Customer Reviews

Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Night on Bald Mountain

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I had attended a SF Symphony performance which included "Pictures At An Exhibition" as orchestrated by Ravel. I was pleasantly suprised by how much I liked that piece taken as a whole. I have always thought highly of Bernstein's interpretation, and believed I would hear a nicely played and interpreted version of 'Pictures..' Indeed, the piece is executed as I thought it would. I like Bernstein's interpretation of 'Pictures At An Exhibition', and the album, on the whole, is worth the suggested price.

Bernstein really captures the spirit of the music, from the light feel of the Unhatched chicks and the Market Place at Limoges, to the pure brawn of Bydlo, to the mysteriousness of the catacombs and the cum mortuis in liqua mortua, finishing it triumphantly with the great gate of Kiev. I've really enjoyed this production, and listen to it frequently.

Five stars for the recording. 0 stars for Amazon's delivery of the recording.
If you download this as an MP3, or listen to it with the Amazon Cloud player, the tracks will be in the wrong order!!!

They should be:

1. Promenade. Allegro Giusto
2. I. Gnomus. Vivo
3. Promenade. Moderato
4. II. Il Vecchio Castello
5. Promenade. Moderato Non Tanto
6. III. Tuileries
7. IV. Bydlo
8. Promenade Tranquillo
9. V. Ballet des Poussins Dans Leurs Coques
10. VI. Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuyle
11. VII. Limoges
12. VIII. Catacombae. Sepulchrum Romanum
13. Cum Mortuis in Lingua Mortua
14. IX. La Cabane Sur des Pattes
15. X. La Grande Porte de Kiev

Just at the end, the track 11 is interrupted... strange, disappointing. I thought my downloading process had a problem so I downloaded the album again. I also tried with a couple of music players. You can actually see the problem visually if you open the track using Audacity ([...]). Anybody has a suggestion?

I love Bernstein. Both the Mussorgsky's Pictures at Exhibition and A nigth in the Bald Mountain are masterpieces, and so is Ravel's orchestration of the pictures. I think Bernstein's direction excellent, so beautiful as, for instance, that (famous) by Toscanini.

I loved this CD. It is the same cover and everything as the record we had while I was growing up. In HS we actually marched to this! Wonderful memories and excellent recording.

Although I'm happy to have the music, I'm a little disappointed with the quality of the re-mastered CD. The newer recordings have so much more depth. I'll choose more carefully next time.

I enjoy classical music and this is one of the best produced and directed by the best. Totally great value.

Hello,
I feel that Bernstein conducted the last movement of Pictures too slowly. It has a majesty and grace all it's own but in Bernstein's hands it slows to a jaunted crawl and looses some of the awe effect. Also the percussion is ever so slightly too loud in the end. I don't thing the tubular bells or gong were meant to be heard as much felt. Kind of a let down, but there's another version I'm used to hearing that set me up for this. Not sure what version that is, but I'll let ya know if I find out. The rest of "Pictures" is decent, and "Night" is great.
Phillip

There are very few musical memories I have before the age of ten but "Pictures At An Exhibition" is one of them.
I was in bed putting off going to school when I saw this awsome ad for The United States Navy.
While showing scenes of eighteenth century battleships, they played this music. Nearly thirty years later, I still cant get it out of my head!