Pictures at an Exhibition

This week’s Pipedreams program takes on the challenge of evoking vivid visual images - and with our ears we’ll view a procession in an ancient cathedral, a thunderstorm in the countryside, colorful landscapes in southern France, and an art show at a gallery. Along with works by Mulet, Ermand Bonnal, Eugene Reuchsel, and Lefebure-Wely, we’ll enjoy a complete performance of Mussorgsky’s famous keyboard impressions of paintings by his friend Victor Hartmann - visions of children playing near the Tuileries, the Market at Limoges, the Catacombs, the Ballet of the chicks in their shells and the Great Gate of Kiev. Nine soloists paint the town with organic colors. For more on Pictures at an Exhibition, read Paintings in Sound, by Michael Barone.

Audio Listen to the program

Program Broadcast dates:

August 28, 2000

Links and Resources:

Music played in the program

HENRI MULET: Procession, from Byzantine Sketches –Paul Derrett (1955 Walker/Notre Dame de France, Leicester Square, London, England, UK) Priory PRCD242

ERMEND BONNAL: Landais Landscape/Paysage Landais –Jean-Pierre Lecaudey (1923 Adema Gallery Organ/Basiliek Sint Bavo, Haarlem, The Netherlands) Pavane ADW 7357

EUGENE REUCHSEL: 3 Pieces, from Promenades en Provence; Voiles multicolores au port de Toulon; Tambourinaires sur la place des Vieux Salins; Nuages ensoleillés sur le Cap Negre –Thomas Daniel Schlee (1868 Cavaillé-Coll/Église Saint-Joseph, Marseille, France) Sonpact CD-98022

LOUIS-JAMES-ALFRED LEFÉBURE-WÉLY: Pastorale Scene, with thunderstorm –Irmtraud Krüger (1859 Cavaillé-Coll/Collégiale Saint-Hippolyte, Poligny, France) Pan Classics CD-510050

MODEST MUSSORGSKY (transcribed): Pictures at an Exhibition –we present the complete suite of what were originally piano pieces, drawing upon ten different complete recordings of the piece on ten different instruments:

Promenade I & Gnomus –Jean Guillou (1988 Kleuker-Steinmeyer/Tonhalle, Zürich, Switzerland) Dorian DOR 90117

Promenade II & Ancient Castle –Oskar Gottlieb Blarr (1966 Rieger/Neanderkirche, Düsseldorf, Germany) Koch-Schwann CD-11050

Promenade III & Tuileries –Arthur Wills (1908; 2001 Harrison & Harrison/Cathedral, Ely, England, UK) Helios CD-88017

Bydlo/Ox Cart –Günther Kaunzinger (1980 Rieger/Hochschule für Musik, Würzburg, Germany) Novalis CD 150 152

Promenade IV & Ballet of the Chicks –Frank Volke (1971 Beckerath/St. Andreas Church, Düsseldorf, Germany) Motette CD MOT 12501

Goldberg & Schmuyle & Promenade V –Andrzej Chorosinski (1996 Sauer/Johannisberg City Hall, Wuppertal, Germany) Dabringhaus und Grimm MDG 320 0818

The Market at Limoges –William Trafka (1971 Aeolian-Skinner/St. Bartholomew Episcopal, New York, NY) Pro Organo CD 7084

Catacombs & Promenade VI –Keith John (1988 Kleuker-Steinmeyer/Tonhalle, Zürich, Switzerland) Priory PRCD262

Baba Yaga/The Hut on Fowl’s Legs –Ronald McKean (1993 Rosales/First Presbyterian, Oakland, CA) RM Discs CD-981

The Great Gate of Kiev –Keith Chapman (1911 Wanamaker/Grand Court, Macy’s Center City, Philadelphia, PA) Vantage CD-69-694-001

Filler –Great Gate of Kiev, reprise –Jean Guillou; Dorian DOR 90117