traditional means, moving from

6 /;
i — i v , — 1 over an F_ pedal, ending on an open tonic chord.
The B section likewise begins with an introduction that pre-
sents an important theme with two motives (mm. 11-12). An instance
of parallel fifths and octaves appears in the right hand in m. 11,
The use of the pedal point" on the new tonic, A major, should be
noted as this device plays an important and continuing role in
Mussorgsky's songs. It is his way of accenting and stressing the
tonic and dominant without resorting to endless authentic cadences
and other traditional musical devices. There are again two phrases
in the micro-form of the B section:
B = phrase a—mm. 13-14, 1 + 1 with theme 2
phrase b — m m . 15-18, 2 + 2 with theme 3 in mm. 15-16
With the exception of the first beat, the vocal line of the first
phrase of the section is an exact repetition of the melodic line of
mm. 11-12 (theme 2). The text of this phrase marks the temporary
turn to light in the song, so the music is lyrical and sweet, and
the harmonic center is on the relative major. The second phrase in
mm. 15-16 (theme 3) witnesses a turn to a more poignant and bitter-
sweet mood. The text concerns the girl; the speaker asks if she is
leaving her friend and forsaking her love. The music regains its
folk character with a melodic line that might be considered typ-
ically Russian. Theme 3 is heard twice in the vocal line (Ex. 3)
over simple harmonies. The cadences during the two statements of
this theme are on major or "bright" chords (C major and F major).

36
Ex. 3:
Are you leaving (your) friend belov^? Fr
i^^m z
Hnb no _ KH
'—0—I—f^—-"v—fr—w
Hy - na ;ipy-ra
m
± 2
^^=-ty-
_1J
MH . no _ ea?
jaL_«t_
L.
Bast ver . las sen icchl dti.nen Her _ ztns.freuy.l.

Thene 3
^
^
.^*-
^0 ^ gj •/ di
n rj h
i g </
^
f tr^^
1 sfz
rV-^
k£ ^
Oi
3 Of;
-a 7 tf-
tf r ir—CTT
giving a feeling of hope to an otherwise mournful phrase and musically
describing the word "beloved" in m. 16. The cadence in m, 16 heralds
a temporary shift to b minor though the vocal line never leaves the
F^'^ Aeolian mode. Beginning on the new tonic in m. 17, there is a
three-beat succession of chords whose roots are each a fifth from
the preceding chord: b — E — A — D , The final cadence of the phrase
is a little awkward to Western ears but it is a perfectly normal
one by the standards of Russian folk music (Ex. 4); the section
ends on V / A major.
The A' section or reprise follows with a harmonization of the
opening introduction. With the exception of the harmony, the original
introduction is the same. The original center of T_ also returns at
this point, though in this case the feeling is that of f minor.

37
Ex. 4:
beloved, Darling friend?

O
^
:^r
no _ 2a,
^
f
He _ Ha . rnyin. HO
S iro?
sens. fftund, dei.nen tcu . er sten.
The use of the major seventh chord in m. 19 is a rather rare occur-
rence, as will be seen in this study. The opening motives are
altered in the vocal phrases of the section:
A' « phrase a—mm. 21-23, 2 + 1 with theme 1 " , motive 1-1"

and motive 1-3'
phrase b—mm. 24-26, 1 + 2
The voice enters with the first theme, but in this case the mood is
more bitter, so the shimmering ornamentation is absent (mm, 21-22),
Moreover, the tonic chord, which holds through all of m. 22 save one
beat, has no third. The motive 1-3 returns as a variation of the
original (m. 23), The text indicates that the star has been hidden,
hence the ornamentation is more bittersweet than that of the original,
Whereas the harmonization of the original involved two major chords,
D—A, the harmony at this point consists of two minor chords, b — f ,

38
another movement by fifths. The second and final phrase, in nm. 24-26,
concerns the lines, "The cold earth has taken the lass," indicating
that the "star" has been hidden by the dark cloud of death. The melody,
which is new, opens with an unaccompanied leap to two-line F_, where
the movement is suspended by a fermata over the word "earth,•' The word
"cold'^ appears as the voice line descends an octave; this is a rather
dramatic effect in an otherwise lyrical song. The harmony meanwhile
moves chromatically from B major to b minor. Following a V chord in
m. 25 one expects a closing cadence on the tonic. Surprisingly,
before the vocal line cadences in m. 26, the piano enters in m. 25
with a coda beginning with theme 2. On the first beat of m. 26, the
vocal part becomes a pedal point on C_ while the piano continues on d
minor. Theme 2 terminates on the altered tonic, F major, which is
immediately followed by an open F chord and theme 3 (m. 27), pre-
sented as a poignant, gentle recollection of past love. Theme 1
follows exactly as it was heard in the first introduction. The coda
ends with two extra statements of motive 1-2. Each statement is an
octave higher than the preceding one and each statement alternates
its treatment of the seventh degree (Ex. 5 ) . The song ends in the
upper registers of the piano, finally ending on an f minor chord.
By alternating the seventh degree as he does, Mussorgsky could be
suggesting a summation of the opposites that are present in this song—
light and dark, life and death. The ascending quality of the end with
its F Dorian scale could also be a romantic method of suggesting
death, indicating that the lass has returned to the ethereal source
of all life.
39
Ex. 5:
(30)
P Thene 1
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
^ ^
MntivR 1-1 Motive 1:

5^ ',r^
ztzzVsc •-• — - • «
^ ^
I8S7roca.C. risTspCypr. MOII-CT Myccprrr.-.A.

i«£7.5/. Pttertturg. MtdcU Jfusstrfskf.
The formal plan for Mussorgsky's first song is very simple
yet successful. The music proceeds systematically from piano state-
ment to vocal statement or variation. When a phrase is repeated, as
in the statements of theme 3 in mm. 15-16, there is a possibility of
variation not only in the vocal line but also in the accompaniment.
Mussorgsky's use of harmonies that are foreign to the tonic are
especially noteworthy because they tend to effect a reaction to a
certain word or phrase. For example, the word "menacing" in bar 9

°6
is accentuated by the progression vii ^ / V to 1, a surprising pro-
gression to say the least. His style at this time is truly lyrical
in his unique way. Among recording artists, this song is a favorite,
possibly because of its sweet lyricism, simple expressiveness, and
historical importance.
When one listens to the second version of "Where Art Thou,
Little Star?," one might feel as though it were an arrangement by a
composer of a genius not equaling Mussorgsky's; there is a certain

40
lack of h e a r t i n t h i s v e r s i o n . Due to t h i s and the fact t h a t the two
v e r s i o n s a r e b a s i c a l l y a l i k e , t h i s study w i l l not i n c l u d e as d e t a i l e d
an a n a l y s i s as t h a t of t h e f i r s t v e r s i o n , but w i l l i n s t e a d attempt to
i l l u s t r a t e the p o i n t s which "impoverish" t h e second v e r s i o n , according
to C a l v o c o r e s s i .
I t i s assumed t h a t the added t e x t came from Mussorgsky's pen:
Where a r t thou, l i t t l e s t a r ?
Where a r t thou, l i t t l e p r e t t y one?
Have you been darkened by a dark storm-cloud,
A menacing storm-cloud?
Where a r t thou, l a s s , where a r t thou p r e t t y one?
Are you l e a v i n g your beloved f r i e n d .
Your d a r l i n g friend?
And I , from s a d n e s s , from s e v e r e anguish.
Will go to the open f i e l d .
Whether I ' l l s e e the b r i g h t l i t t l e s t a r .
Whether I ' l l meet t h e p r e t t y l a s s .
A dark storm-cloud has hidden the l i t t l e s t a r .
The cold e a r t h has taken t h e l a s s . ' ^
72
Translation of the Russian is by E. Ray Cox. Poetic
rendition is by the author.
41
Tjxe Tbi, 3Be3;i0HKa? 0, mein Sternelein.

[„Juf:endlieder".'^l.j
(„10HMe roAu" .>41J [Z««ltt(firOrtkc»tcr) Fftttitf]
.Meio Liedchen, TOO mir selbit fUr

*) hloH neocHKa, oepe.io:iceuH&« na opiceoTp Orohestcr eingerlchtet.
MHOD Wit
(Ot^BUl •) fErilir JaitmatalltiHaf !• Viriitk)
Dtutith von D. Uiiiw

rCfloaa H. rp«i:oiit. 1 M. MycoprcKwil.
L.Tcxt voo N. OttkovJ M. MUSSORGSKY.
IltpMoxcite ££« rcJccAC^.n. n. JIAUll.
Fiir tins Sisg>timn« mil £UTi«.'tisgeri^t«tT3a PAUL LA1£M
Where art thou,little star?Where art thou,
a/^0BO.lI>UO HeAJieuUblU reMO. CAndaDleassal ^ ^^ sf.^^
I
(5)
^ ^ ^ ~—' "^—* m ^r*' i
^ -y-<^-ti TT^r:
Ffle Tb:,3Be3.ccM . na? fccTy, K.pac . Ha .
^ 0,meinSlt;r. nt . lf,inf dutndngtt . de
AoiiojtMO Mcff.icnuhiii TeAin.CApdanleassal.] ,
^'vf^n^TT c
»-
^
Are (you) eclipsed by stonn-clcuds dark. Storm-clouds dark? Vftiere art
^
§^ H/ib3aT-KH . na - c;» Ty.MCH sep . HO . ib, Ty.MSH MpaM.Ho.io. Fii; TS<,
/)trA ter.kiil . Itt uohl ti.ne Wil . ke, itktcanund ye . tctt . ttr.bxing Lie.bt*
*•• e.uii_
Pit OrthtiUrfrtilur lirht Siimliukt ITnk^Mmmd 17/.

Copyright UNIVERSAL EDITION A,G., Vienna, 'reprinted by permission.
M.l«l*> •.ll«l«l
42
(10) laaa, where art thou, pretty one? VJvether have forsaScen (your) friend
flc _ BM . ua, rflCL- TU Kpac . wa . H? Hnb no . KH . ny . na apy. ra

Miig.de . lein atk,^ wo tcei . Itsi duf Hait ttr . las . $tn^ tcckl dci.Hcn
(your) fran sadness,From severe
MH . n o . Ba, He.Ha. rn>ia.Ho.ro. H_ H_ c ro . pe . . CTH, co_na.

Her . zens/reund,dti.nen teu . er. slen.. Vnd ick gik ki . naut in djs
anguish,will go open £ield, (The)open country;Whether I'll see bright

(toithel trn.
4s-
- ^ ^ ^ ^
TOH Tcc.KH, noH./iy

^W^
BO no . nc, no.nc
^rBÊ^
-'"-"-^^fL^r^^V;^
SM.CTO.C;
Ei^^
lie y . BH . wy nH RCH.H
vet . U:^ FilJ;nie.inandstil. Ut, atk, meijico Htr. ien$\Vik...Suffiim Uii/i.^d i<k un.xcr
C.Il|l
±j^mMmimîS' ir—^—-».
-Vr^^liJi^
_.-.— • -
if
- - -— - ;
T ' • ^
W.l.l01ft» B.IUU
43
starlet. Not I shall meet CQip) pretty lass. (the) pretty lass. (A) storm-
cloud
3563. flow.KH, H e _ HO . BCTpe.4y_ ?.^ KpeCHCH f.? - BH.UW, KpiCHCiHI / , ; . EH.U=:. T v . H a

Sler. ne . kin, vnd es sfM mein Hick nachdem Miig .de.letn, nark dem Mug. dc.lem.Ei.ne
i
I^»%lrife^fc^-
^ ' dark hides (the) l i t t l e star, (The) ^^s^jrth cold has .takea, (the) g i r l .
Hep. H a . « CKfbi.na s n a s . cow . hy, 2c;M-nfl X-iajj. Ha.« . na

B3>? ne . LH
^y<>l . kc tirgl un.ser Sl:r. nc . Uin, und in kiih . hnCraV ruht das MJg . de
^ . *J bC
. .l ta .^j il . ^..^^p- _ "^...^ ^ -
7^^:=:^ r^î:^
(30)
B a t a J -^ Hinia • i i a « ae aujj-awia j 1850rofl.

K o a i a J \ Bw.B • U laaoa a* a o j y A a a J MofleCT M / I C p r C r . 1.
HtftnufH mm S.Jumi »m I L'Mr Jfmtkt ) 1Si9.
IUtmdi{t am 4V«i» ••• 9 Vkr natAmi(la|iJ Mtitit MusMtgJijf
«.MOI«»
44
The form of the second v e r s i o n , which was completed in June
of 1858, i s nearly as straightforward as that of the f i r s t v e r s i o n .
Vocal section—Mm, 16-20

A"
Coda
Mm, 29-31
In comparing the introductions of the two versions, one finds
that the alternation of the E^ and E_ of motive 1-2 (Ex, 1) is absent.

What is present though is a pure Aeolian mode on F as motive 1-2 of
the second version consists of D and E natural (Ex. 6).
Ex. 6:
floBOJLHO AieAJeHafaiii TeMn.CApdante assai.]

i!. It C:InP^^^
^Wr
I t ^
W it£
P MDtive 1-1 .Motive 1-2
^m
Ce
The micro-form of the f i r s t s e c t i o n i s s i m i l a r to that of the
first version:
A * phrase a—mm. 3 - 6 , 2 + 2 with theme 1 ' , motive 1-1' and

motive 1-3
phrase b—mm. 7-9, 2 + 1
45
The v o c a l r e n d i t i o n of motives 1 - 1 ' and 1-3 of theme 1 i s a l s o
s t r i p p e d of i t s ornamentation (Ex. 2 ) , l o s i n g much of i t s simple
expressiveness. The second phrase of the A s e c t i o n i s interesting
i n i t s use of t h e s u b t o n i c as a temporary t o n a l center (m. 7 ) . As
i n t h e f i r s t v e r s i o n , t h e A s e c t i o n ends on t h e word "menacing";
l i k e w i s e t h e t e x t - p a i n t i n g i s the same with t h e a l t e r e d p l a g a l p r o -

*6
g r e s s i o n v i i e / v — 1 , with the t h i r d being absent i n t h e t o n i c
chord.
The B s e c t i o n begins i n m, 10 without an o r c h e s t r a l i n t e r l u d e
or I n t r o d u c t i o n ,
B = p h r a s e a—mm. 1 0 - 1 1 , 1 + 1 with theme 2
phrase b—mm. 1 2 - 1 5 , 2 + 1 + 1
Though t h e p a r t - w r i t i n g i s d i f f e r e n t , t h e theme i s t h e same as i n t h e
f i r s t v e r s i o n , and t h e r e i s s i m i l a r harmony and t e x t u r e . The vocal
l i n e i s s t r e t c h e d to h i g h e r l i m i t s during t h e second phrase of the
B s e c t i o n than i s common for Mussorgsky's songs (m. 1 3 ) . The range
i s t h a t of a diminished t w e l f t h , from D_ to A. There i s but one h a r -
mony d u r i n g t h i s p h r a s e , d i f f e r e n t i n v e r s i o n s of d m7. This chord i s
t h e c o u n t e r p a r t of the p e n u l t i m a t e chord of s e c t i o n A, as i t i s a
v i i m7 / V i n A major. The chord t h a t f o l l o w s , however, i s the V / F
i n m. 15, announcing a r e t u r n to the o r i g i n a l key and o r i g i n a l music.
A' = phrase a—mm. 16-17, 1 + 1 with theme 1
p h r a s e b—mm, 18-20, 1+2
The A' s e c t i o n does not c o n t a i n t h e f i r s t vocal theme i n i t s
o r i g i n a l form b u t i t does have a v a r i a t i o n in mm. 16-17. The b i t t e r -
n e s s of t h e poem i n d i c a t e s a r e t u r n to minor keys i n t h e music, and

46
l e a d s to an i n t e r e s t i n g example of t e x t - p a i n t i n g i n m, 17 on the second
beat. During a i v chord on t h e word " a n g u i s h , " passing tones c r e a t e a
c l u s t e r c o n s i s t i n g of E, F , G , The second phrase of t h e A' s e c t i o n
tends t o c e n t e r on t h e r e l a t i v e major i n mm, 19-20, The p a s t o r a l
n a t u r e of the t e x t i n t h i s phrase combines with the b r i g h t sounds of
A major t o p r o v i d e c o n t r a s t to the preceding p h r a s e .
B' « phrase a—nmi, 21-24, 2 + 2 with theme 2 i n mm, 21-22
The B' s e c t i o n opens in m, 21 with theme 2, unchanged from the
B s e c t i o n , though the harmonies are a l t e r e d . By m, 23, the t o n a l cen-

// **4
t e r p o i n t s toward f minor ( i v — v i i ^—1) , The s e c t i o n c l o s e s i n m, 24
on a h a l f cadence t h a t l e a d s to f ,
A " = p h r a s e a—mm. 25-26, 1 + 1
phrase b—mm. 27-29, 1+2
The A ' ' s e c t i o n i s almost a complete f a i l u r e i n arousing the
emotion and sympathy t h a t t h e r e p r i s e of t h e f i r s t v e r s i o n c r e a t e s .
I t opens i n m. 25 with new melodic m a t e r i a l ( p o s s i b l y r e l a t e d to mm.
18-20) and uses t h e same words of t h e p a r a l l e l phrase i n t h e f i r s t ver-
s i o n ("A dark storm-cloud has hidden the l i t t l e s t a r . , , " ) , Illustrat-
ing the word "dark" i n m, 25 i s a p r o g r e s s i o n which i s r e c a l l e d from
the f i r s t version, v i i . / v — 1 , Measures 26-27 a r e s i m i l a r to mm. 2 3 -
24 of the f i r s t v e r s i o n b u t do not achieve t h e same l e v e l of e x p r e s s i v e -
ness. The fermata of the f i r s t v e r s i o n i s r e p l a c e d by a tenuto on t h e
high F_, which i s followed by a minor seventh descent to G_ over the
harmony of g m7 i n t h e key of f minor. In t h e f i r s t v e r s i o n , this
motive i s harmonized by a chromatic s h i f t from B major t o b minor.

47
This somehow presents a bittersweet quality (the word is "cold") that
the diminished chord of the second version fails to find. The closing
is stilted in mm, 28-29 not because of the authentic cadence of the
harmony but due to the vocal line, which seems as if it comes from a
class lesson in elementary composition. The cadence elides with the
coda, which begins with a repetition of theme one, exactly as it was
heard in the opening introduction. The strict Aeolian mode on F

A
creates a very nice feeling in t h i s case. The v a r i a t i o n between F '
Dorian and f minor of the f i r s t version i s absent, but the second
version conjures a more peaceful feeling. There i s no pain in the
lover who i s l e f t on the e a r t h , only calm acceptance.
The r e l a t i v e lack of cohesion of the song i s possibly due to
the absence of o r c h e s t r a l interludes or introductions. The modal
q u a l i t i e s of both versions are effective in accord with the vernacu-
l a r t e x t and folk song c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s . Though the f i r s t version
contains a melodic l i n e that remains e n t i r e l y within the Aeolian
mode on F , the melody of the second version operates both in the
Aeolian node and the Dorian mode on F . The Dorian mode i s heard
mainly within measures 12-14, and provides a b i t of v a r i a t i o n . The
accompaniments of both versions are not limited to e i t h e r the modal
scales or to f minor. In Russian folk music the dominant tone i s
often on the supertonic degree, though i t does not play the same
role as the dominant in the major-minor system. The use of a v a r i -
able tone (Ex. 1) does not mark a temporary modulation nor does i t
become a non-harmonic tone. 73 Also conspicuous i s the t r a i t of using
73
Calvocoressi, Modest Mussorgsky, pp. 237-238.
48
slightly different reharmonizations of repetitive vocal or melodic
phrases, whether in the same or different sections (Ex. 2). This is
another trait that comes from the folk song heritage as the simple
tunes may be harmonized in a number of methods, either simple or

74
complex, modal or not.
On the negative side, M, D, Calvocoressi suggests that there
Is a lack of Innovative harmonies, abundant use of long note values
in the voice, a habit of dwelling on one harmony (perhaps temporarily
disturbed by passing tones), a lack of rhythmic changes and no change
of time signature as a short list of faults that need to be overcome
if Mussorgsky's later songs are to be considered artistic works.
Even more negatively, Calvocoressi states, "One is almost tempted to
wonder whether Mussorgsky did not, when composing, occasionally lack
decision and consistency, whether he did not remain very much at the
mercy of the inspiration, or whim, or chance of the moment," Let
it be noted, however, that the preceding was intended mainly as a
criticism of the second version of "Where Art Thou, Little Star?"
Mussorgsky wrote three more songs in 1858: "Ah, Only Tell
Me Why?," "Meines Herzens Sehnsucht" (the German text was set to
music, then translated into Russian), and "Hour of Jollity." The
latter is a lively drinking song which storms along to the clinking
^Îbid,, p. 239.
C a l v o c o r e s s i , >feissorgsky, p . 6 4 .
^Îbid., p. 63.
49
of glasses and clatter of dishes, delightfully imitated in the accom-
paniment. There are two versions of "Hour of Jollity," the second
being an orchestral version which was finished in 1859. Also from
1859 there was a song taken from a poem by Pleshcheev (1825-1893),
called "Sadly Rustle the Leaves—A Musical Narration." The music gives
a mournful Impression of a midnight burial. A finer ear

will not fail to notice a certain Schubertian strain running
through this composition; Mussorgsky here introduces for the
first time that wavering between major and minor that he was
to employ with such subtle effect later on; here the alterna-
tion of E flat major with E flat minor produces a sort of
harmonic chiaroscuro, which has a quite peculiar charm.'°
In 1860 Mussorgsky wrote a romantic song, "What Are the Words of Love
to You?" which Oscar von Riesemann described as weak and "more or less
79
a failure" like most of Mussorgsky's love songs. After a two-year
period in which Mussorgsky did not write a single song, he composed
"I Have Many Palaces and Gardens" in 1863 to words by Koltsov (1809-
1842),
The H a r p e r ' s Song
A few days ago I came a c r o s s some v e r s e s by Goethe—short

o n e s , I was happy. . .and s e t them to mu5jic; t h e r e i s one
p l a c e where t h e p h r a s i n g turned o u t p r e t t y w e l l . . . .
The s u b j e c t of Goethe's words i s a beggar, from Wilhelm
Meister I b e l i e v e — a n d a beggar might c e r t a i n l v - s i n g my
music with no pangs of c o n s c i e n c e — I t h i n k s o .
Riesemann, p. 48.
^Îbid., p. 47,
^Îbid,, p, 48.
80
Leyda and B e r t e n s s o n , The Musorgsky Reader, p , 56,
TEXAS TECH U B R U I
50
The preceding excerpt is from a letter to Cesar Cui, dated June 22,
1863, and introduces a new song titled variously as "Old Man's Song,"
or "Harper's Song," The text is from the first volume, second book,
of Wilhelm Meister, and is titled "An die Turen will ich schleichen."
This is one of the few Mussorgsky songs in a language other than
Russian. In this song he set the music to the original German of
Goethe's poem and then added a Russian translation. The song, written
for a bass or baritone, is similar to some parts of Salammbo, written
in 1864, and yet it could also be inserted into Boris Godunov without
81
there being a noticeable change of style. The poem is short and
moving.
I want to stand by the door quietly and modestly;

Let a gentle hand offer me some nourishment.
And I will move along on my way.
Someone greets me happily as I approach him,
Then weeps for me, but I know not why,
I know not why.°^
The fact that Mussorgsky felt that a beggar could easily feel comfort-
able with this song exposes it as being a hint at his later style of
realism, "There is already the true Mussorgsky, trying to find the
true musical expression for a beggar. And he not only tries to put
the right music in his mouth: he sees him mentally, and in the last
six bars of the piano part contrives to convey a picture of the old
83
man dragging his weary steps away." The music is very slow and
81
Calvocoressi, Mussorgsky, p, 67.
82
Translation of the German is by A. Terese Stewart. Poetic
83
51
JJoetAtnaemes AUxcndttr Pitrotcittck Opattckimin

A*e»eaHapjf IZfmfoauny Onoiumunf ftKidmtt
IlecHb Ciapua Lied des Ilarfenspielers

[„Ju^tndlied«r".Nall]
M.MycopiKiin.
Ha „DM.ibre.ibMa MeflcTepk'TVTe. • SLMUtfSOROSKY.
Aua„\VilheIm Mciat<ir" ron Goethe.
F:Aaaaaa n nAMV.
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An die Tit . rcn. will ick sr/i/triLcAcn,
t) Tf tijeufttwn aatk («Hc««>i uta*t%t. Copyright UNIVERSAL EDITION A.G.,

Vienna, reprinted by permission.
•.IUl« I
52
(15)
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It i
CwacT.nKB.KTO ne . pea co . 60 . lo y . apHT 6en.H0 . ro y.t . HH;

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Each will himself happS'j' §5Grv I when my image before hinu-appcarsTp-^-.^
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^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
OH no.nna.MCT Ha - AO MHO - to, OH no nna . HCT,
£i . fi« Trd . nt itird er wti . «CM, I) wird er wei . ntn,
A tear will he weep» will hB weep.
M^^f: 1—r h=± i

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4
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53
• A Ji—«-
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A 0 MCM, HC 3Ha.lO «, 1) 0
ich yceist niekt, was er weint, iek
and I laxM not, why he vieeps.
(30)
SRJpf^B^^^ MCM, HC 3Ha.l0 H.

n—
irci'sa nieht, war er wtsint.
know not, why he vneeps.
(35)
Q^J'
i» - I -o— ' ^
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i4m l3.Aiig.in93.Dorffiani$cktKktwo.Modcsl Xussorgskg.
1) y r » M toaverciaa cjoa owftofajat.
w.l.|«MS M.1UU r.
54
haunting and, like the poem, "is neither plaintive nor imploring, and
ftA
not plebeian in the least." The song is formally through-composed,
though there is a redefining of the main motive throughout.

A
Piano Transition
Mm. 13-16
B
Introduction—M. 17
Closing Section
Coda—Mm. 30-35
The music opens with a short introduction which establishes
the most important motive of the song as well as the mood (Ex. 7).
With both hands of the piano playing in the bass registers, the
Ex. 7:
MeAJieuuo [Lento]
r^
Me/]^jeHHO [Lento]
ggvR^=^ -^>- -J e-
-I H
'W335 -1 L
-g"-o-^ 3 = f
^ ^
84
C a l v o c o r e s s i , Mussorgsky, p , 67.
55
timbre is dark and heavy, almost religious. Though the song later
proves to center on e minor, the first chord is C major. This is
heard as a plagal counterpart of the next chord, G , the relative
major, followed by V / e . Motive 1 is heard twice during the intro-
duction; it is a rising melody which contains the ascending form of
the melodic minor scale during its second statement (m. 2 ) .
A = phrase a—mm. 4-7, 2 + 2 with theme 1
phrase b — m m . 8-13, 2 + 2 + 2 with theme 2
The vocal line (theme 1) enters in m. 4 with a variation and
extension of motive 1 and is doubled in octaves. Transparent and
humble, the piano part in ram. 6-7 contains the progression V I I — v — V I
in e minor. There is also a 2-3 suspension in m. 6, doubled in the
bass in octaves. The harmonic rhythm thus far is very slow and regular
with one harmonic change per measure. Beginning in m. 8 the harmonic
rhythm speeds to three and four harmonies per measure. The eighth mea-
sure also introduces theme 2 (Ex. 8), which occupies all of phrase b.
The first half of the theme comes in mm. 8-9; this is followed by an
accompanimental interlude which echoes mm. 8-9 with harmonic and
melodic variation. The theme continues in m. 12 as the voice line
presents motive 2-3. The break in the line between m. 10 and m. 12
presents the possibility that the old man does receive some food and
is moving on to find some more sustenance.
Also in m. 10 and m. 12, Mussorgsky experiments with chord
formations. An f**m7 (f half-diminished 7) appears first in root
position and then in first inversion. This chord precedes either

56
the tonic e or relative major G throughout the song. The A section
ends with a small closing section (or a transition to the B section)
that begins in m. 13. The closing utilizes motive 2-3 (Ex. 8) and
motive 1 to build to a dynamic climax in m. 15, and then proceeds
with a statement of motive 1 in the bass. The closing ends in m. 16
in e minor (which is again preceded by the half-diminished super-
tonic) .
Ex. 8:
2-2
TH . xo 3 use . pM f^ soH.ny KTO no.r-'^.cT KHe pa .AM CO . ra

slill und sitt . sam will ick. slehn, from . me Uand icird Sih.rung rei.ck>r^
quiet
net and modei
madest-JwmiL I (1^)-^-stand; kind han±Z2iil nourlshmGnt o f f e r .
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57
B « p h r a s e a—mm, 1 8 - 2 1 , 2 + 2 with motive 3
p h r a s e b—mm. 22-25, 2+2
The B s e c t i o n i s preceded by a s h o r t i n t r o d u c t i o n i n mm. 16-
17 t h a t p r e s e n t s motive 3, which d e r i v e s from motive 1. The vocal
s e c t i o n begins with a v a r i a t i o n of motive 3 (phrase a) and a c o u n t e r -
melody in the b a s s . Both halves of the phrase end with an a u t h e n t i c

J b b
cadence to G major, though the p r o g r e s s i o n s do not lead to G in
t r a d i t i o n a l ways: a —e —D —G . The poem a t t h i s p o i n t i s
b r i g h t e r than before—"Someone g r e e t s me h a p p i l y . . . . " The remain-
der of t h e B s e c t i o n i s again very l y r i c a l as the vocal l i n e and the
bass l i n e of t h e accompaniment perform a s o r t of duet in mm. 22-23.
The end of t h e s e c t i o n comes c l i m a c t i c a l l y as t h e vocal l i n e l e a p s
to E_ and remains t h e r e for almost s i x b e a t s before dropping an
o c t a v e , p i c t u r i n g the words both emotionally and symbolically ("he
weeps for me"). The harmony continues to c r e a t e tension a s , of the
s i x t e e n b e a t s from m. 22 to m. 25, a l l but two c o n s i s t of different
i n v e r s i o n s of t h e h a l f - d i m i n i s h e d s u p e r t o n i c (or subtonic i n G ) and
passing tones. Due to the importance of the E_ i n the vocal p h r a s e ,
e minor i s e s t a b l i s h e d as the t o n i c so t h e s u p e r t o n i c i s given a
quasi-dominant f u n c t i o n i n t h i s modal conception.
The c l o s i n g s e c t i o n begins with a l i g h t , q u e s t i o n i n g p i z z i -
cato passage i n the accompaniment (m. 2 6 ) . There i s one vocal phrase
i n the f i n a l s e c t i o n which i s divided 2 + 2 and c o n t a i n s theme 3.
During t h i s phrase the bass of the accompaniment remains a t e n t h
below the vocal l i n e and a c t s as a countermelody through m. 28.

58
Theme 3 is comprised of a sequence at the fifth in its two parts. The
G harmony is more prevalent in the first half of the section than is
the tonic, but it is neither prepared nor presented as a temporary
tonic. The harmony changes on almost every beat through mm, 26-29,
descending and ascending step-by-step, as is seen in mm, 26-27:
C — b — a ~ G ~ a ~b^. This is echoed in m, 28 (e^—D^~C^—b^) but
the accompaniment then begins a cadential formula in m, 29, beginning

. b
on iv, or a minor. According to Western practice the next chord
would be the major dominant, but Mussorgsky inserts a leading tone

°4
chord, d ^, whose root is a tritone from the root of the preceding
chord. The tonic minor chord does follow, ending the vocal part, but
it is followed by a most impressive coda.
Much has been written about the coda by the various authorities
on Mussorgsky, In his biography, Oscar von Riesemann wrote the follow-
ing:
The bold atonality of the ending was something quite unheard

of at that time (1863); . , .the impressionistic effect of
the idea, in a composition that is otherwise quite simple in
its harmonic structure, is very striking; as a French critic
remarks, one seems to hear soft footsteps dying away in the
distance.°^
According to M. D. Calvocoressi, the coda seems to produce a similar

86
effect "almost of indeterminate pitch." He also granted the coda
a place of historical importance: "In one particular it may be
85
Riesemann, p. 66.
86
Calvocoressi, Mussorgsky, p, 67,
59
regarded as a landmark: it is the first musical composition in his-
tory to end on a discord—a major seventh, . , .Like most of his

87
innovations, it has become current coinage."
The coda begins very simply with a new motive that appears
four times in mm. 30-31. The half-diminished f chord plays out its
role as both supertonic and leading tone chord in this phrase:

o b ° h
f m 7 — e — f m 7 — G . Motive 1 appears in m. 32 in the bass, under a
7-6 suspension. The motive retains its modal characteristics with a
D or lowered seventh preceding the tonic (ram. 32-33), Two melodic
lines which expand and contract simultaneously appear in m. 33; they
then come to a close on G_—B_. These two notes are sustained, under
which a C_—Ê_ combination creeps in low in the bass registers, at a
dynamic level of ppp (Ex. 9 ) . The effect on the listener might be
that of confusion as to the exact harmonic combination. An analysis
might provide two explanations, the first being that the cadence is
indeed on a C M7 chord. A second choice, much bolder still, suggests
that the cadence actually consists of two chords containing major
thirds, G_—^B_ and C_—Ê_, and both are equally important and inde-
pendent, making the cadence bitonal.
Whatever the case may be, one is rather haunted by the effect.
It is as if, very simply and without making too much of his plight,
the poor beggar has presented his song and is leaving, with only the
accompaniment to testify to the true pain of the old man's existence
and probable end.

87
C a l v o c o r e s s i , Modest Mussorgsky, p . 62.
60
Ex. 9:
mmr^M^m MCM,
weint
HC 3Ha.l0 H.
ntchl, war er wnint.
€y-f
(35)
^
i I
tite^
"f^-~*^
3f=:^ ^
PP
ppp
1 1/ ••
s ^ ^ ?s
^ ^
Motive J. t f
This song is yet another of Mussorgsky's early lyrical songs
and as such it is rather simple and straightforward. He made no overt
attempts to paint each word musically, but rather chose to exemplify
the whole mood and mode of existence. The melody is modal throughout
and is slow and deliberate though not sluggish, even though its move-
ment consists mainly of quarter-notes. The harmonic progressions
rarely confirm e minor or E Aeolian as the tonic by traditional
means and the coda most certainly does not. Its ties to Russian folk
mus ic are confirmed by the utter simplicity of the aura of the song.
harmonically, melodically, and texturally. The modal use of the
supertonic as dominant or subdominant and change of harmonization
of repetitive passages are both present.

61
Mussorgsky wrote two more songs i n 1863. The f i r s t , "King
S a u l , " e x i s t s i n two v e r s i o n s , A dramatic scene r a t h e r than a pure
song, i t was w e l l known by s i n g e r s during Mussorgsky's lifetime.
The f i r s t v e r s i o n i s much more experimental than the second, which
i s smoother, more t r a d i t i o n a l , and l e s s i n t e r e s t i n g . The second
song of 1863 i s "But I f I Could See Thee Again," a love song, "The
Wild Winds Blow" i s the f i r s t song w r i t t e n i n 1864. The e l a b o r a t e
accompaniment c o n f l i c t s with the melody, which i s steeped more i n
f o l k song t r a d i t i o n . M. D. C a l v o c o r e s s i wrote t h a t t h i s song does
not equal most of Mussorgsky's works i n u n i t y and d i r e c t i o n , though

88
i t does c o n t a i n p o i n t s of impressive power.
Two v e r s i o n s each of "Night" and " K a l i s t r a t u s h k a " a l s o d a t e
from 1864. Both v e r s i o n s of "Night" were for piano accompaniment
though t h e f i r s t was scored for voice and o r c h e s t r a i n 1868. Push-
k i n ' s poem, "My Voice for Thee I s Weak and Languid," was the c e n t r a l
i d e a for t h e composer's s e t t i n g of " N i g h t . " I t i s only the germ of
the poem t h a t has s u r v i v e d : the beloved appears i n a dream and gives
h e r s e l f to h e r l o v e r . Mussorgsky did not change the theme b u t he did
a l t e r the flow of P u s h k i n ' s l i n e s by adding h i s own p o e t r y . The f i r s t
v e r s i o n i s a " b e a u t i f u l example of h i g h l y imaginative l y r i c i s m —
[teeming] w i t h l o v e l y r i c h harmonies, worthy of comparison with the

89
s u b t l e s t and most o r i g i n a l i n the l a t e s o n g - s e t S u n l e s s . " Cesar
Cui wrote t h a t " K a l i s t r a t u s h k a " p o s s e s s e s a new musical form, "not
88
®Îbid,
62
d e v o i d of good t u r n s , h a r m o n i e s , t h o u g h t s , b u t as a w h o l e — i t ' s rather

,90
ridiculous." O s c a r von Riesemann i s more s y m p a t h e t i c :
I n h i s music Mussorgsky h a s found t h e i d e a l s e t t i n g f o r h i s

w o r d s ; t h e s o n g e x p r e s s e s a deep and h e a r t - f e l t sympathy
f o r t h e p o o r young p e a s a n t , s o d e f e n c e l e s s i n t h e f a c e of
l i f e ' s b e t r a y a l s , who c a l m l y a c c e p t s h i s o v e r t h r o w w i t h o u t
r a i l i n g a t e i t h e r God o r man. The m u s i c , l i k e t h e u n d e r l y i n g
p s y c h o l o g y of t h e w o r d s , i s g e n u i n e l y R u s s i a n ; i n s t y l e i t
may b e t a k e n as a model f o r c o m p o s i t i o n i n t h e f o l k song
manner. I t i s e a s y enough t o s a t i s f y t h e e l e m e n t s from which
t h i s s t y l e i s e v o l v e d , y e t t h e mere i n s i s t e n c e on a c o m p l e t e
want of symmetry i n t h e r h y t h m , w h e t h e r of b a r o r p h r a s e , o r
t h e c h o i c e of a s t r i c t l y d i a t o n i c melody i n no f i x e d k e y , i s
of l i t t l e u s e by i t s e l f ; o t h e r R u s s i a n composers eraploy t h e s e
d e v i c e s and y e t f a i l t o b r i n g t h e h e a r e r s under t h e charms
of t h e mood r e q u i r e d — t h i s depends n o t on t h e e l e m e n t s them-
s e l v e s , b u t on t h e s p i r i t t h a t combines and forms them i n t o a
c o m p l e t e w h o l e . I n a work of a r t t h e g r e a t e s t s e c r e t of a l l
i s t h a t c r e a t i v e g i f t f o r t h e a t t a i n m e n t of which no mere
knowledge of t h e e l e m e n t s , however a c c u r a t e , i s s u f f i c i e n t .
The f i r s t v e r s i o n i s f o r b a s s o r b a r i t o n e and t h e second f o r tenor.
The d i f f e r e n c e s seem t o be i n d e t a i l s and n o t i n t h e b a s i c conception.
The f i r s t song of 1 8 6 5 , " P r a y e r , " d a t e d February 2 , i s a
s e t t i n g of L e r m o n t o v ' s (1814-1841) famous poem by t h e same t i t l e .
The p u r i t y and a u s t e r i t y of i t s h a r m o n i z a t i o n l e n d t h i s
s o n g , e s p e c i a l l y a t t h e b e g i n n i n g , a c h a r a c t e r of a s c e t i c
p i e t y t h a t s u i t s w e l l w i t h t h e m a t t e r of t h e poem. In t h e
p i a n o f o r t e accompaniment we f i n d c e r t a i n h a r s h p a s s a g e s and
f a l s e p r o g r e s s i o n s t h a t might e a s i l y have been a v o i d e d , b u t
t h a t were p r o b a b l y i n t e n t i o n a l . ^ ' ^
The n e x t s o n g from 1 8 6 5 , "The O u t c a s t , " i s w r i t t e n i n a q u a s i -
r e c i t a t i v e s t y l e , and as s u c h , i t s e t s a p r e c e d e n t f o r some of
Mussorgsky's l a t e r songs.
90
91
Riesemann, pp. 89-90.
^Îbid,, pp. 92-93.
63
The Outcast
"The Outcast," a song that is different from Mussorgsky's
other early compositions, is subtitled "a study in recitative."
It could scarcely be described as a "song"; it is

rather an experiment in continuous recitative, with
piano accompaniment. Though a recitative, it has
no dramatic stresses—it might be described as a
parlando, in somewhat an exalted mood. At that time,
when 11 bel canto enjoyed an absolute supremacy, such
an experiment was naturally a piece of unparalleled
audacity; it never got even beyond the innermost
circle of Mussorgsky's musical friends. This piece,
which contains some knotty passages, one might almost
say impertinences, very characteristic of the composer,
was not published in his lifetime. . . .As an experiment
in an entirely new treatment of the voice part in a song,
it can hardly count as a great artistic achievement—as
the Russian proverb says, "the first buckwheat cake is
always a failure"—nevertheless it is very significant
of the direction that Mussorgsky's genius was henceforth
to follow in the field of vocal music.^3
It is clear from the preceding quotation that von Riesemann feels
"The Outcast" to be a song of some merit, though merely an experiment,
On the other hand, M. D. Calvocoressi condemns the song as a weak
piece of music, "so conventional, so stilted and so thoroughly unlike
any other music from his pen that one can but wonder how he came to
94
indite it,"
The t e x t of the poem, by Ivan G o l t z - M l l l e r , probably d e a l s
with an a c t u a l occurrence in P e t e r s b u r g : " t h e s u b j e c t may be summed
up i n t h e words of t h e New Testament—'Let him who i s without s i n

95
c a s t the f i r s t stone,'"
93
Riesemann, p , 9 4 .
94
C a l v o c o r e s s i , Modest Mussorgsky, pp, 63-64,
95
Riesemann, p, 94.
64
0TBep}KeHHa5i Die Verstossene

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Copyright UNIVERSAL EDITION A.G., Vienna, reprinted by permission.

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Ja' tnit die . ter ter . Aar . /e . ten See. le und mil die .tern ter
P 4
Bi^ even in [this (Her) soul palloused and poisoryd
5^ E i
±z
S
\y> 1
^
r
(30)
I -J^"^?^
M; P
i r .r (T :^
s i
3 . TOH KpO . BH, 1^ BCpb,. nra.CoBb 6bi e . luc s a . KH . ne na
.fif . le . ten Blut kann. tie denJtoeknaek Lie.be tick tek nen
trust (me) love vould s t i l l be burning
Cnopee. fPli& moMo.)
l"^ Ho, HC 0H.neTbB3a.HM.H0H nio6.BH, ". *BCio . aycnbimaTbCfl.

DteA im Ber.xen er.lotek al . le Glut, if . te flu.eke und
But, can't see nutual * love, cveryv*ere (to) her
CKopee. [riu moseo.]
'f^^ . ± A-
?-t7
5i2 ^ :^
:r-j=ix
*—*-^
^ ^
ZKXh
-<—f- g ^ ^ ^ i ™,
- • - • — • ' — ^
».•.«•<•• ILll«i«
67
(35)
=^=r:
s jr.- m
-HHnHuibnpo.Kna.Tbfl,
Kna .Tbfl, BCIO . ny BCTpcTHTbnpe . 3pc . .HH.P Bsr/iflO, H HC
/e^.«e« Ge.flus.ter, hi . teBlik.ke roll Bokn und roll Gier... Al . le
and not
cnly curses, eveijywhere neetino scornful looks i ' >
—i— ——, 1—. I ! • 1—-i \-
(40)
. IIpo'/Kinin TCMn. [Tempo M
m ^
^
:£ i lY V »
:?^
hi
-+—'-r
S 9#- EJ
nacTb, HC nacTb, Kor.na anofijto CCL . A .TI.H
' _ _ . le Welt isl to grau.samund dii.tter
to f a l l , and not to fall,v*ien spiteful erfcraoe
ripC'/KHlu'l TCMn. [Tempo I.]
if
-/S*=*t± ±:r. JtL
•i<-
rx
^ ?e : ^
-^•^-^zi
CnOKOlliiu. [TrAnqaillo.l
(45)
=fa?
^ ^ :4^ :;: X ^
i^xk#. =R=^^^^ ^
pac.Kpw-Ba _ CT o.flHH '.• nnmbpas-BpaT?., He CMOTpMKHa HC.
und dieWol . lust al.lein ' ttfkt tor ikr... Slick ikr nie int Ce.
opens alone just ddaauchery? ^ Donlt loc^ on .hpr.
U.I. 10101 • II110 r.

68
(50)
^ t
i- T—r JT g
i-1
-i* 1 1-
5 X
i
Y
- c TbI cnpcjpcjHbCM, )^ OT CC.6JI c . e npoHb - HC ro - HH; nyn . uje
Mekt to ter.aektJieh, und ver.trei.be tie niekt ton der Tiir:
you with contatpt, Fran yourself her away glaub, ein
don't drive; better
m i.Z
^
T~^'~V- £ X ^H=^ ir
-w*- 3r*"
7i B fly - ujy c _ c c CO - )Ka nc . HbCM H c y . . sa.cTH.cM Ten_nwM T B3rnH.
men.tekU.ekerBliel kai . te 'mdeh . tig ik . re lei . den. de See - le ge .
i n t o (the) sool (her) with p i t y look at and with warm synpathy glance.
>, -4-
i
r
>) tf_ r)
w=i^ r-
—*r-^
• ' *r
r i_J
J
§ 1 -f—r
^ ^
F f r r
(55)
I
tamed A AX tritard]
V^Wl
SZtTi g^ 22: -•—e-
1^
/^Z'
a^ iîS =
i^
S HCHH 1865. C. nSr Mofl-^ct MvcoprcKnA.
St. P-rf. An S. Juni JS«S. Jfodett Hutttrgsky.
•.i.ieioa • .ii«i« r-
69
Don't look on her with contempt.

Don't drive her away from you;
Better to look into her soul with coupassion
and a warm heart!
Look how many terrible storms she has endured
to pursue her fate;
How much her youthful vigor has been destroyed
without a trace, in a hopeless struggle.
But even in her calloused soul
and poisoned blood,
Believe me, love could still be burning,
but she finds no love;
She meets only curses and scornful
looks everywhere.
And meets the fallen life when debauchery
opens to her its embrace.
Don't look on her with contempt.
Don't drive her away from you;
Better to look into her soul with
compassion and a warm heart.^"
The poet takes a compassionate view of the prostitute, so it is not
surprising that Mussorgsky set the poem, considering his liberal
nature. However, in his middle-period songs {c_. 1866-1872), when
he was trying most fervently to portray life, his view was a more
Zen-like objective portrayal of life that he witnessed.
The outline of the musical form follows;
Int roduction
Mm. 1-3
A
Mm. 4-12
B
Mm. 13-23
A'
Mm. 24-30
C
Mm. 31-42
96.
70
Vocal Transition
Mm. 43-45
A"
Mm. 47-55.
Coda
Mm. 55-58
The form i s not c l e a r - c u t i n comparison to some e a r l i e r songs. On one
l e v e l i t i s through-composed between A and A ' ' , but t h e r e a r e s h o r t
motives through A' where one might p e r c e i v e some m a t e r i a l from A,
though more i n t h e form of mood and sound, not t h e m a t i c a l l y ,
As though i n a n t i c i p a t i o n t h a t t h e t o n i c , F major, i s weak
u n t i l the end of t h e s e c t i o n , the i n t r o d u c t i o n c o n s i s t s of the t o n i c
and r e l a t i v e minor s o n o r i t i e s , giving a s l i g h t f e e l i n g of u n c e r t a i n t y
w i t h o u t being too shocking (mm. 1-3). As the A s e c t i o n b e g i n s , t h e
i n t r o d u c t i o n i s heard again i n the accompaniment, a l t e r e d and in
diminution. The micro-form of the A s e c t i o n i s irregular:
phrase a—mm. 4 - 7 , 2 + 2 with theme 1
p h r a s e b—mm. 8-12, 1 + 2 + 2 with theme 2 i n mm. 9-12
The v o i c e (bass or b a r i t o n e ) e n t e r s on small £ with the f i r s t theme,
s c o l d i n g and s t e r n , accented by the a l t e r n a t i o n of £ as l e a d i n g tone
and E_ as seventh i n a V7 / B chord i n m. 5 . The V7 / B sonority

o
is followed by a d on the word "contempt" in m. 52. The second part
of the first theme begins on a slowly ascending scale from D to C
which uses a raised fourth degree (G_ natural) and ends on a V7 / G
chord in m. 7. The ascending scale quite literally portrays the
words "from yourself her away." The V7 / G chord is followed by

71
another V7 chord, G7, s t r e s s i n g the words " d o n ' t d r i v e (her away)"
with t h e sudden s h i f t by using two chords with two common enharmonic
tones. This r e l a t i o n s h i p of two chords with a t r i t o n e between the
r o o t s i s common usage i n Mussorgsky's p a r l a n c e . The V7 / C chord
(m. 7) does move to the implied chord, though i t i s followed by a
t h e o r e t i c a l i m p r o p r i e t y , a r e t r o g r e s s i o n to B . At t h i s p o i n t t h e
second theme appears (mm. 9 - 1 2 ) . The melodic l i n e of theme 2 i s
very warm and f a t h e r l y as the words ask for compassion for the
woman. The harmony s t a y s i n F throughout the phrase as the only
harmony t h a t b e t r a y s the t o n i c i s b® over an A^ pedal p o i n t .
The B s e c t i o n opens on an F^ i n o c t a v e s , which becomes a p e d a l
p o i n t under an augmented s i x t h chord i n an unusual i n v e r s i o n (on the
second b e a t of m. 1 3 ) . Due to i t s i n v e r s i o n , t h e chord sounds a
diminished t h i r d (£—G ) which r e s o l v e s by means of a r e t a r d a t i o n to
an F^. The c e n t e r for the s e c t i o n i s on B , i n the major and minor
modes. The i n n e r form i s again i r r e g u l a r :
B = phrase a—^mm. 13-16, 2 + 2
p h r a s e b—mm. 1 7 - 2 1 , 2+2
phrase c—mm. 22-23
The opening vocal phrase is painfully chromatic and leads to another
augmented sixth chord of the Italian variety. The poem at this point
suits the music—"Look how many terrible storms. . ."—and is further
emphasized by a double pedal point on ¥^ and £ under the augmented
sixth chord, which opens to the dominant, F, on the word "fate" in
m. 16. The second phrase contains some bitter sounds and movements
72
in both the vocal l i n e and the accompaniment. There i s a two-note
dissonance in m. 18 containing the notes B and £ in octaves. This
clash s t r e s s e s the words which t e l l of the p r o s t i t u t e ' s loss of
youthful stamina and vigor due to the struggles of her l i f e . There
i s a two-bar closing beginning in m. 22 (phrase c) which opens in
much the same way that the section i t s e l f opened-on a single F in
octaves. The vocal l i n e i s again chromatic in this pathetic l i n e ,
which contains some b i t t e r word-painting. In m. 22 on the word
"hopeless," the sonority is a half-diminished chord on the dominant,
F, which leads to the t o n i c . However, the tonic appears f i r s t in
i t s major mode but then i s altered to i t s minor mode in m. 23. The
word a t t h i s point i s "struggle" and i s portrayed not only by the
low r e g i s t e r of the l i n e but also by the duality of mode (Ex. 10).
Ex. 10:
(20)
r>
^^^^^^^^m
_6H. .to 6e3 cne . aa B (5e3l . HC .
VlBl
XOfl
^
HOH
^
~t ?
Oopb . 6 e .
L-?r-r-ix;-
—.—f
Le . bent tekwand da . kin lA _ re Ju. .gend und Kraft.
destroyed without (a) trace in (a) hopeless struggle.

73
The B s e c t i o n c o n t a i n s a double arch i n the r e g i s t e r s of t h e
v o c a l l i n e and the t r e b l e l i n e of the p i a n o . The vocal l i n e opens
on s m a l l £ i n m. 1 3 , ascends to o n e - l i n e D_ by m. 17, and descends
to s m a l l D_ i n m. 2 3 . The t r e b l e l i n e l i k e w i s e begins on o n e - l i n e
G_, ascends to t w o - l i n e £ in m. 16, and descends to o n e - l i n e F_ i n
m. 2 1 .
A' = p h r a s e a—mm. 24-28, 2+3
phrase b—mm. 29-30
The t h i r d s e c t i o n . A ' , i s more firmly i n F major, even though
the opening chord i s an f minor. The chord contains an appoggiatura
on B^ n a t u r a l , a t r i t o n e from the root of the chord. An open £ chord
follows and i s i n t u r n followed by a V / C (with a minor n i n t h , A )
c r e a t i n g a t h r e e - c h o r d p r o g r e s s i o n of movement by f i f t h s : f—C—G.
The p a t t e r n ends i n t h e second h a l f of m. 25 with an open £ chord
which c o n t a i n s t h r e e non-harmonic tones a t i t s o u t s e t (with another
in the vocal l i n e ) . The word being p o r t r a y e d a t t h i s p o i n t i s
" c a l l o u s e d " or " s t a l e " and i s a t the r o o t of the dissonance. The
vocal l i n e thus f a r i s very Eastern or O r i e n t a l sounding. The r e s t
of the A' s e c t i o n i s more s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d and d i a t o n i c . There a r e
two examples of cadence n o t e s being preceded by the s u p e r t o n i c
a c t i n g i n a dominant f u n c t i o n . A h a l f - d i m i n i s h e d b chord precedes
an a minor chord i n mm. 27-28 and a g7 precedes the t o n i c F major
i n m. 30, r e c a l l i n g t h e quasi-dominant function of the s u p e r t o n i c
s o n o r i t y i n Russian folk music. An i n t e r e s t i n g chord appears i n
m. 26 and m. 27. I t i s a t o n i c F chord with a major s e v e n t h , i n

74
f i r s t inversion the f i r s t t i m e and i n t h e second i n v e r s i o n i n m. 27
( a t which p o i n t i t i s followed by a t r i t o n e r e l a t i o n s h i p : FM7—
b**m7). The t r i a d i c v o c a l l i n e of mm. 29-30 and t h e c l o s i n g on a
major s o n o r i t y i n m. 30 i l l u s t r a t e t h e p o t e n t i a l of l o v e , albeit
faded and r e m o t e .
C = p h r a s e a—mm. 3 2 - 3 5 , 2+2
p h r a s e b—mm. 3 6 - 3 9 , 2 + 2
p h r a s e c—mm. 40-42
The C s e c t i o n c o n t a i n s some u n u s u a l non-harmonic t o n e s i n t h e
accompaniment (Ex. 1 1 ) , c o n t r a s t i n g w i t h t h e l y r i c i s m of t h e melody.
T h e r e a r e c h r o m a t i c p a s s i n g - t o n e s i n mm. 33 and 3 5 , c r e a t i n g a d o u b l e
d i s s o n a n c e i n some c a s e s ( e s p e c i a l l y i n t h e second h a l f of m. 33) .
Though t h e s e c t i o n opens i n a m i n o r , t h e r e i s a movement toward f minor
i n m. 3 6 . The v o c a l p a r t i n ram. 35-36 h a s a r a t h e r u n u s u a l interval
Ex. 1 1 :
Cxopfe. [Pl^ moniio.]
^^^^^mwmpf^^^î^^Ê^^M^^
"l"^ H o , HC BH-DCTbB3a.HM.HCH nio6.DH, .'Bcn . flycnwuiaxbcj.
Dock im Ber.ten er.losek al . lf> Glut, Id* . te Flu.eke und
But, can't see mut\»l love. everywhere (to) her
CKOpee. [Piu mooso.l
75
for Mussorgsky—a major eleventh leap from great A to one-line £. As
usual, this angular vocal line reflects the text—"curses and scorn-
ful looks"—and emphasizes its inner meanings. On the word "scornful"
in m. 36, there is a French augmented sixth chord which opens to the
V / F. The section ends climactically in mm. 40-42 with an unaccom-
panied vocal line which outlines the sonorities of B and D while
descending a major tenth. Mussorgsky portrays the words ("and not to
fall when spiteful embraces. . .") through obvious techniques with-
out sounding trite. A transitory phrase begins in m. 43 and contains
some interesting points. Another tritone relationship (D — G 7 ) is
present in mm. 43-44. In m. 43 and m. 45, there is a half-diminished
f chord which contains a major seventh instead of a diminished or even
a minor one! The word "debauched" is emphasized not only by the f*'M7
in m. 45 but also by a tritone movement in the vocal line (F_—C ) ,
certainly a debauched progression.
The A'' section begins in m. 46 with a combination of the first
and second themes (Ex. 12). The sweetness of the second theme precedes
the dolor of the first theme in this case to provide an interesting
alternation of musical mood.
A " = phrase a—mm. 47-50, 2 + 2 with theme 2' and theme 1'
phrase b—mm. 51-55, 1 + 2 + 2 with theme 2
The A'' section is the same as the A section with the exception of a
few changes, the most interesting of which is a £ pedal point under
the progression b^^—D^^. The coda elides with the closing of the
76
Ex. 12
, j j ^ ^ ^ C ^ o r n i o . (Tranqulllo.l (50)
T^&p^ 1' !.••
H e CMOTpH>KHa HC.
5 ^ P ji^-r^^'^tr^ *^l3 '
Slick ikr nie int Ge. _e TW cnpcjpcjibCM, / OT CC.6« C . C npoMb
Mekt to ter.aektJick, und ter.trei.be tie niekt
you with contenpt, Prcni yourself her away
m ^
U' 1 7 j g ^
w 1 irr=3
l-st ^
<•*•
-r
m ^
^
^
f
-f'
section in m. 55 and contains the same sort of chromatic passing tones
as were present in the C section. The closing alternates between I and
V and ends firmly on F major.
"The Outcast" contains some contrasting characteristics which
should be noted. The melodic line, which is recitative-like, is some-
times very lyrical and diatonic, as in theme 2, but is also rather
non-melodic (mm. 13-14), with chromaticism and unusual intervals being
the most striking reasons. The song uses a dissonant harmony to express
a strong emotion yet at the same time uses a more mellow sonority to
express an equally strong emotion. (Compare the French +6 chord in m.
37 on the word "scornful" with the G harmony over an Y_ pedal point in m.
15 on the word "terrible.") This trait was typical of Mussorgsky's music
according to M. D. Calvocoressi. Mussorgsky was:

77
one of the very first to use discords freely for lyrical

and poetic effects, when not seeking to suggest tension;
and even at points of repose, as they have come to be used
in our time. . , . [According to Hugo Riemann] in musical
art, the notion and feeling of dissonance is, basically,
not physical, but psychological: that triads, although
nominally consonances, may acquire all the essential proper-
ties of dissonance by virtue of the part they play within a
tonal scheme. . . .Discords introduced as mere adornments,
or added spice, were not part of his scheme of things. So
when he ended a song or scene on a discord, he had a specific
reason for so doing. , . .This, as often as not, was a more
or less realistic intention: that, for instance, of suggest-
ing suspense, non-fulfillment, mystery, an endless perspec-
tive gradually melting away in darkness.^'
A later song in the style of dramatic recitative, "Lullaby" from
Songs and Dances of Death, is a superb piece of music, but as an
early experiment, "The Outcast" is a creditable description of
the poem.
* * * * * * * * * *
The last song from 1865 is the "Cradle Song" or "Peasant's
Lullaby" from Voevoda by Ostrovsky (1823-1886). This song exists
in two versions also, but in this case, we do know of a reason
for the two versions:
the first or longer one, judging by the stage directions

inserted. . .was intended for performance in the actual
play, the other for independent performance. And here,
as it happens, the differences are much less essential
than in "King Saul" or "Night."^^
97
Calvocoressi, Modest Mussorgsky, pp. 270-271.
98
78
Oscar von Riesemann called the song "a masterpiece of intimate genre-
painting, to which few parallels are to be found in the whole range

99
of music." The latest song from the Years of Youth collection, to
which all the preceding songs belong, is "Why Do Thine Eyes Reproach
Me?" dated January 7, 1866. Stylistically, the next two songs from
Mussorgsky are not so different from the earlier songs, though they
are not included in the early album. "Ich wollt' meine Schmerzen
ergossen" and "Aus meinen Tranen" are both set to the original (German
of the poems and both come from the year 1866.
* : f c * * * * * * *
In the early songs, Mussorgsky's style was essentially lyrical,
a style that was contrasted and sometimes combined with a growing use
of realistic techniques. The harmony exhibited a tendency for progres-
sions of non-related chords, used either for pictorial reasons or as a
part of the Russian folk idiom. He used pedal points quite often, both
internally and in the bass. In later songs, pedal points became even
more evident, though some were used in more subtle ways in which they
blended with the harmonies. Mussorgsky's use of pedal points also
allowed him to experiment with unusual harmonic progressions. While
non-diatonic or unrelated chords were used for descriptive purposes,
the pedal points—usually stressing the tonic and/or dominant—
served to sustain a feeling for a tonal center.
The early songs contained a large number of plagal progres-
sions and cadences as well as a regular use of the supertonic as
99
Riesemann, p. 120.
79
both subdominant and dominant. Also common in the early songs was a
folk element of simple rhythmic patterns. The melodic line, though
rarely taxing, used a small variation of rhythmic patterns and note
values; yet due to its folk heritage, the vocal line could be dif-
ficult in its phrasing and intervals. It is rarely doubled in the
accompaniment, which is left for pictorial purposes and, more rarely,
a countermelody.
Again, the music does not have the pantomimic quality of the
second period songs, nor does it have the profound combinations of
lyricism and realism of the last period. But, save for exceptional
composers like Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, or Brahms, such deep
psychic responses which manifest themselves musically are rarely
seen. Mussorgsky was not yet thirty years old.

CHAPTER III
THE MIDDLE PERIOD SONGS
During his second period of song composition, Mussorgsky devel-
oped and expanded his realistic techniques: "his methods were simple,
straightforward, unadorned and led to arainimurnof poetic amplification
and of artistic conventionalization." As usual Mussorgsky left his
mark of independence and originality on everything he composed.
The principle of the "minimum of conventionalization"

as exemplified in the works of Mussorgsky, the "realist"
is not the only one which implies defiance of—or rather
indifference to—certain conventions. The tale of com-
posers who ignored conventions for reasons that had
nothing to do with "realism" or descriptive intentions
would be endless. So that you must be prepared either
to make light of conventions or to remain incapable of
enjoying music throughout the course of its natural
evolution. •'•^-'•
One of the first songs from this period is the famous "Darling
Savishna," based on a true incident, which Mussorgsky witnessed, in
which a village idiot proclaimed his love to a young woman, even though
he was aware of his own lowly position in life. For the most part, the
song consists of an uninterrupted flow of quarter notes in 5/4 time,
conveying "with extraordinary vividness the rise and fall of the idiot's
voice as he pleads, as the piano part almost pantomimically suggests
Calvocoressi, Mussorgsky, p. 73
101-., ., .,,
Ibid., p. 75.
80
81
the agitated movements of his hands. Yet this vocal line, if not
melodic in the conventional sense, is by no means recitative.""^^^
Like "Darling Savishna," "You Drunken Sot" was written in 1866; it
is a comic song in which a woman scolds her drunken husband. From
the same year comes "The Seminarist" (with words by the composer)
in which a young theological student is distracted from his studies
of third declension Latin by memories of the priest's young daughter.
"The Ecclesiastical Censorship discovered 'indications of a blasphe-
mous spirit' in the song and forbade its publication; in consequence
it had to be printed abroad. . .by the firm of Rahter in Leipzig [in
1870]."^°^
Two songs from Haydamaky by Schevchenko (1814-1861) were
written in 1866. "Hopak" is the song of a young woman who dances
the hopak, a Russian folk dance, to relieve her frustrations—she is
married to an old man she does not love. "Yarema's Song" is about
liberty and independence, both personal and political. The Ukrainian
element in the two songs "is emphasized by the use of the peculiar
melodic intervals, the augmented or diminished fourth and sixth. The
brilliant effect is further assisted by the pianoforte accompaniment,
in which the strong simple harmonies avoid as far as practicable any-

104
thing so feeble and 'un-Russian' as a chord of the seventh."
"Hebrew Song," the first of eight songs from 1868, was written
to the words of Mey (1822-1862). It is an example of Mussorgsky's
^^Îbid., p. 79.
103
Riesemann, p. 129.
^^Îbid., p. 124.
82
composition of pure music, with "simplicity and repose expressed by
melody and harmony alike which create an almost biblical atmosphere
and make the most effective background imaginable for the chaste
beauty of Mey's poems."•'• ^ Two of Pushkin's poems, "A Chattering
Magpie," and "Little Bells Tinkle" were combined to create one song,
"The Magpie," with a "scherzo-like chatter of the voice part and snap
of the accompaniment. . .as nonsensical and delightful as a nursery

, ,,106 „
rhyme. Gathering Mushrooms," like "Darling Savishna," presents
an almost exact simulation of Russian speech with an almost continuous
flow of quarter-notes; the words, by Mey, present a young peasant woman
gathering mushrooms while considering the idea of poisoning her husband
with toadstools, thus freeing her for the young peasant lad who lives
nearby.
"The Feast" achieves its charm by a pattern which combines a
measure of 5/4 with one of 6/4, forming an eleven-beat phrase, a pat-
tern which is maintained throughout the song. In "The Ragamuffin,"
Mussorgsky resumes his talent for putting himself in the place of the
subject at hand, creating intimate feelings of sympathy. In this song
a street urchin shrieks insults at an old woman who later cuffs him
severely, creating a grotesque picturization which is captured in 5/4
meter. "The He-Goat: A Worldly Story" is a satire, telling the story
of a young girl who is frightened by a bearded old goat but is at ease
Ibid., p. 141.

83
with a far uglier prospective bridegroom. The music contains a sweet,
lyrical melody to depict the girl, a leaping motive associated with
the goat, with the dissonance for the sarcastic feeling."''^^ Another
satire, very amusing in its musical picturizations, is "The Classi-
cist," a reply to conservative composer, A. S. Famintzin (1841-1896).
The champion of classicism announces to a collection of

late eighteenth-century musical platitudes: "I am simple,
I am clear, I am modest, polite. . .1 am a pure classi-
cist." In an "agitated" middle section he proclaims his
hostility to "new-fangled contrivances. . .Their noise and
hubbub, their awful disorder alarm me," he says. "I see
in them the coffin of art. But I. . .1 am simple," etc.-^^®
The words of the song are by Mussorgsky. Koltsov (1809-1842) wrote
the words of "The Garden by the Don," a lyrical song with an exqui-
109
site melody that is an inspiration of the purest type.
In 1868 Mussorgsky resumed his artistic experiments of repro-
ducing the sound of human speech and emotions with "The Orphan," which
was dedicated to Borodin's daughter and was set to Mussorgsky's own
poem. In "Eremushka's Lullaby," he adds lyrical ideas to his realis-
tic vein, and dedicates the result to the "great teacher of musical
truth," Alexander Dargomizhsky. In April of 1868 Mussorgsky com-
posed another song to a poem by Mey, "The Child's Song"; the main
importance of the song comes mainly on its last beat: a V7 chord.
10«Ibid.
Riesemann, p. 124.

84
pianissimo, "on the weak beat, like a question softly uttered by
a child—an astonishing piece of audacity for the year 1868. "^^•'"
On April 26 he wrote "With Nanny," the first song of his
first song cycle. The Nursery.
Mussorgsky had always been a great lover of children.

His feeling for them was perhaps in some way akin to his
sympathy with the Russian peasantry; it was always the
simple, unspoilt nature that attracted him, for there
was nothing he so much detested as falsehood, sham, insin-
cerity, untruthfulness in any form, and with children there
was no need to be on his guard against these things.•'••''^
The following report from Varvara Komarova, Dimitri Stassov's daughter,
gives a first-hand report of Mussorgsky's feelings for children:
My recollection of Mussorgsky dates from when I was

seven years old [1869]. . .all at once he came into the
circle of our child life as "Musoryanin," as our elders
called him. . .he wasn't hypocritical with us and never
talked to us in that way that grown-up people. . .usually
talk to children—we soon not only grew attached to him,
but even eventually counted him as one of ourselves.
Mussorgsky wrote the words of all seven songs of the cycle. It
was written between 1868-1872, being interrupted by The Marriage and
Boris Godunov. The first song, "With Nanny," describes a conversation
in which a child, the subject of all the songs, begs for a story from
her nanny. The even quarter-note recitative, totally uncompromising,
has an abundance of meters—7/4, 3/4, 7/4, 3/2, 3/4, etc., and follows
every inflection of the child's speech in which rhythm and pitch, and
Riesemann, p. 142.
Ibid., p. 141.
113
Leyda and Bertensson, The Musorgsky Reader, pp. 133-134
85
the "mainly eiiq)irical but always vivid harmonic flicks of pantomimic
suggestion. . .combine in the most extreme manifestation of this side
of Mussorgsky's genius."
This extreme realism is restrained in the next four songs,
finished in 1870. "In the Comer" describes the punishment of the
naughty child. "The Beetle" exhibits the child confronting death for
the first time as she watches an insect die; it is followed by "With
the Doll," in which the child sings a cradle song to her doll. The
doll refuses to go to sleep and is scolded by sharp breaks from the
otherwise sweet melody. "Ck)ing to Sleep" pictures the child saying
her evening prayers and includes a long list of relatives that she
wants God to watch over and protect. The last two songs, written in
1872, are "On the Hobby-Horse" and "The Cat 'Sailor.'" The former
describes the ride and fall, and resumed ride of the child, who is
going off on wild adventures on the wooden horse. The latter song
pictures a cat named "Sailor" who is trying to find his lunch in
the bird-cage.
These songs reveal Mussorgsky in all his sheer genius, at
least as far as these simple emotions allow.
They are not intended to be sung to children—though

very young children would enter delightfully into
their spirit; they are such music as a child of five
might write if he had the technical equipment of a
grown-up. It is this ability to project himself

86
wholly into the skin of human types not only profoundly

different from himself but also profoundly different
from each other. . .that makes Mussorgsky the great
musical dramatist. . . .He is the supreme type of the
objective, non-egocentric artist, just as Tchaikovsky
is the supreme type of the subjective egocentric,
unable to conceive any dramatic character except in
terms of himself .-'•^^
The last two songs of Mussorgsky's second period are less
important. "The Peepshow," written in 1870, is a satire on the
enemies of the Balakirev circle. The last, "Evening Song," comes
from 1871 and is a simple setting, though the vocal line almost
ignores the tonic and concentrates on the dominant.
As would be expected, Mussorgsky's second period of song com-
position served as a learning period in which he discovered the
epitome in realistic techniques. In his third period, he chose to
temper these techniques with his earlier lyrical strain and used both
these styles to create the most moving of his songs, written with the
best of aesthetic principles.
^^Îbid., p. 85.
^^Îbid., p. 75.
CHAPTER IV
THE LATE PERIOD SONGS
Without Sun
The music of the last period of song composition generally
lacks the pantomimic effects of the second period songs and is more
lyrical, though not conventional, in conception. As would be
expected, the late songs exhibit the composer at his very best, his
most profound, especially in the two cycles of the period. Without
Sun and Songs and Dances of Death. In the former, Mussorgsky seems
to have written an autobiographical song-cycle:
Mussorgsky never confessed that he expressed his own

nature in the setting of Without Sunlight, and during
his life no one would have thought that he'd done so.
Today the outlines of the real man are more clearly
visible, no longer obscured by the influence of his
personal demeanor, and it is hardly to be doubted
that these songs are a true reflection of his state
of mind at that time. Golenishchev-Kutuzov, only
twenty-four years old, could scarcely have drawn the
autumnal melancholy of these songs from his own heart.
We can scarcely be wrong in thinking that in these
songs we have the poetical echo of the emotions of the
composer, as he confessed them to his new friend, the
poet, in an hour of confidence; that Golenishchev-Kutuzov
was susceptible to such poetic suggestions is shown by
other lyrics he wrote for Mussorgsky.
One can imagine that Mussorgsky's emotional state at that
time was rather distressed, what with the rejection of Boris Godunov
Calvocoressi, Mussorgsky, p. 85
118
Riesemann, pp. 312-313.
87
88
by the critics, the drudgery of his job in the Civil Service, and the
breaking of ties with his two former comrades, Cui and Rimsky-Korsakov.
The pessimistic music of Without Sun "shows a marked advance in the
matter of rare, sublimated harmonies, without ever a trace of rough-
ness. Of these points, all things considered, not one is of funda-
mental importance. Mussorgsky, despite his dreams and his efforts,

119
did not come any closer to his ideals than he had done in Boris,"
meaning that Mussorgsky had not achieved the absolute perfection in
realism that he had strived for.
Within Four Walls
The six songs of Without Sun were written in the spring and
summer of 1874, during which time the composer shared a flat with the
poet, Golenishchev-Kutuzov. This situation doubtless added to the
poet's ability to describe Mussorgsky's psychic state. The first
song of the set is entitled "Within Four Walls," or "Interior," a
lamentation of an invalid who suffers the slow tortures of approach-
ing death.
The little room is compact and dear to me;

Impenetrable shadows, tranquil shadows;
My thought is deep, my song is sad;
In my beating heart there is cherished hope.
The rapid flight of time, moment-by-monent;
A steady look for remote happiness;
Much doubt, much patience, . ^n
Thus is my night, my lonely night.
119
120
89
The form of the song is not altogether clear. It could be
through-composed with unifying motives, mainly theme 1 (mm. 1-2)
and a rhythmic motive in triplets. On the other hand, based on
thematic, harmonic, and rhythmic characteristics, ambiguous as
they may be, another possible form is presented.
A
Mm. 1-4
B^
Mm. 5-8
£
Mm. 9-14
Closing
Mm. 15-17
There is a strong emphasis on D^ throughout the song, both as tonal
center and as lower and interior pedal points. A less important
center is B major, though it is strong in mm. 3-4.
The short song opens on a tonic D major chord, followed half
a measure later (in 6/4) by the vocal line containing the first theme
and the important rhythmic motive 1-1 (Ex. 13). The A section has
two vocal phrases:
A = phrase a—mm. 1-2, 1 + 1 with theme 1 and motive 1-1
phrase b—mm. 3-4, 1 + 1
One notes that the second chord (m. 1) is a German augmented sixth
containing the interval of a diminished third—G — B —instead of
an augmented sixth. The chord resolves to a deceptive sonority as
it resolves to IV instead of I,. The analysis of the next chord
is open for conjecture, though more than likely it is intended to

90
I. WITHIN FOUR WALLS

(B HCTiipex creHax)
Orifinal *ntian. edicoj by PAUL LAN(.M

Pttmt *7 A. A. C0L£SlSHTCHFrKi7LS0y MOOE5TI MU^SOKC^KY
emfliih itxikj HUMPHRSY PROCTlRCR£<X (tatvuiii
Andante trunquillo
r\
VOKC E3}F=
ffVJ Thi« litt - le r o o m o( m i n e . Qui - c t And «cl -comm|
R<iK.aKT . KA Tee . • > . « , Ti.xa.a, vt . iA.a,
L i t t l e roan yxrfjv, quiet.
riANO
(5)
^ err»«.
I V _•
. *.! :Xru
-»-*^ -ir-n»- zr:
Tat lurka a aha -dow t h e r e . S i - l e n c , j n - a n s - w c r i r . g . . G l o o m y my thought v that run
Taafc •e.vpo.raa . j i a . a , TeKk6«].0T.aeT . a a . a , ij .*% r j y . 6« . • « . a,
sharVws jjrrenetrahl Tôticht deep.
dim. .
»> X -
tC-fc
irrc
i/ * • r-w •-—^
StUl to a l a d rcfraL.i. . . Yet, a s my Sc i r t b c a t i . Tbc old n o s c r ^ ' u r n t a-jain—
• ae.ia j . au.ja.a. B8kiD.ai»«.ea e*'pj. ne •% . jrm . j a l a . s c T . l a . a .
Song sad.,^ ^ y <». In (niy) palpitating yicart (ia) hixg tAeriarwd.
!yj -III ^ * - * i • • - "~ - ' — — — — — - ^ — — — — ———<
Copyright INTERNATIONAL MUSIC CO., NYC, r e p r i n t e d

by p e r m i s s i o n .
91
(ID)
^ « '—^-l » —r—'*'
-t—I
=7r:
&1
^rrjf =*L3r:
F a s t a * the m o r e c o t t Oy. Hour a l - t e r hour goeaby, E r d l « i ( - l y mti-aing O D
Bwcrpwi • o ^ e r . ta icraa . ae.ikeK nrvoLia . u.r, B M ^ n . a o i . a a a L . n < i Ka
Tast fl iqht of BuuaiL-ty-fu'mt; look imcivable
m
^ r « aeceltrmndo t ertie.
X V =h=ic
! I I W^ -r-X -MTZtr.
S ^ b a p - p i n - a a s far a>way F e a r i n g t " w i U n e - v e r ba. Hop-ing y<( pa- tianUy.
^
tH» . CTM x a . j a . • • . ci Uio.ro eo.«ia . a a . a , • a e . r « Tcp.aa . n . m.
iteao reosso e traaqmOo

-r
-s
t
Thus wUl it
V, •
h
,
»
,
r—
a - »»r be.
^^
Night at my lone
*• 0
li-ac** I
m
Barr • . SA avâ * • . a, •o«a • . xa . 80 aa.ai
Ihus ia night nine. Niqht aolitazvt
92
Ex. 13:
. _ .-_ (Compoietl .n ihc lummpr of I8'<)
i
Andante tranquiiJo Iheme 1 ^ >t>tive 1-1 rs
??>* t ; > i ! ; ' ' : I. ' i • '• y ,. — ^ - ^
—: A r | g M IS • r . m „ ^' ' \ X ^ # ' J t f i
â a '—L
r/y.^ T h i s litt - le r o o m of m i n e , Qui - e t and wel -coming
KoM.HaT . Ka Tec . Ea . Ji, Tn . xa . a, MH . a a . JI,
L i t t l e rocm narrav, quiet, sweet.
^ ^ ^
3^1:^
be a V7 with a 6-5 suspension over a D^ pedal point to evoke the sweet
atmosphere of the words. The analysis of the first four measures is
I—G — I V — V 7. This opening also contains motive 1-1 in m. 2, more
important rhythmically than melodically. The top voice of the treble
line of the piano and the inner voice of the bass line proceed exactly
in half-steps in contrary motion until the second half of m. 2. This
technique appears again in the song. The vocal line rises in nun. 1-2
to match the seemingly pleasant text but then falls accordingly in
mm. 3-4 to match the textures of the poem.
B major is introduced as the new center of the section in
phrase b, though there is no preparation for such a move. The inner
voice of the treble line joins the vocal line at times during this
phrase, but then it breaks away for one of Mussorgsky's rare appoggia-
turas. Motive 1-1 is used twice in phrase b, both times in a melodic
cadential formula.
93
The A section is a masterpiece of changing moods, or rather,
a changing of shades within the generally melancholic mood. The first
two bars are sweet and tranquil and the rest of the section is impos-
ing and shadowy. These subtle shifts are illustrated in the shades
and textures of the piano part and the rise and fall of the vocal line.
The middle or B section begins immediately in D major, again
without preparation. The first half of the phrase contains two sequen-
ces, one vocal and one instrumental, the latter appearing in the
highest voice of the accompaniment. The inner form of the B section
resembles that of the A section:
B = phrase a—mm. 5-6, 1 + 1
phrase b—mm. 6-7, 1 + 1
Phrase b contains a realistic device illustrating the concept of a
palpitating heart by alternating D^—^C_ in the interior voice of the
treble line. The C_ is a lower neighbor tone throughout the two mea-
sures. Motive 1-1 is again evident in melodic cadential formulas in
mm. 5, 6, and 8. There are several points of harmonic interest in
the phrase, most notably the harmonies built above the chromatically
descending bass line in mm. 5-6. Following the tonic D major chord
#**4 *4 b
in first inversion is g j or vii o / ^ — ^^^ °^ ^^^ — ^ ^^» which
4
is followed in m. 7 by em . Again there are contrasting shades of
darkness ("profound thought" followed by "a sad song") in phrase a.

«
Major ninth and major seventh sonorities reflect the words of phrase
b with brightness ("heart. . .cherished hope") within the generally
distressing mood.
94
The C s e c t i o n i s the l o n g e s t s e c t i o n of the song and the inner
form i s j u s t i f i a b l y d i f f e r e n t from the preceding two s e c t i o n s :
C = phrase a—mm. 9-12, 2+2
p h r a s e b—mm. 13-14, 1+1
The s e c t i o n b e g i n s on B without modulation or p r e p a r a t i o n . The open-
ing two measures c o n s i s t s of a sequence of chords with roots a fourth
a p a r t (B —E —A ) above a p e r s i s t e n t pedal p o i n t on £ . Text-painting
i n p h r a s e a i s l e f t to the vocal l i n e as the piano p a r t c o n s i s t s of
block chords and the voice l i n e moves i n steady q u a r t e r n o t e s . "The
f a s t f l i g h t of time, moment-by-monent" i s a l s o emphasized by the
ascending s t e p - w i s e c h a r a c t e r of the vocal l i n e , which ends in m. 10
with motive 1-1. There i s an i n t e r e s t i n g harmony i n m. 12 ("happi-
n e s s " ) c o n s i s t i n g of a double unresolved suspension during a V / D
chord; both G_ and D^ s e r v e to add a pious or humble s o r t of joy to the
sonority. The vocal l i n e of phrase b of s e c t i o n C i s s t a g n a n t and
l i m i t e d ( c e n t e r i n g mainly on E^—G^—B ) to p o r t r a y the confined state
of the i n v a l i d . Measures 13-14 a r e t r a n s i t o r y and are marvelously
e f f e c t i v e i n p o r t r a y i n g the t e x t , which i s a g i t a t e d and a n x i o u s .
P a r t of t h e reason for the success of the l i n e i s t h a t Mussorgsky
added poco a c c e l e r a n d o to the music. The vocal l i n e i s a c t i v e with
q u a r t e r n o t e s most of the time (and motive 1-1) but i t i s again

b
r e s t r i c t e d t o a small r a n g e , s t a y i n g mainly between G^ and B .
R e f e r r i n g to the two main keys of the song, the only two harmonies
of phrase b a r e E ^ (as IV7 / B ) and A major (as V / D). This i s y e t
a n o t h e r example of Mussorgsky's use of t r i t o n e root r e l a t i o n s (Ex. 14)

95
Ex. 14:
p«rt meetlermndo t crtte.

^ - * i I I I I =>;
k V
X — ;-— z* -:< , .^ I
-K—fc-
^
b a p - p i n - « a s far a--«a%_ rearing t'will re-va r b«. Hop-ing/<t p.>- t:; .-tly.
cwk . CTM x a . J* . • • . e i Maa. r« co. KBO . aa . « , mo.ro rep. a* . a . a,
happiness ) afsr;
The effect of the transitory passage is that there might actually be
some hope for the dying person, a hope that is diminished with a
return to the "present" in the closing section in m. 20.
Though the center is on £, the closing section begins on
d minor, which is followed by two authentic progressions, d — G and
G ~ C , followed by D major in m. 17, making the phrase sould like
I — I V ~ V in G. The melody line is slowed from the previous phrases
(this phrase is marked tranquillo) giving a feeling of hopelessness
to contrast with the preceding feeling of hope. There are two 9-8
suspensions in the closing; in the sparsely voiced harmonies, the
suspensions lend a feeling of pious acceptance. The song ends on
D major, preceded by the lowered subtonic, C major, again illustrat-
ing Mussorgsky's need to disregard the rules if they disturb his
feelings for the mood and context of the music and text. He uses
conventional tools in non-conventional ways.

96
This delicate little song, without harsh or painful disso-
nance, achieves an evocation of the text very simply. Despite the
alternation of two foreign keys with little or no preparation, it is
a very compact song, achieving unity by means of the rhythmic repeti-
tion of motive 1-1, the chromaticism of the outer voices, and the all-
pervasiveness of the ^ as lower and interior pedal point (there are
only 21 of the song's 102 beats where a D^ is not present either as a
chord tone or a pedal point). This constancy of the same sonority as
well as the constancy of the melodic rhythm serves to illustrate the
confinement of the invalid, forced to view the same four walls every
day. The rapid alternation of hope, however small, with bitter realism
is a subtle yet effective use of psychology on the composer's part.
* * * * * * * * *
You Did Not Know Me In the Crowd
The second song follows the path of the first song, that of
moderation in realistic tendencies. The short song does contain some
rather adventurous harmonies though, as will be seen. The melancholic
mood of this song concerns a "vision of happiness that has long since
passed away darkened by a woman, who presents herself to the artist's
mind as an ominous incarnation of the aimlessness and hopelessness of

121
all strong and true feeling," a trait of the fourth song of the set
also.
You did not know me in the crowd.

Your glance said nothing to me.
But I felt wonderful, then terrible.
Riesemann, p. JiJ.
97
II. IN THE CROWD

(Mens TLi BTOjme ne y3Hajia)
Anilante con molo
Yoke ^^m
O
&ir
:i:
ayaa
-^~r-
—m— —J-
tiie crowd tnet
Ma . aa TU a TM . aa aa
He thou in (the) crowd not
PIANO'
^
-V-j ^ " 1. E
•\ 5 V
-m w
mo • ment. But ne -ver a sign that vou koew. . . While ma . gic acd
•aa . 'Xa* TioiajraA a« eaa. laj aa . w ro. Ho ^73 . a * a
Thy glanpe not say anvthinq. But verderful and
(5)
m tar
T*'^ ~:::r
• ror posssss'dme
-3
That
1,-^ ^:s=^ --r—•^—1'
mo-ment you stood ia my vtev It
rrpan. ao m e era . ae, Sor ja f . i t . in a a . r«. To
terrible I felt. whei CHTH?tt. I it. •aiat
Copyright INTERNATIONAL tlUSIC CO., NYC, r e p r i n t e d

98
erne.
i h T~7
i
w a s but
2C=S-
a f n o - m e n t in p a s s i n g , But
-n-»-
in
—.—^—i—
it I
. — xr:^» —-
su/f'rcd, I f w e s r . A
(u . '• ajl . ao xwm% Mraose . ta*\ Ho tepa Maa, a aaea Q« . p « . aea
%as ofie cnly nonent; But beliave me, I in i t eiriurod
-Alt
^
PP
^S- 1—x=
:zwz 3i
life . tune of e n -chant • ment and long - ing
B«a2 apoBi- aaa Mint . aa as . eaaa «a Be»
AU past love (of) d e l i g h t . All
,îÎ=^-^ SI
diwt.
^ ^ ^
li/c - time at tears and dea • pair'
f . f«<a aa4 . • • eaaa!
bitterness (of) QbUvion and tearst
^
^f^^^J
^•ai.
PT
_i
99
When I caught your look.

It was only a short moment of time.
But believe me, it brought back
All past love and happiness.
All bitterness, oblivion, and tears.
This second miniature study of the cycle has the following form:
A
Mm. 1-5
B^
Mm. 6-9
A^
Mm. 9-11
The micro-form of the A s e c t i o n i s very r e g u l a r and symmetrical:
A= p h r a s e a—mm. 1-2, 1 + 1 with theme 1
p h r a s e b—mm. 3-4, 1+1
The song opens on a German augmented s i x t h which, as i n "Within Four
W a l l s , " i s i n an unusual i n v e r s i o n , b u t i n t h i s c a s e , r e s o l v e s to the
usual t o n a l i t y . Meanwhile, the vocal l i n e e n t e r s with the f i r s t theme,
t h e only r e c u r r i n g l i n e of melodic importance (though t h e r e i s a
r e c u r r i n g rhythmic motive in t r i p l e t s ) . The t h i r d beat opens on a
French augmented s i x t h which becomes a German augmented s i x t h i n b
minor on t h e fourth b e a t . There i s r e a l l y no s i n g l e p o i n t of text-
p a i n t i n g thus f a r but the o v e r a l l mood bodes torment. Theme 1 a i d s
t h i s f e e l i n g with i t s weeping descent over t h e range of a diminished
seventh. Measure 2 i n t r o d u c e s B major as the second important key of
t h e song, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h i s and o t h e r phrases by a t r i p l e t motive
i n t h e vocal l i n e . In m. 3 the t o n a l c e n t e r s h i f t s back to D major
122
Translation of the Russian is by E. Ray Cox. Poetic rendi-
tion is by the author.
100
with a V / D which is followed by a vli''m7 / B^ and an F or A aug-
mented chord. This duality of centers follows the text—"I felt
wonderful, then terrible"—by joining three chords of different
natures: major, diminished, augmented. The last part of the phrase
resumes the triplet activity with the same sort of texture and har-
mony that was heard in m. 2 (on B ) ,
The B section, divided 1 + 3 , begins with the triplet motive,
though in this case the tonic feeling is more for A Aeolian instead of
B major. The modal feeling in the vocal part is stressed by the open
A—;E^ in the piano part. The phrase continues in m. 6 with the triplet
b b4 4 b
motive in B , which also serves as a potential pivot: B . as V^ / E .
This progression does not settle onto a center. Because of this, there
is naturally a feeling of flux or anxiety; this is exactly what the words
evoke also. The climax of the song comes in m. 8 with all activity being
in the upper ranges of the piano and on a pedal point on jD in the bass.
Likewise the vocal line reaches its apex on one-line E_ while the text
is climactic also—"all past love and enjoyment." This positive abso-
lutism is harmonically portrayed by a succession of unrelated chords
which really can't be analyzed in the traditional functional sense.
Over the D pedal point one finds the progression E — D — c minor—G—A .
The feeling is nearly that of a transitory passage as the A' section
follows immediately with theme 1.
The A' section uses a shortened version of phrase a of the first
section as it is comprised solely of a variation of theme 1. It opens
with the same German augmented sixth chord that opened the song but it
101
is followed not by the tonic D major but the minor tonic, d minor.
This change of mode contrasts with the preceding positive absolutism
by presenting negative absolutism ("all bitterness, oblivion, and
tears"). The last beat of the song is probably the most original
point as Mussorgsky actually ends the piece on a chord other than
the tonic and in first inversion! Though it is a triadic harmony in
first inversion, its place in the line and song seems to convey a
dissonant sound to the ears. It is, of course, quite fitting to end
the song in this manner as it fits the poignant sadness of bitter
memories. It ends abruptly, leaving the speaker to battle with his
depression.
Mussorgsky strikes his blow for artistic truth and freedom
most effectively in his refusal to force his music to proceed in the
ways most people would expect it to. His augmented sixth chords are
rarely in the usual inversions and only rarely do they resolve to the
usual sonorities. These almost defy analysis in the traditional
methods and sometimes make little sense in the light of such analysis.
In the present song under study, he presumes to end a song on a foreign
chord that is not even in root position. However, a certain mellowness
is evident in comparison to his second period songs. He is not as abso-
lute in his picturization of life or nature. In fact, it is mainly in
the songs of Without Sun that he allows his own life to be the subject
of his art. In this cycle, Mussorgsky exhibits his belief that "too
much 'expression* is just as inadmissible as too little. He could
allow himself to follow this dangerous rule, since no one knew so

102
well as he how to bring the verses out in relief by slight, hardly

12*^
noticeable touches of musical shading."
The third song of the set is "An End at Last to Senseless Day,"
a much longer song (42 measures). Like the fifth song, this one "shows
the composer the unforgotten vision of his early love, to whom he is
prepared to surrender all, while he must keep back the tears that tell
124
of a grief that no one knows," referring probably to Mussorgsky's
early love for Nadejda Opotchinina. The fourth song, "Ennui" or
"Boredom," is basically a recitative with accompaniment. "Elegy,"
the fifth song, is more melodic in style. The poem creates feelings
of faded happiness, grief that lives in the present, and impending
death. In "Elegy," which offers the widest potential for musical
description, Mussorgsky "successfully escapes from the danger of the
usual 'tone-painting.' The desired effect is conjured up with just
two bars of wavering triplets, so harmonized that they seem to blend

125
like shadows," (Ex. 1 5 ) . The piano part also becomes more important
in this song and the last song. We find it "reaching farther and
deeper than words, even sung, ever could, revealing to the full the
,.126
meaning latent in these.
The last song of the cycle, "On the River," is a triumph of
natural realism and mystical allusion:
123
Riesemann, p. 314.
^^Îbid., p. 313.
^^Îbid., p. 314.
126
103
Ex. 15:
Aiiilaiilluo inuwo
J^B£
$ the
Oer cloud >d hangs
• ty aa Apca
L—i—1- I _ .
m
.;..i__i—4—, < 1 1-—-*•
-.:\7l^^-
2iraj"
In bright moonshine the waters of the river lie dark

under the shadow of the banks; a whisper seems to
sound from its depths, the whisper of a mysterious
voice. . . .No one can escape from the deep impression
this song is sure to make. Mussorgsky here is so spar-
ing in his use of musical expression that the setting
would seem thin were it not justified by its effect.
On a ground-bass, slowly rocking to and fro on the notes
of a minor second, we have a few vague, strangely related
harmonies and an equally strange, short, melodic phrase,
which catches the ear at once and leaves behind it an aching
sense of unsatisfied longing. From time to time the monoto-
nous movement is interrupted by a close, as if the shadow of
a passing cloud held back the flow of the water—that is all:
ghostly as they came, the notes vanish in the darkness of a
dying chord.127
127Riesemann, p. 314.
104
VI. ON T H E RIVER
(HaA peBoii)
(OnfMlhiT)
Andanle molto tmntntilt tvn wuditttitus

-Til
-9
bouad.thre moon aad the
ecu aa . ^pi â . a u i .
DBTsive. -
EE
PIAN '1 ^
r-«>^ri ' • • •—— • • '~"~r - :r~—_.:-: • -S-~g"

rr^mzzm:
(5)
r^rmn: ^*
ataxs from the mit - ty blue Gaze on the
aaaa . lu xa . J« . aa. a Cca . a e . r o
- st^rs- PrtPi dark blue
t.
KS^ rrr: ^
I
I^ v e ,-i<
'T
^-»
'^ • •
<
• I -
»-—*—^—# * #
--i
—'—•—'—•—*__*:;;
,-~
^m^. r:z—M—a 0 a—_1
' 3
v-wa rmVrnt
=s_-v:
%;' — T^ T.^
wa tcra With stars m t r - ror'd deep la t h e m ;
aa la •« . xa aa 2w» . tj . trr.ts
they poftnU*i,t Inflect.
•—a-^»--r-
C o p y r l g h t INTERNATIONAL MUSIC CO., MYC, r e p r i n t e d

105
» M ' '*"'• nn)

»^ "gy:
£fa^ - J * - L^r
IThera I am_ gat ing, va love with the_
na aMOT . pm — a aa <M rJ7 .
Silently lode At (tte) waters
'^^'=^3:=;
2:r4
^T~rTT
< —* -?1 ±-
19 ni'*
OS) .
Ht*r*- * i^''::--f^*iF^^rj-s^-#^fv3^_-^
w»
^ ^ 3t: ^
-T*—» crz
^•2E
^*=
know.,^ lie a . sleep in them. Mo ving so
•epx • aav aaax Tf • v r . ea. ILis myr, ra
W-th heart \mderstood. (TSiey) drag tlwHselves,
ii:
« «*
ilârr. a—
r*a:
^x^^r 5:r^rE --x=^^
• -I
m^ rCr
' » • » • »• • * » • » ' v»* »• i* ?•

CL
106
(20)
zr: =5*=
Draw ing my aool with (ore c _ that I
Slaa ro a ax po . ao . c«
Mbch i n t t e i x 'xnriir FCicue
i
(25) ftm da/trt

107
(30)
0"^- hauat me
;n -I.'
dis • tress . iag>ly
^y—r^
Vot - CCS
T5=^
mys-
•ry* era (aa . 6pes . au . a _ aa« ao .
paniois boundless... Moioe wifa-
i i=lri
:PA;
-r
1 • ous, nag • log a wo* . fuJ kaeU!
^
ter
xa.mil xy. . -•y •ea . ay
tericuS/ (The) soul disturbing
^^^^^F^ 23 - a y - ;r=^ ^m. iT"
/era crtte. td aee*l. (35)
i fe ——
Sooth
He
-
w—
ing
sat,
' ••-L.
or
•y ra
Scar
"»•.
-K-=S- ^
r^^
what aign
aa . ao
do
XBT
IMulges, Criahtens, Brings
_/J.A,2_„ ! 1 • -_# -0 -J. l^ rr* '
ptem a poco trtte.
^m
108
r\
W^^fpy^ -f*^
—r—9 =?*"
laaro (romyouT Kara, \i yoo bid mt slay,
•e . a a . •. Cay. B a n aa . xar aa.aa?
Tb l i s t e n does onfer he?
3±
wm^
\J^9^W •»•»••»
(40) r>>
±
=f^ =ra=
I'd lin . ger near to you: Bid me be.
C Ma . CTa.6 as cxaa . aya.ea; rw . a n . xa
Pron (the) p l a c e would not be moved; Drive
(45)
ciJ^
W^ 4=5-^ ~te-0-
d i s . may
—w-'—
goBe_ IB I would turn from you:
rpaxiS y te. (u aexa . TO
a a . a.
A n away \KM1A I in oonfusicn.
• V
P
m^ ^
3r-r-
• » • » • • » • • » • F
' * • » • » • * » • » • » • : » • » • » * » • jr^v
109
ftet rail. « temp*
Call— me to your d e p t h s . I would plunge with • out

B "T**- j a le . wttf Cca o raax . am.* a
Into (the) depths cadis? t^thout locking bade vould I
(50)
m =?3C
fear to y o u !
ayx.eaL.
throfcr ryself!
(55)
t.
%tj:
rilard.
^^^m • »•»••»••»•»•»• • » • # • » • » • » - » » ••r*»*»^Tr

110
On the River
The poem, like the music, is vague and mysterious:
From the dark blue skies, the pensive moon and

distant stars reflect on the water.
Silently I gaze at the deep waters'
Bewitching mysteries, intuitively understood,
are hidden caressingly in the tender waves.
Boundless passions and bewitching forces disturb
the soul with their murmuring. . .
A mysterious voice disturbs the soul,
coddles yet frightens, bringing doubt.
Does it order me to listen?

I would not be moved from this place.
Does it order me to leave?
I would run away in confusion.
Does it call me into the depths? . «Q
I would cast myself down without looking back.
The form of the song is also vague. It contains no repetition of a sec-
tion, but it does utilize repetition and transmutation of the same themes
in different sections. Its through-composed form is based mainly on the
style of the pedal point, which is different in each section.
A
Mm. 1-:L7
B
Mm. 18--29
C
Mm. 30--49
Coda
Mm. 50--55
The song opens with purely accompanimental music in the piano,
with the tonic C_^ sounding in the bass both as a chord tone and as a
pedal point figure. The accompaniment figure is like the river of the
poem—always flowing, always constant, shimmering with sound like
128.
Translation of the Russian by E. Ray Cox. Poetic rendition
is by the author.
Ill
water drops. The micro-form of the A section is very regular (perhaps
to balance the mystery of the piano part):
A = phrase a—mm. 2-9, 4 + 4 with theme 1 in mm. 6-9
phrase b~mm. 10-13, 2 + 2 with theme 1'
phrase c—mm. 14-17, 2 + 2 with motive 2 in mm. 16-17
The opening melodic line is not important thematically but is important
rhythmically. In the first half of the opening phrase, f minor is
established as the first secondary tonic: V7—1—vi7—V7—i. Measures
6-9 present the second half of the first phrase; the melodic line con-
tains virtually the same rhythmic pattern as the opening measures, but
in this case the melodic line is also important (theme 1 in Ex. 16).
Beginning in m. 10 Mussorgsky introduces and repeats a variation of
theme 1 and harmonizes it with three seventh chords in different keys:
A 7 — C 7—a 7. The rhythmic pattern of the melodic line continues
throughout the A section, which ends with phrase c. This phrase con-
tains two interesting examples of Mussorgsky's style. The first, in
nnn. 14-15, is a progression in which the roots descend by steps:
D—c — b . This technique was seen earlier in "The Harper's Song."
The second example, in mm. 16-17, consists of V7 chords in different
keys: C 7—G — E 7—C . Measures 16-17 also contain an important
melodic motive that recurs later in fragmented form, and with the same
harmonization. During m. 16 the pedal point assumes a new character
by becoming a two-note pedal on B_—^C_, which returns when motive 2
returns in the B section. The sonorities and textures of the A sec-
tion are probably as vague and mysterious and successful as any of

112
Ex. 16:
poco rattent.
1
u*^,.4-4-
-«M- 5
W ^ ^
stars
W
mir - ror'd deep
-tf <^
in t h e m ;
Aa . MH JK) - 6y - ^"^ - ^^^
waters they pocorallenf. reflect.
r\
Mussorgsky's songs. The melodic line is suitably chromatic to avoid
identification with any firm tonic. There is much repetition in the
vocal line of the A section: mm. 10-11 with mm. 12-13 and m. 14 with
m. 15.
#
The B section begins on the hint of another tonal center, a
minor, which lingers through m. 22 and then becomes transitional and
leads again to C as well as to a recurrence of motive 2 in m. 24.

113
Again t h e m i c r o - f o r m i s r e g u l a r i n c o n c e p t i o n :
B « p h r a s e a—mm. 1 8 - 2 1 , 2 + 2
p h r a s e b—mm. 2 2 - 2 5 , 2 + 2 w i t h m o t i v e 2 i n mm. 24-25
p h r a s e c—mm. 2 6 - 2 9 , 2+2
^
The p e d a l p o i n t f i g u r e of t h e B s e c t i o n i s new a s two C_s w i t h a B
c r e a t e an even more g h o s t l y a t m o s p h e r e . Phrase b c o n t a i n s not only
an i n s t r u m e n t a l c o u n t e r m e l o d y b u t a l s o some u n u s u a l c h o r d s (Ex. 17)
Ex. 1 7 :
coyi dolore
-=fe-^
X re: a^
-I—f
:^=sc
In fin ite long ings that

CJLI Qiar ^y MU H
Clhe) Jl&LLiLbLiy -Anci

^ ^ ~y^
ttr -•-sr
?-2^ Vr
^
f
cresc. dim.
v^5* if^
The melodic line in the section is like the waters of the accompani-
ment; it surges and falls back and resurges.
The C section begins a third pedal point figure (foreshadowed
in m. 16 and m. 24) on B — C . The undulating triplet figure stresses
the "murmuring" feeling of the song and thus helps to portray the
natural phenomenon of a river.

114
C = phrase a~mm. 30-37, 4 + 4 with motive 3 in mm. 30-31 and
motive 2 in mm. 32-33 creating theme 2
phrase b — m m . 38-45, 4 + 4 with motive 3' and motive 2'
phrase c—mm. 46-49, 2 + 2 with motive 3 " and motive 2 "

«0 A
Motive 3, doubled in the piano, outlines d and V7 / F ,
an unusual melodic line though it does fit the words ("A mysterious
voice. . . " ) . Motive 2 follows motive 3 and retains the harmonization
of its original entrance. The second phrase, in E, illustrates the
words "coddles yet frightens" with consonant harmonies based on con-
secutive seventh chords: B7—f 7—g 7—d with an added fourth. The
second phrase of the section is comprised only of restatements of
motive 3 and motive 2 (which combine to create theme 2 ) , always pre-
sented as a phrase unit of four bars. Throughout the section, motive
3 is the questioning phrase and motive 2 is the answer (see the poem).
Motive 3 receives the most variation treatment, both melodically and
harmonically (mm. 38-39 and mm. 42-43). The variation in mm. 44-45
indicates confusion (matching the words) as to the exact tonal center.
In a minor the progression is 1—III — V 7 — i . In the final combina-
tion of the two motives in mm. 46-49, the accompaniment is heard in a
lower register than before and aids in the depiction of the words "into
the depths. . . . " The text of the phrase ("I would cast myself down")
indicates finality, a mood that is echoed powerfully in the coda.
Measures 50-51 present motive 3 exactly as it was heard in
mm. 42-43. The same motive is then presented in augmentation in the

115
bass registers and is followed by a winding down of the pervasive
pedal point figure. An air of negative finality ends the song and
the cycle.
Were it not for the fermati over the bar lines, occurring
five times in all, Mussorgsky's treatment of the ever-flowing river
would be like Schubert's relentless picturization of the same theme
in "Das Wandem" and "Wohin." Mussorgsky had a more mysterious and
ultimately pessimistic vision, inspiring his objective-subjective
style and symbolic treatment.
"On the River" is one of the most lyrical of his late song
output, aided by phrases consisting entirely of eight and four bar
phrases or melodic units. He continues his use of consecutive V7
chords in different keys, a technique begun in his first period.
Mussorgsky also continues his trait of repeating and varying themes,
a practice inherent in folk music. Obviously "On the River" makes
use of his pedal point techniques, employing three different forms
based on virtually the same notes, which, due to the triplet figure
and the low registers, tend to lend a very smooth and vague effect.
One of the few criticisms of Without Sun comes from M. D.
Calvocoressi:
Although Sunless as a whole must be given a high place

in Mussorgsky's work, and a unique place as a document
of spiritual autobiography. . .one frequently feels the
lack of some concrete image serving as a lens to focus
the musical emotion in sharp outline. . . .
116
The artistic triumph of the equally sombre Songs and

Dances pf Death (1875-1877) is largely due to the
fact that each song has this objective, pictorial or
dramatic "lens."-'-^^
However, the interim must be examined before approaching the last
song cycle, generally considered to be the apex of Mussorgsky's
song yield.
Composed in the autumn of 1874, also to the words of his room-
mate, Golenishchev-Kutuzov, "Forgotten" or "Ballad" is a most explicit
song. "Forgotten" describes a dead soldier, his eyes pecked out by
crows, while his wife and child plan his return and subsequent celebra-
tion. There are shocking contrasts—a deserted battlefield, a vivid
description of the corpse and its mutilation by birds, the warm home
with the anxious mother and gurgling baby. The poem and music were
inspired by a picture, "'Forgotten,' by the celebrated Russian battle-
painter, Vereshchagin, who was famous in his time for his startling
realism and had found his subject on the battlefields of the Turkish
.,130
war.
Two more songs from 1874, "The Hill of Nettles" and "Cruel
Death: an Epitath" were unfinished. The former is a satire directed
specially toward a powerful detractor of Mussorgsky's music, the
1 ?Q
C a l v o c o r e s s i , Mussorgsky, p . 8 8 .
130
Riesemann, p . 321.
117
critic, Herman Laroche. The latter song was prompted by the death
of Mussorgsky's dear friend, Nadejda Opotchinina; the words are
Mussorgsky's, and end thusly:
When at my mother's death the cruel blows of fate

drove me from my home into a cheerless exile,
When, weary and embittered by suffering,
I knocked at the door of thy pure heart,
hesitating and shy, like a frightened child,
begging for admission, craving help—
No, I cannot—I cannot go on—.^-^^
Of all of Mussorgsky's vocal works, his last song cycle. Songs
and Dances of Death (1875-1877), is usually considered his best effort
(and is the best known to modem audiences). The cycle of four songs,
or dramatic scenes, continues Mussorgsky's inner vision of death and
transmutation, begun in Without Sun. Songs and Dances of Death is a
fusion of all the greatest components of Mussorgsky's

genius. The poems. . .seem to have appealed with
such intensity to the composer that they evoked from
him a work of art which has no equal either in his
own output or indeed in the range of modern song.
In the Songs and Dances of Death, Mussorgsky is found
capable of creating "absolute" or "pure" music without
sacrificing in any degree the realistic interpretation
of the sense and emotion of his text; he is able, musi-
cally, to "realise" his subject-matter and yet to retain
the essential value of music qua music.1^2
Written to poems of Golenishchev-Kutuzov, the songs are obviously con-
cerned with the subject of death in many forms. These songs are not
1 "W
Ibid., p. 140.
Montagu-Nathan, p. 171.
118
an overly emotional or maudlin collection describing the passing on
of friends. These profound and moving scenes treat death as a totally
natural occurrence whose actions cannot be compromised or postponed.
In each song there is not only a picture, there are char-

acters and action; each is a miniature drama: and whereas
the operas Mussorgsky was working on at this period,
Khovanschina and Sorochintsy Fair, both betray a certain
falling off in invention, the Songs and Dances of Death
have a strong claim to be considered the very cream of
Mussorgsky's work as a song composer. Nowhere has he
achieved a more perfect fusion of true and subtle declam-
ation with plastic, expressive melody, melting impercept-
ibly into recitative on the one hand and pure melody on
the other, following the inner life of the words,
nowhere more vivid and sensitive harmony. "^"^
As the Russian word for death is in the feminine gender, the
cycle was originally titled She. Besides the four songs that were
finished, there were about nine more sketches under consideration
for the album, including songs about the deaths of a rich man, a
proletarian, a statesman, a great lady, a tzar, a monk, a merchant,

134
and a priest. The philosophical statements in these poems and
songs are similar to those of Dostoievsky, as they find "expression

135
. . .in a disillusioned, dourly fatalistic conception of life."
Despite Mussorgsky's study of the rationalist systems of nature
(especially Holbach and Darwin), he held on to an
artistic interest in the darkest comers of the spirit-

world, and all the grotesque aberrations of belief and
superstition. . . .He appreciated the force and beauty
that lies in every popular belief and superstition and
133Calvocoressi, Mussorgsky, p. 88.
134
^Leyda and Bertensson, The Musorgsky Reader, p. 297.
135
Riesemann, p. 316.
119
contrived to use these motives with remarkable skill for

his artistic ends. . . .It is not fear of death for him-
self that frightens him, but the repellent thought of
the inevitable destruction of human personality.^-^^
Lullaby
Dated April 14, 1875, the "Lullaby" is one of the most moving
and ominous songs of the set, though the ultimate result is never
doubted. The scene pictures a mother who is keeping watch over her
sick baby and is visited by Death, a sinister, greedy being. Death
invites her to rest from her long vigil as he will keep watch for
her. The anguished mother repeatedly begs Death to leave her baby
alone, but time and again he interrupts her with his persuasive song
and chilling lullaby. In the end, the baby rests in eternal peace
while Death gloats over his victory by repeating his lullaby.
The dialogue between the mother and Death in this unusual
song is extremely poignant. Through simple means of tempo and tex-
tural contrast, Mussorgsky achieves some great moments of power and
drama, especially in Death's insidious lullaby. The introduction,
rather loosely related to f minor, is immediately ominous and
tragic in tone (Ex. 18). After the scene is set by the bass voice,
the characters enter with their highly individualistic styles. The
mother's pleadings are portrayed by an angular, chromatic recitative
in tempo agitato. On the other hand. Death's part of the dialogue
is carried on in a chillingly confident and calm manner. Death's
lullaby consists of shimmering triplets over a simple but powerful
^^Îbid., pp. 316-317.

120
Ex. 1 8 :
i
Lento doloroso
progression ( r e c a l l i n g "Where Art Thou, L i t t l e Star?") that r e l i e s

heavily on pedal points on A, the tonic of most of Death's dialogue
(Ex. 19). Other than the s h o r t , melodic l u l l a b y , there i s no theme
as such in the song, placing i t s s t y l e firmly in the area of recita-
t i v e (as in "The Outcast"). This medium allows Mussorgsky to flow
freely with the words in both t h e i r e x t e m a l and i n t e r n a l meanings.
Ex. 19:
tranquillo allargando
T 1 r /^
*Thatisasignthat his fe.ver is wan_iiig, Hush-a-bye, baby.myownV

Jlofi.po.e 3Ha. Me.Hbe-.cTDXHeTCxpaita-Hke, Ba.iomKH, 6a-io, 6a.lo **
rs
i 55
a±± ^H—^-^-^
p
W:
w^n r\
^
u-
i.^p- }
f
^mf i ^
T H
121
Serenade
Perhaps the most conventional song of the cycle is the
"Serenade," dated May 11, 1875. The difference here is that Death
assumes an almost seductive nature with his serenade with its sooth-
ing, persuasive words. The plot involves a young invalid girl who
is airing herself at her balcony on a warm, spring night. She is
longing for the adventurous life that all young girls desire when
Death appears under her window and begins a soft serenade. He calls
himself an unknown knight who will help her with his magical powers.
Slowly his song increases in power and intensity until he pledges
his love and devotion. Overwhelmed by his passion, she submits to
his deadly embrace; he then cries triumphantly, "Hush. You are
mine!"
The introduction of the song begins on a single B^ in octaves.
This is followed by a section of gently rocking sixteenth-notes
(mainly on B and a ) that veiry aptly sets the scene in much the
same way that other Romantic composers might have, particularly
Schubert or Liszt (Ex. 20). After the introduction (which is totally
in 2/4) ends, the serenade itself begins in 6/8, with occasional mea-
sures of 9/8. The main tonic for the serenade is e minor with heavy
use of tonic-subdominant progressions. Another conventional feature
of the song is the form of the serenade, AABA. The main theme of the
serenade is in the A section (Ex. 21) and is a swaying, passionate
melody in e minor. The B section contains a new theme in F major

122
Ex. 20:
r\ ^ ^
^ r -îi^ ip p^p ^ '^ _CL
Eve - ning- of am _ ethyst, stars all a -

He . ra BOJI . ine6 . ea. « , HO^b ro . -ly .
rr^ss^
tg^F^
S
r\
vj5^*0 v*^^
fc -<^^t^-^
arri xtunaupE^zsc
vlT^-^ ^ • ^
•<»-i
jRP
s 42_
f
r p ..
f
Ex. 2 1 :
L'btesso Tempo (aUa breve)
^ -^r^r ^
^ 1^
"Held here In _ prl . son so _ dark and con .fin Ing-,
„B)ipa . ae aa . aao . xa. ey . po aol a Tec
*^ ^^-tl if^—tt p'—»-' » ' p ( J» « « \ *' * 'm «» m—I I •>—^ —"

•a -w pr
^^-^
(or enharmonlcally, G major) and is reminiscent of the introduction
with its dreamy atmosphere (Ex. 22). As in the "Lullaby," there is
heavy use of pedal points throughout the song, especially in the

137
form of notes that are common to a long progression of chords.
•'•^ Bennie Middaugh, "Modest Mussorgsky's 'Songs and Dances

of Death,'" The National Association of Teachers of Singing Bulletin,
26, No. 2 (Dec, 1969), 8.
123
Ex. 22:
poto esorkcHno
Eyaa, aapphlra blue, fixed and brirhl at tbamoon It,

Opa cTUkiwt r j u ro . xy . <o . a aa. a . aM,
^^ ^
^
A*i_.m mmwm
mifim^^kimmMim'i
There is a sixteen-measure coda at the end of the song that has a
pedal point on great E_, The vocal line during the coda resembles
a recitative with its urgent chromaticism and overall mood (Ex. 23).
It is as though Death senses the impending surrender of the girl,
which does occur in the last few bars as Death launches his supreme
cry (Ex. 24), preceded and followed by absolute silence!
Ex. 23:
m pp
^^^' I lj.\.
Frag- . ileyour b o d . y,
He - «eBTBOii cTaH,_
\\^-r^, r, ;, r.
y . no . E _ Te.ncH rpcncT
^
and your tremor, enthralling-.
^
n- ii'j. ^ 'i.^ m hi jjj-i
124
Ex. 24:
ppp parlando
calLlng;listea... Be still. You aremLne'."

x«.aeT exymxA... MOX . «E... TM MO . a!"
125
Dtdlttitd It Oiitft Aftntifttiek fiittt
3. T R K P A K
(Russian Dance)
(TPEHAK)
«0<t|hl.l W T I (Canpewrf U^ntty 17. IfT})
Lenio n*%a\. Tranquillo
•—7—• r\
Voire ^^^s^^îî^=^F^=^^
Fields. and the wood.land,
=1:
with
m^^^m no one in siffhtl
Jlee, xa oo . xa . l u . 6ea x » . Xka apyroM;
and q l « d e a , .without
Forest K"- MHL^ S•—r*C¥>le>
S ^ ' r\
PIANO
•3<-.z-ir—=:
- «.OLLJ cii?
^V-N-^L^..^:—^
'IffS *s2^ ttî'i. !»s 3
tttit. p
-T
^ M 1^-1 f-: ^5=.j.JIL^
snow nidta throvichlhc niirht Hunt.Ing the
•o Mpa •r ao^ son, _ _ tKt. . a aa .
. i n darkness ^ (of) iiight. Wicked wj'MUiie
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Copyright INTERNATIONAL MUSIC CO., NYC, r e p r i n t e d

126
(10) ô t poco pit mono
lost and thewea . r y . Look, e . v e r there

. ro TO xa. pa . aiT rxxxs. Taa c eeial TtuS i t isl
I g • hidase; 1 — Lor*, poco s po<o fill mono
t rj t —w
i In the dark, Death ap.proach

L
«s,
V
BTCM . 10 . Ta Mv . mi . aa _
(A) s e r f
S i
In [- (the) _ dark -
3^
=rt;=
^ ^'•-^ »r-5F^4=V^ A—,
(15)
LJTLJ/LXfLir Ui^L-k/Lfl-Llr
^
Death,
-^n^
with the drunk . ard now danc
rjw:;
es and chants, .
I
a DkX aeik.RDM o.ia DCT axvo . CM Tpa . na . aa,
>-. (a) drunkard ri-vvaes (the) two
.(tho) trepak,
3 ^
127
poio rtll.
(20)-
Weav . inr a spell to po* . sess bim.

aa 7 . 10 oecBk aa . 0* aa tr:
poeo rait In (the) eai (a) song h t r s :
J -> 1^ -> -^ -> -J -I "f

Allp<;ro iiioilrrato r pe^tunle
Tf* d • a- •' J «—.. 4=
S - i = ^ ^ I-Ji-J^^
"Oh, youarecold, you are old, de . fense.less; Drink madeyouray til you
Ox, Mj.ma.ôK, era.pa . 5OK, 7 . 6O . ret, Ilfcai aa.aij.ca, oo.oxex.
" C h , l i t t l e s e r f . l i t t l e o l d nan .poor w r e t c h . D r u n k , t i g h j ^ _ 4 y a u ) wca%)ed
(25)/
P ^ n:
lay there senseless,

. e x xe . p e . rol;
^ =P: 3:
^
i 3:: ^
Then the Witch of Blizzards Playedwithyou =F tocharmyou,
A xa.Texk 'TO, i e j s . u a , oox . aa. x a c s . s i u . r p a . xa,
on (the) way; But snc3wstorm,nc3w v^rch. Arose.
/H>ro mrao mono
Puahedyou to the fnr.esl, Scemlnr not lo harm you. Poor aprr,dls.

Coo . XX i x s t xpt.Mj.âl •• . s««a.ial i a . r s a . . i a . r* p'M.Toa.
Fran f i e l d i n t o f o r e s t deep unejqiGctedly d r o v e . Xn.soTXQî
^-ff=»f=*^
true.
poto mtno mono

128
fk (30) 1" y g u i s h . L n neod weary, Lie dowr^ (by the) r o o t s (and)
.trestedand oppressed and friendless; Rest, here your

aol, xa ayxi.xol TO . ita . MWI, Jlxr, nps. aep .
^^^d^
. g .. ' ^ t o ^ s l e p p , T^' darlL'XTl I P e yt*Y^êar

e,d ==|fellgt^jvath
• J J _—'.itr—t-
alerpwtll be deep and end.less. See, I will warm and bed you down In
BB xa y e . ax, pe.xB.Mwl! /i Tc 6x, r e . x y 8 . «i« Mol.cBeat.
(35) snow will warn, Around thee (a) graat oerformanoe I'll have.
3=
^^?^£fe^
5 ; ^Boftsnow l y . Inc And I wiUstart a mighty reel A . roundyou flyJnf.
, BOM c e . rpa.a), BRpyr TC 6X se . xa . Ry. B Br . pj *a. re. B .
i^^:
F=f
Qd^^ T—r—
:=t
r=Tr^ -f-r
Ancora piu soslrnuto Fluff (the) bed. thou
3i
Snow y and lifht, fUff the
Ba6el aa oe crexs. TW na
129
m (40)t snCT«>stoiTn.
^
bed,
Taxkt
Oh
xa
IcTvelv
my
swan!
beaut
Sex
y
aa!
-Ju
jj£^?_^£i'Jf.lsiaix ^jJMtwfpi,-^-
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ 5£»r*^^p
g^F ^^^=^ il
/ Ho, >begin, set (the)
r^n:
^
S5^ £z
r~
Come dance a long, make a
Tel, aa «a aal, aa aa
^7==,=;=:a_
^._l— .îS
tune. yBû:ly child!
i ^
song,
.aal.
Oh
00
my beaul
rox aa*
g
M e n o a l l a r p a n d o , ino<«o
,f (A) S t o r y , ^ (such as t h i s )
130
(is) extendedt
(45) So that (the) drunkard deeply
tg ^^ ^
Sing till the drew »y drunk ard
HTOO OSas ^1 ra apen RO
Î
i jJ:
^
j g g S g L j ! L . ^ f- r
^
*- : f J - i * _ j ! L ••• -•;••
=Si==:
unif^ i t nay f a l l asleep.

:*! .b. J :
^ E?iHZ3:
Sleepa hta life a way.
oox ae . a ta "7
po(0 a pofo a iftiipo

131
* tempo (50)
[P]Ch,thCTi. t,forests, ^s^^â. . v^ stornclouds,
Hear me, you dark . nrss.you wind and * for est;

01, au x« . ea, as . 6« . «a, ja ty
a itmpo
i-H--i-r-:-5 <Si^
ivdne (a) shroud. of snowv dcwn.

^sm ^ = E rrt: 3:
Make a wind . Ing sheet,.

i
Out of down. y morn
Csct. Tees oe . xa . ae . CacM. aol oy . le . BB .
rt (5S) Of it:. like a bat^'-^ fth«.> ^^"r p1^ m,n T ' ] 1
Like the new. ly born, Wrap him head to feel

B B, aaa M-ia . xea . aa. Cia . ys^ . Ra spa . apo . B.
^ ^ r--f
132
Andanle tranquillo
rU. r\p glQiTC, -• little
raU.
f r i e n d , U t t l e peasmt lv»ckv, (60)'*'* """"*'
^
ZH ZC
^ •
1
3:
I.
m
friend, Leaf, y boughs are twin, ing,
. mea, My . aia ÔR cnacT xa . t u l .
pii mosio
iI rr.f
3 =
H r- 3 i=
-' * ; * • ' J J •* - ^ • m \ m m r~m m
tempo Svmner has arrived ,blocrTBd! ^;j( mono
^ .~m~. SE
Sum . mer has come full ut blooni,
Jle TO opcsi.ie, painie.xo!
a tempo
133
(65) and (the) s i d d ^ £ZS-iiles
(•iii f ' ' C = 3 I i t ' . ! i i

~' t J : ' I —.- ' i ". t—•_! .—I —.- - -—^ —^
•9 ^ -9 y -9 ^ , -9 ^ -9 ^ -9 ^ 9* ^ TT^^^
a l i t t l e scng i s botiie, little dcMBS are flying...

poco a poeo roll, t dim.
^
53E^
^ Reapers all are sing And the birds are fly . ing.
ing
Oe. eea . aa ae . err ex. re. xj&xa x a . Ta . BT...
foco a poco tail, e dim.
(70)
•SE^.^^g5^^
PP
S ^» • • •' :S=:
^^•••^^"^•••^:ir*-*-r
r-i V i2
134
Trepak
Death becomes a more impersonal, naturalistic, and undeniable
force in "Trepak." This third song of the cycle is based on the
trepak, which is a traditional Russian folk dance with a strongly
accented duple rhythm. The folk dance background of the music is in
harmony with the poet's view of death due to natural forces as a com-
mon occurrence in the bleak and desolate Russian winter. The poem
follows:
A blizzard weeps and moans through deserted forests and glades;

It feels as if evil is hiding in the darkness of night.
Look! Thus it is!
In the darkness Death embraces, caresses a serf;
Death dances the trepak with the drunkard.
And trolls a song in his ear:
"Ah, little peasant, you little old man, you poor wretch.
Drunk, you weaved away from the road;
The snowstorm, like a witch, arose and played,
And unexpectedly drove you from the fields to the dense forest.
In sorrow, in anguish, in weary need.
Lie down by the roots and go to sleep, ray kinsman!
I'll warm thee, my dear friend, with light snow;
Around thee I'll have a great performance.
"Just fluff up the bed, thou snowstorm!

Ho, begin and set the tune, thou seasonal child!
Extend the night with your story
So the drunkard may fall deeply asleep.
"Oh, you forests, skies, and stormclouds.

Darkness, winds, and flying snow,
IWine a shroud of snowy down
With which I'll cover the dear old man like a babe.
"Sleep my little friend, fortunate little peasant,

Summer has arrived and bloomed!
The sun laughs over the cornfields and the sickles are idle;
A little song is borne, little doves are flying. . . ,"^^^
138
Translation of the Russian is by E. Ray Cox. Poetic rendi-
tion is by the author.
135
Throughout the "Trepak" the vocal line is syllabic and reci-
tative-like, both in the introduction and the remaining lyrical sec-
tions of the song. The dance itself varies from its quick duple meter
at times with bars of 3/2 and 4/4 alternating. Both lend themselves
with simplicity and unity of direction to the creation of a most power-
ful song.
Though there are sub-sections evident in this song, the macro-
form contains these larger divisions:
Introduction
Mm. 1-;20
A
Mm. 21--38
A'
Mm. 39 -46
t t
Mm. 49-57
Epilogue and Coda

Mm. 58-74
The introduction (Lento assai—Tranquillo) sets the scene by describing
the blizzard and the presence of evil that seems to be wooing a serf.
The first three measures consist of a tentative vocal line that out-
lines a minor and f minor, being especially effective in m. 3 with
the triplet figure that begins on C_. This is accompanied by three
open chords (F, A, F ) which are separated by the first four notes of
the Dies irae in the lower regions of the piano in eighth-notes. The
open chords inspire bleakness in the mind's eye, and to the musically
aware, the Dies irae naturally brings the spectre of Death to the
imagination.
136
The main theme of t h e song, which l a t e r becomes the t r e p a k
theme, i s i n t r o d u c e d i n m. 4 i n the vocal l i n e , which begins an
e i g h t - b a r phrase divided 2 + 3 + 4 , with every d i v i s i o n p o i n t ending
with a c l o s e r e l a t i v e of motive 1-1 (Ex. 2 5 ) . The harmony of the
Ex. 2 5 :
^m
w Wail > ing" low, the
(5)
t
Motive 1-1
^ J ' fi
wind storm is ee . rie
^
ra s n.ia . êT E CTO . BCT;

Bliârd wi^^s and moans
M li ^-4-
5
^
^
^^=rff
1 !?»*--
f ^ Tzr,
simil
•^*r
^ ^
^^^^^5 tP^ it"-i„—^-1-1
phrase centers on d minor. The accompaniment portrays the blizzard
with tremolando octaves and continues the presage of evil with diminu-
tions of the Dies irae. The harmonies are rather stoic and objective,
creating a sense of anticipation for the entrance of Death. Though
d minor is the tonic, E^ and C are given prominent positions
in the line, in mm. 9 and 6, respectively.
Another subdivision occurs in mm. 13-20, prefaced by the ces-
sation of the tremolando in m. 11 and the V — 1 cadence ("Look! Thus
it is!"). Death enters the scene in m. 13 with a new treatment of
theme 1 and a rhythmic ostinato in the bass. The ostinato is a

137
constant and menacing motive that continues through m. 16. During
this half-phrase the tonic is firmly in d minor: i—Iv—V7—i. One
specific point of text-painting occurs in m. 16 ("Death caresses")
as a tonic major is altered slowly and chromatically to a V / A in
the form of an Italian augmented sixth chord. Possibly Mussorgsky's
goal here was to tease the listener with a sinister picturization of
"caressing." The rest of the phrase (mm. 17-20) could actually be
presented as a subdivision, as the ostinato is altered and an impor-
tant instrumental theme is offered (Ex. 26) which derives from
theme 1. The new ostinato is a tonic-dominant pedal point which
reaffirms the tonic through the chromatic harmonic progression of

o
theme 2: d minor—A—a m7—09—g minor. This chromatic harmony
p o r t r a y s Death dancing the t r e p a k with the poor s e r f and b u i l d s the
t e n s i o n which i s to be r e l e a s e d in Death's song.
Ex. 26:
± 0.
$
^
Death, with the drunk . ard now danc
3C j^gb^
es and chants,
c csa aeBk.RkM a.iia atT rxae . tu rpe . na Ra,
^^V. ^ (a) drunkard dances {fiie) tvo .-^(tlic) tnepak.
^^l^
PP 't^.
•:^-.i_..LJu
•jrV-r-'a-rir-ir-xriB JTt-xr-*-.A-M-M-ir-r-rm-ti'-it-'.t-m-'^X-i~^-Jf•
138
The A section finally begins in m. 21 in the key of d minor;
theme 1 is the main melodic material and is accompanied by traditional
harmonic progressions ( 1 — i v — V — 1 ) . The entire A section is quite
rigid structurally:
A = phrase a—mm, 21-24, 2 + 2 with theme 1
phrase b—mm. 25-28, 2 + 2 with theme 3
phrase a'—mm. 29-32, 2 + 2 with theme 1'
phrase c—mm. 33-38, 3 + 3
Theme 1 is in its traditional duple rhythm for phrase a, but the
phrase from mm. 25-28 is in 3/2 to accommodate the natural accentua-
tion of the text. Phrase a is given a piano marking as Death seems
sympathetic to the plight of the serf. The b phrase is given a
forte dynamic level, being more bombastic and obvious in its uhreat.
The vocal line also jumps to a higher range in the b phrase as the
words indicate a blizzard "arose" to hide the serf's road. The high
register makes one feel that Death mocks the peasant. The harmoniza-
tion of the phrase is less traditional in its nature, possibly to

b b b b
contrast it with theme 1: d'—B — G — C — and B — E — A — B . Phrase
a' is a variation of the first phrase of the section; each measure
alternates 4/4 with 3/2. The harmonies for the phrase are quite
unusual as they consist of a rising, non-diatonic line: d—E —
F"*"—A—B — d . The tone here is most consoling ("In sorrow, in
anguish. . .my kinsman!") and the music has a strangely restful
mood about it. The last phrase (c) of the A section is entirely
139
in 4/4 though t h e phrase i t s e l f i s an i r r e g u l a r one, being s i x mea-
sures in length. The r e g i s t e r of the piano i n t h i s phrase causes
one to f e e l t h a t Death i s mocking the s e r f with i t s t r e b l e r a n g e .
The l a s t t h r e e b a r s of the phrase (mm. 36-38) use predominantly major
t o n a l i t i e s to echo musically t h e t e x t ("Around thee I ' l l organize a
g r e a t performance") : G—d—G—C—F—B —A. A succession of chords
with r o o t s a fourth a p a r t i s evident i n t h i s p h r a s e , which ends on a
h a l f cadence. Motive 1-1 ends a l l but two of the cadences of the A
section.
C o n t r a s t marks the beginning of the A' s e c t i o n (or the second
v e r s e of the trepak) as i t s t a r t s i n 3/2 with simulations of the
w h i r l i n g winds with groups of s i x , seven, n i n e , and ten t h i r t y - s e c o n d
n o t e s i n t h e t r e b l e p a r t (mm. 39). The vocal l i n e i s a v a r i a t i o n of
the main theme and ends with motive 1-1. The formal s t r u c t u r e of the
A' s e c t i o n resembles the A s e c t i o n .
A' = phrase a—mm. 39-42, 2 + 2 with theme 1
p h r a s e c—nmi. 43-46, 2 + 2 with theme 3
transition—mm. 47-48
The harmonic p r o g r e s s i o n for mm. 39-40 (repeated in the follow-
ing two measures) c o n s i s t s mainly of chords connected by u n r e l a t e d

b //**
fourths: d—E —a —d. The t r e b l e p a r t of phrase a (which a l t e r n a t e s
meters of 3/2 and 4/4) s h i f t s to the bass p a r t in phrase c to c o n t i n u e
the r u s h i n g e f f e c t of the elements. The movement i s slowed to s i x -
t e e n t h - n o t e s i n the bass p a r t . Both d minor and B major a r e empha-
s i z e d i n the t r e b l e p a r t of mm. 43-46, one as t o n i c and the o t h e r as a
deceptive center. The t r a n s i t i o n a l manner of phrase c i s followed by

140
an i n s t r u m e n t a l t r a n s i t i o n (mm. 47-48) i n which the rhythmic a c t i o n
slows down even more through descending t r i p l e t s (perhaps the peasant
has f a l l e n a s l e e p ) . Like a g r e a t machine, the forces of n a t u r e have
t e m p o r a r i l y calmed, t h e i r task n e a r l y f i n i s h e d ; the peasant has almost
given up l i f e . But Death, not y e t s a t i s f i e d , c a l l s the forces to con-
t i n u e , and the rhythmic a c t i o n of s e c t i o n A ' ' echoes t h i s as i t rises
again i n power and a c c e l e r a t i o n .
In the t h i r d v e r s e of D e a t h ' s dance ( s e c t i o n A ' ' ) , Mussorgsky
c o n t i n u e s the p a t t e r n i n which one hand plays a homophonic t e x t u r e
and t h e o t h e r i s used as a d e s c r i p t i v e d e v i c e . The r e g u l a r p h r a s i n g
pattern of the previous s e c t i o n s i s a l s o continued:
A " = phrase a—mm. 49-52, 2 + 2 with theme 1
phrase b—mm. 53-56, 2+2
t r a n s i t i o n — m . 57
The meter for phrase a i s i n 4/4 but i s i n 3/2 for phrase b . The
bass l i n e continues i t s function of providing rhythmic and d e s c r i p -
t i v e i n t e r e s t as i t moves i n ascending t r i p l e t s through ¥_—^F_—^G—
A—B_. Both of the phrases of the A ' ' s e c t i o n make use of predomi-
n a n t l y major t o n a l i t i e s to p o r t r a y the g r e a t power t h a t Death has
with h i s command over n a t u r e . The opening phrase has a p r o g r e s s i o n
of d—D—d—E —A—B . Phrase b uses the progressions d—B —G—C
and B — E —A—B to give the f e e l i n g of power. The t r a n s i t i o n in
m. 57 i s s i m i l a r to t h a t of mm. 47-48 with i t s descending triplet
a c t i o n which slows the pace of the dance.

141
Death s song continues as an epilogue in which it becomes
evident that it is summer, the peasant is long since dead, his
absence is hardly felt, and life goes on without him. The tone is
at once soothing and mocking; Death gloats over his victory. The
epilogue begins with a very pastoral and calm feeling. The bass
line is a rocking arpeggiation and there is a countermelody in the
treble range to accompany a new verse to Death's song.
The epilogue is divided into three phrases, two of which are
separated by variations of theme 2. The first phrase, divided 3 + 2 ,
centers both on d minor and B major and ends with a reminiscence of
motive 1-1. The counter-melody evokes a pastoral scene with slightly
melancholic overtones (mm. 58-60). As the voice closes in m. 60,
theme 2 enters like fiendish cackling, gloating and proud. The phrase
continues in m. 61 with a measure of 3/2 in which the vocal line and
the countermelody over the gently rocking bass combine to bring back
a feeling of calm. This too is interrupted by theme 2 with its var-
iation of the trepak theme. The second phrase enters in m. 63, but
a new voice is added to the countermelody, like two sheep horns,
playing in thirds and fifths. The harmony is extremely simple though
not necessarily traditional in a functional sense: d—a—d—a—d—
C—d—G—D. Theme 2 does not enter in this case as the third phrase
begins immediately in m. 67.
The epilogue is followed by a coda which begins with the first
four notes of the third phrase of the epilogue (m. 70). This is cut
off abruptly by theme 2 in m. 71 as the mocking laughter of Death

142
r e p l a c e s the s e n t i m e n t a l i t y of t h e p e a s a n t ' s memory. The l a s t three
s o n o r i t i e s of t h e song r e c a l l the f i r s t three: open f i f t h s on F—
A—D; a l l i s inwardly b l e a k and gloomy. I t i s as i f Mussorgsky knew
t h e f e l l o w , w i t n e s s e d h i s d e a t h , and knew t h a t the scene would be
r e p e a t e d c o u n t l e s s times as man threw h i s puny s t r e n g t h a g a i n s t the
awesome f o r c e s of n a t u r e .
The "Trepak" i s one of the most f i n e l y c o n s t r u c t e d of a l l of
Mussorgsky's songs as he has chosen to a f f e c t not the s i n g l e words
of the poem but l a r g e r , o v e r a l l emotions and n a t u r a l s c e n e s .
* * * * * * * * *
The Field Marshall
As theatrical as "Serenade" and as effective as any of the
songs, "The Field Marshall" evokes some powerful supernatural images.
It was composed in June, 1877, and was reportedly a favorite of Mus-
sorgsky's, especially when it was sung by a tenor!
The scene begins with a fierce battle raging all around;
cannons roar, swords are clanging and rivers of blood are flowing.
As night falls and the battle ceases. Death appears on his mighty
battle-steed above the gleaming white bones. He rides among the
dead, the dying, the moaning and suffering; he smiles, and begins
his terrible song. He proclaims that he_ is the only conquerer of
the battle; through death he has joined all those who earlier were
enemies. Death orders all the corpses to rise and pass in review
143
before him and then to l i e down i n the e a r t h . Death then claims t h a t
as the y e a r s pass they w i l l be f o r g o t t e n , the victims of t i m e , b u t he
w i l l never f o r g e t . He then dances on t h e i r graves so t h a t they can
never r i s e from t h e e a r t h !
The song begins with a long s c e n e - s e t t i n g i n t r o d u c t i o n t h a t
uses two a c t i v e rhythmic p a t t e r n s to i m i t a t e the awful b a t t l e . The
f i r s t i s a p a t t e r n of r i s i n g and f a l l i n g e i g h t h - n o t e t r i p l e t s (Ex. 27)
and t h e second i s a p a t t e r n of r i s i n g and f a l l i n g figures t h a t a r e
h e a v i l y accented to p i c t u r e the sharp clashes of the b a t t l e (Ex. 2 8 ) .
Ex. 27:
(Composed June 5, 1877)
Vivo, alia guerra
Accompanied by heavy use of the tonic-dominant pedal points
and progressions employing primarily major chords to achieve passages
of power (as in "Trepak"), the main theme of the song is in fact a
Polish revolutionary song, "Z Dymen Pozarow," and is tremendously
effective in its grim power (Ex. 29).

144
Ex. 28:
Blraln . Ing, De. atruc tlva fur y.

• fcBT . sa, Caxe.aa aa,
xoes Boxa .
1 ^ - m sasE^
sm
^^^^îf
Unlike the introduction, the song is in b minor and is ominous
in its realistic strength; in this it is like the serenade and the
trepak of Death in the previous songs.
Ex. 29:
Tempo di IMarcia, grave, pomposo

M^ ZC
s "Strife i s h c r e e n d . ed, p 11
for I
r-tr-:;^'Lr-^-
am triumphant now'
ft
Kou.qe.Ha 6nT . Ba! H BCCX ao. 6ejin . .la!
iE
m •4^
Idzi'^
;=T
/
m f
^=t:
=JP2:
1^
145
Because it was so totally unlike any other song cycle. Songs
and Dances of Death was not performed in Russia until 1902. The cycle
is a precise and well balanced whole, ranging from the softly ominous
Lullaby" in which the mother wages a hopeless battle against Death to
"The Field Marshall," with its strongly truthful message that Death is
the only real winner in a war. In the first two songs. Death moves
slowly but confidently; in the last two, there is never a chance for
its victims. There is never a voice raised in feeble protest to its
uncompromising movement. This last cycle of Mussorgsky's is his
greatest effort to combine realistic and lyrical elements without
compromising his strongly individualistic tao.
Mussorgsky wrote nine more songs after Songs and Dances of
Death. The first of these, "The Sphinx," was written in 1875 to his
own words. The musical style of the song resembles that of some of
his earlier works, especially "The Outcast." The next five songs
were written to words of Tolstoy (1817-1875) but are not considered
to be a cycle, even though they were composed in 1877. These five

139
songs indicate to some that Mussorgsky's artistic power had waned.
The titles of the five songs written to Tolstoy's words are "Not Like
Thunder, Trouble Struck," "The Spirit in Heaven," "Pride," "Is Spin-
ning Man's Work?," and "It Scatters and Breaks." Of these, the last
three are the more interesting. "Pride" is a picture of a snob who
139
Riesemann, p. 330.
146
struts and orders his way around but the music is less effective than
some of Mussorgsky's earlier satires. The song that most nearly
resembles the earlier Mussorgskyian style of improvisatory progres-
sions is "Is Spinning Man's Work?," in which Mussorgsky expressed
his contempt for his office job: "Is it for the minstrel to slave
at a desk?"-*-^-*-
The last of Mussorgsky's songs to the words of Golenishchev-
Kutuzov is "The Vision," Mussorgsky's last love song. Two songs
from German poets close out his list of songs. "The Wanderer"
(Ruckert) and the "Song of the Flea" ((Soethe) are both "insignificant,
and one can only regret that the popularity of the latter has resulted
in Mussorgsky's being most widely known as a song composer by one of
his least typical works."

* * * * * * * * *
It is unfortunate that Mussorgsky's song compositions had to
end on so low a level with inferior work but his place as a great song
writer should withstand that misfortune. In his last period, he not
only invented new ways of achieving effects but he also went to the
depths of his spirit in wringing new emotions from the music.
^*Îbid., p. 93.
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS
Mussorgsky's Style
"Style, in the absolute sense, is a quality that transcends
all personal idiosyncrasy, yet needs—or seems to need—personal
idiosyncrasy in order to be manifested. It is a complete fusion of
the personal and the universal, the complete realization of a uni-

143
versal significance in a personal and particular expression."
In this one can see that despite the needs of some to make all art
conform to rules and social acceptance, there is also a need to
allow certain personal standards to govern the progression of art.
In the highest sense, there is no distinction between the person
who does the expressing and the thing that is expressed. Though
Mussorgsky's music is not universal in form or style or acceptance,
his intuition surpassed the bondage to ego and personality and thus
to nationalism. In the music that attained this level, there is no
distinction between the composer and his subject. He becomes one
with the village idiot, prostitute, beggar, dying soldier, and Death,
At this level, it is not possible to assert exactly the manner in
which the composer transcended his ego and psychically attained this
unification.
143
Calvocoressi, Modest Mussorgsky, p. 305
147
148
Mussorgsky wanted his music to be thoroughly Russian in vocal
intonation, rise and fall, and expression. At the same time, he
wanted to portray truthfully life wherever he found it, and through
this, he wanted to transform the Russian masses from their burdened
lives. His psyche was attracted to the inner forces and passions of
the people. It was through the music of the people that Mussorgsky
came to reflect these passions.
Musical Techniques
Mussorgsky's music utilizes the meters and rhythmic schemes
of Russian folk music, enabling him to keep close to the rhythmic
patterns of human speech. In the early songs, changes of meter are
rare, though this seems to be more for musical reasons than for
pantomimic or textual reasons. The songs of the middle period con-
tain some of the most radical metric patterns and alternations.
"Darling Savishna" consists of an uninterrupted flow of quarter-
notes in 5/4 meter and "With Nanny" contains several simple and
complex meters: 7/4, 3/4, 3/2, etc.
Mussorgsky produced some splendid effects of light and dark-
ness, tension and release, through his choice of key and modulation.
"The Harper's Song" and "Where Art Thou, Little Star?" are both early
examples of this trait. The opening three measures of "The Harper's
Song" create a pious, humble feeling with the placement of the accom-
paniment in the bass registers of the piano and the progression C —
G —B . Mussorgsky needs a mere three measures to introduce the

149
old man as a commanding yet wretched figure. Due to his leanings
toward modality, Mussorgsky does not feel any need to affirm the
tonic or dominant through traditional means, yet he uses these sonor-
ities or not, according to his needs of the moment. His various
chord formations may not be as sophisticated as those of Wolf,
Brahms, or Liszt, but his progressions which result from modal think-
ing and innovative imagination display a very individualistic idiom-
simple, direct, terse, and effective.
Mussorgsky freely resorts to complex harmonies to achieve his
musical needs. Harmonies including a second, seventh, ninth, or
eleventh without preparation and often without resolution are common.
Mussorgsky also uses the chords of the augmented sixth, though usu-
ally they are In an unusual inversion, and often they resolve decep-
tively. These progressions often defy traditional functional
analysis. Also there is a common use of progressions in which the
roots are a fourth or fifth from each other, a folk song element.
Another folk song element is the use of the supertonic as subdominant
or dominant, though this use does not really blend with the similar
methods in the major-minor system.
Prevalent among his peculiar characteristics is the use of an
alternation of two V7 chords having only a common tritone relation
(D7—A 7 with C^ to F or G as a common tone) . Another common tech-
nique is the use of consecutive V7 chords in different keys. One
should recall the progression in "On the River" in which Mussorgsky

150
follows the V7 / D with the V7 / F ; there are many examples of this
characteristic. He also creates progressions in which the roots
ascend or descend by steps. There is a long example of this trait
in "The Harper's Song," The sounds produced by such means are
exceedingly simple and yet the lack of a strong foundation in the
bass provides a bit of mystery.
The Russian master did not, however, exhibit a blind par-
tiality to dissonance for the sake of dissonance. Many of his
revisions are considerably more consonant than the originals. He
also refrained from using dissonance solely for its shock value. He
often used a dissonance for poetic effects or purely descriptive
effects. His most shocking effect comes from progressions of seem-
ingly non-related chords. The effect often elicits a certain
surprise or confusion as to the actual musical content.
The most striking example of confusing cadences lies in the
final cadence of "The Harper's Song" (Chapter II) in which there is
either a bitonal ending on both C major and G major or an ending
on a major triad with a major seventh. More often, the confusing
progressions occur in the thick of the song. In this case, Mus-
sorgsky elicits a reaction to a certain word or phrase by using
harmonies foreigh to the tonic or by alternating two harmonies
foreign to each other. He also attains the portrayal of power and
supernatural strength by employing predominantly major chords in a
progression ("Trepak" and "The Field Marshall") even though the
progression may sound like this: I—VII—V—IV. This is a trait

151
Mussorgsky acquired from folk music, as is the use of such tradi-
tional musical anomalies as parallel fifths and fourths. In fact,
Mussorgsky used any device necessary to achieve the desired effects.
Of all the non-harmonic tones inherent in music, the pedal
point is the most common in Mussorgsky's language. He uses it
freely in either singular or multiple form. At times they are unpre-
pared in either the bass or interior voices. Because his harmonies
often escape analysis in conventional manners, the pedal points
often seem more like focal harmonic points over which there are
freely expressive (and sometimes loosely related) harmonies and
melody. The pedal point is also one way in which he accents and
affirms the tonic and dominant without resorting to traditional
musical devices like authentic and plagal cadences. Another of
these devices that affirm the tonic is the use of single notes,
often doubled, on the tonic or center of the section or song. This
technique was used as early as "Where Art Thou, Little Star?" and
as late as Songs and Dances of Death. The other non-harmonic tones
are less evident. There are rarely suspensions in the vocal part,
but even those in the accompaniment are usually hidden and unre-
solved. Appoggiaturas are usually unprepared, as are sevenths.
It is in the melodies that the modal elements appear most
often. The simple modal melodies lend themselves to a variety of
harmonizations though many would seem to defy conventional analysis.
Death's song in "The Field Marshall" falls into this category with
its modal melody being harmonized by major chords. The melodies

152
themselves usually consist of small intervals with few big leaps;
they also have a small compass of range and simple rhythms. The
"Trepak" is a good example of this style with its syllabic,
recitative-like vocal line. When a vocal part is non-melodic, it
is so usually to achieve a picturesque effect. This is attained by
chromaticism and unusual melodic intervals such as the tritone or
augmented sixth. Often the vocal line is difficult simply because
the folk idiom is so new to Western singers who are not accustomed
to the modal intervals. The style in the lyrical songs is not
greatly different from that of the quasi-recitative songs; most of
the vocal lines are lyrical and fluid. When he wishes to make the
declamatory songs more lyrical, he creates a countermelody in the
accompaniment,
As a pianist, Mussorgsky's talents were supposedly great.
This is reflected by the accompaniments to the songs. The piano
parts may be either simple accompaniments, coloring or descriptive
devices, or of use in scene-setting. Often they reach even deeper

144
than the vocal line in revealing the meaning of the poems. Even
though there are instances in which introductions, interludes, or
codas contain some inventive and virtuosic piano parts, there are
other instances where the piano part is limited to mere accompani-
ment.
As it has been shown, Mussorgsky was not interested in inno-
vation for the sake of innovation. He would often use a simple or
144
"•^Îbid., p. 304,
153
even hackneyed method when it served his purpose.^^^ In the first
version of "Where Art Thou, Little Star?" he portrayed the word
"cold" by shifting from a major chord to a minor one. Somehow this
served his needs even better than a half-diminished seventh chord
did in the second version. Often the realistic techniques were
used to portray a whole phrase or idea rather than an individual
word. This is most obvious in "The Harper's Song" and "Trepak"; as
well as in most of the songs of the Songs and Dances of Death.
For the most part, Mussorgsky had to create his own tech-
niques and judge them by his personal experience and desires and
taste. The existing resources were not adequate to serve his needs;
this necessitated the need to create new resources with which to
present his ideas.
The analyst inevitably reaches the conclusion that

his music lacks none of the needful vital constituents;
and even though here and there a point or two of detail
would admit of technical improvement, it consists entirely
of vital constituents, with which it is impossible to
tamper without causing damage. Indeed, his inborn capacity
for dealing in essentials and proceeding boldly and lucidly
from point to point was such that, had he been endowed with
a sense of instrumental music and inclined by nature to
express himself in form-building, he might well have made
giant strides towards a new type of musical art, rooted in
his country's native music, evolved by building up on the
modal principle.•'•^"
If only Rimsky-Korsakov could have known the present-day acceptance
of Mussorgsky's original music, the musical public might be as aware
•"•^Îbid., p. 243.
146
Ibid., p. 288.
154
of Mussorgsky as of the other giants of the Romantic period. Mussorg-
sky's songs are for singers interested in and capable of interpreting
one man's precise image of his world; those only interested in increas-
ing their vocal ego are bound to be disappointed.
It seems obvious that very little in all of Mussorgsky's songs
was done without strong reason, at least to the composer. Sometimes
it worked, sometimes it didn't; magic very rarely works all the time.
If there are any musicians who hold to earlier views that Mussorgsky
was in fact a bungler, there is probably very little that could be
said to change their minds. Only music can do that, not words. Mus-
sorgsky was a unique composer and individual, as he himself admitted
in his unfinished autobiographical note for Hugo Riemann's music
dictionary:
Mussorgsky cannot be classed with any existing group of

musicians, either by the character of his compositions
or by his musical views. The formula of his artistic
profession de foi may be explained by his view, as a
composer, of the task of art: art is a means of commun-
icating with people, not an aim in itself. This guiding
principle has defined the whole of his creative activity.
Proceeding from the conviction that human speech is
strictly controlled by musical laws (Virchow, Gervinus)
he considers the task of musical art to be the reproduc-
tion in musical sounds not merely of the mood of the
feeling, but chiefly of the mood of human speech. Acknow-
ledging that in the realm of art only artist-reformers
such as Palestina. Bach, Gluck, Beethoven, Berlioz and
Liszt have created the laws of art, he considers these
laws to be not immutable but liable to change and progress,
like the entire spiritual world of man.
Mussorgsky was an innovator, a pioneer, a rebel, but a generally miser-
able human being. Above all these, Mussorgsky was a creator.
147
Leyda and Bertensson, The Musorgsky Reader, pp. 420-421.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abraham, Gerald. Studies in Russian Music. Freeport, N. Y.: Books

for Libraries Press, Inc., 1968.
Calvocoressi, M. D. Modest Mussorgsky. Fair Lawn, New Jersey:

Essential Books, Inc, 1956,
• Mussorgsky. Ed. and Rev. Gerald Abraham. London: J. M.

Dent and Sons, Ltd., 1974.
Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians. 5th ed. S. v. "Mus-

sorgsky, Modest Petrovich," by Gerald Abraham.
Harding, James. Saint-Saens and His Circle. London: Chapman and

Hall, 1965.
Lang, Paul Henry. Music in Western Civilization. New York: W, W.

Norton and Company, Inc., 1941.
Leyda, Jay, and Bertensson, Sergei, eds. The Musorgsky Reader.

New York: W. W. Norton and Company, Inc., 1947.
IM
Middaugh, B e n n i e . "Modest M u s s o r g s k y ' s 'Songs and Dances of D e a t h .
The National Association of Teachers of Singing Bulletin, 26,
No. 2, D e c , 1969, pp. 2-10.
Mussorgsky, Modest. Jugendlieder: Sammlung von Liedern und (?esangen.

Ed. Paul Lamm and trans. D. Ussow. Vienna: Universal Edition
A. G., 1931.
. Songs and Dances of Death. Ed. Paul Lamm and English

adaptation, Marion Farquhar. New York: International
Music Company, 1960.
. Without Sun: A Cycle of Six Songs. Ed. Paul Lamm and

English adaptation, Humphrey Procter-Gregg. New York:
International Music Company, 1960.
Montagu-Nathan, M. A History of Russian Mus ic. Boston: Milford

House, 1973.
Myers, Rollo H. Erik Satie. London: Dennis Dobson Limited, 1953.
Riesemann, Oskar. Moussorgsky. Trans. Paul England, New York:

Tudor Publishing Co., 1935.
155
156
Rimsky-Korsakoff, N. A. My Musical Life. Trans. Judah A. Joffe.

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1923.
Seroff, Victor I. Debussy: Musician of France. New York: G, P.

Putnam's Sons, 1956.
• Maurice Ravel. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1953.
Slonimsky, Nicolas. Lexicon of Musical Invective. New York:

Coleman-Ross Company, I n c , 1965.
Stassov, Vladimir V. Selected Essays on Music Ed. and trans.

Florence Jones. New York: Frederick A. Praeger, Inc.,
1968,
Taubman, Howard. The Maestro: Life of Arturo Toscanini. New York:

Simon and Schuster, 1951.
Tchaikovsky, Modest. The Life and Letters of Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky.

Ed. and trans. Rosa Newmarch. London: John Lane the Bodley
Head Limited, 1905; reprint ed., 1924.
Ward, William R. Examples for the Study of Musical Style. Music

Series. N. p.: Wm. C. Brown Company Publishers, 1970.

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Johnson (1976) A Stylistic Analysis of The Early and Late Songs of Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881)

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A STYLISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE EARLY AND LATE SONGS

OF MODEST PETROVICH MUSSORGSKY (1839-1881)

DANIEL M. JOHNSON, B.M.

Submitted to the Graduate Faculty

I wish to express deep appreciation to Dr. Paul F. Cutter

Professor Richard A. McGowan for their helpful criticism. I also

wish to thank Professor Charles W. Post for his help in obtaining

the music under study as well as for his helpful criticism.

LIST OF SONGS AND EXAMPLES v

I. BIOGRAPHY AND BACKGROUND 4

Criticism by Mussorgsky's Contemporaries 18

Criticism and Acceptance by Later Generations .... 22

II. THE EARLY PERIOD SONGS 27

Where Art Thou, Little Star? 27

The Harper's Song 49

III. THE MIDDLE PERIOD SONGS 80

IV. THE LATE PERIOD SONGS 87

Within Four Walls 88

You Did Not Know Me In the Crowd 96

On the River 110

Songs and Dances of Death 117

The Field Marshall 142

Mussorgsky's Style 147

Musical Techniques 148

1. "Where Art Thou, Little Star?"; First Version 29

2. "Where Art Thou, Little Star?"; Second Version 41

3. "The Harper's Song" 51

5. "Within Four Walls" 90

6. "You Did Not Know Me In the Crowd" 97

7. "On the River" 104

Songs and Dances of Death

8. "Trepak" ^ . . .' 125

3. "Where Art Thou, Little Star?"; First Version, Mm. 15-16. . . 36

4. "Where Art Thou, Little Star?"; First Version, M. 18 . . . . 37

5. "Where Art Thou, Little Star?"; First Version, Mm. 28-30. . . 39

6. "Where Art Thou, Little Star?"; Second Version, Mm. 1-3 . . . 44

7. "The Harper's Song"; Mm. 1-3 54

8. "The Harper's Song"; Mm. 6-13 56

9. "The Harper's Song"; Mm. 29-35 60

10. "The Outcast"; Mm. 21-22 72

12. 'The Outcast"; Mm. 47-48 76

13. 'Within Four Walls"; Mm. 1-2 92

14. 'Within Four Walls"; Mm. 12-14 95

15. 'Elegy"; Mm. 1-2 103

16. 'On the River"; Mm. 6-9 112

17. •On the River"; Mm. 24-25 113

Songs and Dances of Death

18. •Lullaby"; Mm. 1-3 120

19. •Lullaby"; Mm. 41-42 120

20. 'Serenade"; Mm. 1-4 122

21. 'Serenade'^ Mm. 34-36 122

22. 'Serenade" Mm. 63-67 123

23. 'Serenade'^ Mm. 99-101 123

24. •Serenade"; Mm. 107-112 124

25. •Trepak^'; Mm. 4-5 136

26. •Trepak^^; Mm. 17-18 137

27. 'The F i e l d Marshall^'; Mm. 1-2 143

28. •The F i e l d M a r s h a l l " ; Mm. 15-17 144

29. •'The F i e l d M a r s h a l l " ; Mm. 61-63 144

Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky wrote some of the most artistic,

period. Ranging from lyrical to declamatory to dramatic, Mussorgsky's

both in subject and description. Most of his songs are based on a

subjective-objective viewpoint; he described what he saw in life as