Pictures at an Exhibition: Mussorgsky

Programme Notes

"Pictures at an Exhibition" was originally written for the piano by Mussorgsky in the19th Century and has become an established part of the piano repertoire. It found fame in this version, although the arrangement for orchestra by Maurice Ravel is probably the best known version.

It has subsequently been arranged for many different kinds of instrument. Elgar Howarth's stunning transcription of Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition", made in 1979, for 16 brass and percussion marked a major step forward in brass ensemble playing. No work so musicially or technically demanding had ever been recorded or performed before, and the door was opened on a new world of possibilities.

Surrey Brass do not use the arrangement made for the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble by Elgar Howarth, preferring an alternative in the short term, but will play the Howarth arrangement in future.

Orchestration

The arrangement is for a large brass ensemble and full percussion. Elgar Howarth's arrangment uses the same forces as Guther Schuller's Symphony for Brass and Percussion (1951) which has also been recorded by the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble on Argo's "Classics for Brass".

Movements

Promenade I
The Gnome
Promenade II
The Old Castle
Promenade III
The Tuilerie Garden
Bydlo
Promenade IV
Ballet of Chicks in their Shells

The Two Jews, one rich one poor
(Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuyle)
Promenade V
The weekly market at Limoges
Catacombs
With the dead in a a language dead
Baba Yaga
The Great Gate of Kiev

Playing Duration

About 37 minutes.

Recordings

Our favourite recording is the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble "Greatest Hits" CD on Decca 28946 77462. It's difficult to find this terrific recording with 2 and a half hours of great brass music, but we discovered that it is available from iclassics here.

Surrey Brass played and recorded this music at our recent Russian Brass concert.

Many other arrangements and recordings have been made and a selection of our other favourites is available below.

Audience Comments

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