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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Musorgsky'sLetters available in a great English translation,
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This review is from: The Musorgsky reader;: A life of Modeste Petrovich Musorgsky in letters and documents,
Musorgsky was a true genius (interspersed with bouts of alcoholism and other issues). Of the "moguchaya kuchka" (or "Mighty Five", which included Balakirev, Borodin, Cui, and Rimsky-Korsakov) Musorgsky was probably the most naturally gifted and "Russian" in his idioms. Musorgsky translated life into sound; his gift for taking simple peasant speech and creating a musical flow and ebb was almost second nature to him. He composed masterworks like Pictures at an Exhibition in the span of 21 days; St. John's Night on Bald Mountain was created in an equally astonishing 12 days!Unfortunately, not much is known about the life of Musogsky--until more recently. The current book, a collection of letters to and from Mussorgsky, offers a valuable glimpse into the life and development of this great mind. It also shows the humanity behind such a genius, one that is too often forgotten amidst the various theories, hubris, and gossip surrounding his daily activities (inevitably mentioning alcohol). Aside from the more humdrum letters (which would seems like chat messages today, albeit in a more flourishing style congruent with 19th-century fashion), there are fascinating and important tidbits, such as small musical sketches that would eventually turn into full-scale works. There are letters that serve as indicators of his travels, like his first impressions of Moscow (which he referred to as "Jericho"), and letter that show how much he was connected to humanity and his friends, sometimes to an extent too extreme for these same friends. In preparing my doctoral thesis--on the subject of Musorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition--I found this resource to be of incredible value; in addition, it was wonderful to read. The English writing style remains true to the Russian source, anachronisms and all. If not, detailed explanations are given. For anyone interested in this great composer, or perhaps someone just interested in wonderfully written (and at time quite witty) letters, this book is a must in your collection.
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