Customer Reviews

Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition, Night on the Bare Mountain

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Hearing Valery Gergiev conducting the Vienna Philharmonic in a live performance of Moussorgsky's PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION has all the magic one could ever expect or want. Not only is Gergiev sensitive to the nuances in this Ravel orchestration of Moussorgsky's original work for piano, he manages to allow the individual 'images' along the promenade to breathe exactly the way an astute museum visitor might pause to absorb all the information in each painting. The breadth of the orchestral color here is captured with full range sonic technology, affirming the status of the Vienna Phil lush strings as being among the wonders of the music world. Individual solos are allowed to sing with the conductor collaborating: this orchestra must love playing for Gergiev! Some may quibble about tempo alterations in his interpretation, but to this listener those changes bring new vivid life to what was once a simple warhorse of early recording days. The accompanying works are well performed, especially the Prelude to Khovanshchina in Shostakovich's orchestration. This is a splendid addition to Gergiev's expanding recorded repertoire.

Vaerly Gergiev leads the Vienna Philharmonic in an absorbing, dramatic performance of Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition", using the familiar Ravel orchestration. He successfully urges the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra to opt for a level of playing which transcends Ravel's almost conventional orchestration, emphasizing sonority, without forsaking either technical brilliance or a firm understanding the score. Yet I concur with Amazon.com's reviewer that Gergiev makes some questionable decisions with regards to tempo and emphasizing the string section's exquisite playing over the others. Personally, a more satisfying modern recording is the classic Deutsche Grammophon version with Sinopoli conducting the New York Philharmonic, since he doesn't emphasize abrupt changes in tempi as much as Gergiev. But I am certain fans of both Valery Gergiev and the Vienna Philharmonic won't be disappointed with this recording, which also features as excellent filler other works by Mussorgsky, most notably "Night On Bare Mountain".

This is a fine Exhibition. From the very first Promenade, the brass has greater clarity, the tempo is a bit faster, and one can sense there is something special afoot. In "Gnomus", "Il vechhio castello", "Tuileries" and "Bydio", the sound is so low and moving, so earthy, I am reminded of Stravinski's "The Rite of Spring".

As "Bydio" goes from mezzo forte to fortissimo, clarity isn't lost; the recording is faithful to each instrument, percussion, brass, strings.

Gergiev is able to bring emotion out in each piece, while not being overly histrionic or clowning. "Ballet des poussins dans leurs coques" is lightly pleasant next to the stately mournful "Goldberg and Schmuyle", for example. The chef d'oeuvre, "The Great Gates of Kiev", shows an incredible range of timbre, something Gergiev excels at, with the booming fortissimos at the outset fading to pianissimos and growing again in the refrain to fortissimos. One can certainly envision oneself admiring the painting from bottom to top, sensing oneself as a tiny human being next to this awesome manmade wonder.

"Khovanschina" is a proud part of Gergiev's repertoire, and he clearly enjoys presenting the lovely prelude here. Vienna, as usual, gives him what he wants.

"Night on Bare Mountain" evokes a cold stormy night in a mountain forest. Effectively. Wear your parka.

"Gopak" is sprite and merry. A wonderful dance tune; Gergiev and Vienna do it justice.

Gergiev once mentioned how honored he was to have been asked to be a guest conductor for the Vienna Philharmonic, because the musicians in that orchestra choose their guest conductors. They seem to have chosen well in this case, and for Mossourgsky, it seems a good fit.

As an interpretation, Gergiev's approach to Pictures at an Exhibition isn't overtly splashy or theatrical. He favors moderate tempos and lovely colors, in keeping with his general sensibility--he likes to polish the surfaces of Russian music. I've never heard Mussorgsky's ever-popular suite performed with more nuance. My only criticism is that it's all a bit too careful.

The real attraction here is that the performance isn't canned; we are in a real concert hall in real time as the gorgeous Vienna Phil. plays with its amazing blend of ease and virtuosity. There's relaxed vibrancy in every bar, and for that reason, I'd call this Pictures--as well as the delightufl fillers--a unique recording.

For better or worst, for the average classic listener, there have been pieces of this repertoire that have been played, used and abused as musical curtains or any other unthinkable event that you may imagine. Pieces such as Scheherezade, Night in the ballad mountain, Beethoven's ode to joy and Pictures at an exhibition that have produced (at least in my case) a sort of aural fatigue.

The last formidable version of Pictures until this date came from 1973, with Igor Markevitch conducting the Gewandhaus of Leizpig (Belrin classics label, still available).

So, when I decided myself to listen this version something deep inside me told me I was going right. And my admiration was unlimited from the very beginning until the epic finale.

Valery Gergiev brought both the score and us, a memorable performance remarking passages of febrile incandescence, startling energy and histamine.

It's such the tonal musculature and the vibrant flair that results less than impossible to forget it. My whole impression matches with the most of the previous reviews. The Vienna Philharmonic proves once more the colossal prestige that always have featured it. Strings, woods, winds and metals play with such mastery and inexhaustible vigor responding so the exigencies of this extraordinary conductor.

A well rounded recording and the most flaming version of the Pictures recorded in the last 35 years, neither more nor less.

Earnestly recommended.

I agree with all the reviewers on this one. Gergiev's inclination to 'paint with sound' the individual selections of Pictures works wonderfully and is enhanced by the immediacey of this live performance. And as the other reviewers have correctly observed, we are with this recording in the presence of a super-orchestra; The Vienna Philharmonic. Having had the good fortune to hear them live in California some years ago, in an auditorium no where near as good as the Musik Verein, I can tell you there is nothing like it, and I've heard many orchestras. The packed house simply sat there in stunned awe at what we were experiencing. Perfection. Flawless tonal perfection. And you should see how they travel !! The entire orchestra with all its instruments (two of each, like Noah) and it's supporting staff, filled four full sized tour buses. It was like a small army. The only other orchestra that competes at this rarified level is the Royal Concertgebouw. I tell you, it must be nice to be a resident of Vienna and get to hear these people anytime you want.

An obvious choice for Gergiev, this, but although he manages to whip up rawness and coarse colors from the usually refined body that is the Vienna Philharmonic, and although he evocatively brings forth both details and colors, there is in the end something missing in his account. The performances, despite many fine touches and passages end up being rather powerless, slightly detached and uninvolved. The Pictures are mostly convincing, with a focus on the darker sides and timbres. There is certainly traces of urgency here , but the performances (while bringing out the details) just don't seem to stop to contemplate - even though the tempos are rather broad, the individual performances often seem impatient and lacking in atmosphere, despite all the deliberately raw edges, the wide palette of colors and almost guttural, gnomish darkness conjured up by the brass. Despite the many fine aspects, the whole is in the end rather less than the sum of its parts. The various pictures blur into one another, and the many-facetted atmospheres and shadings of Mussorgsky's creations in Ravel's orchestrations are usually only hinted at or superficially rendered; there are just no emotions in them. Overall, this is a recommendable alternative indeed - and marvelously played - but hardly a first choice.

The Khovanschina prelude, on the other hand, is fabulously atmospheric and beautiful and the short Gopak fresh and enjoyable. The Night on the Bare Mountain is not particularly memorable, however. Overall the feeling of detachment is not helped by the somewhat recessed sound-quality; everything is clear and well-balanced, however. Overall, I'd say this is a more than worthwhile account of the Pictures, but in a crowded market probably not really competitive.

I bought this as a gift for someone who loves Classical Music. He loved it.