“Tackling & Translating Mussorgsky’s “Pictures”

There’s always something new to see and hear in “Pictures at an Exhibition.” It’s one of the most famous pieces in the repertoire, especially in Ravel’s orchestration, but in the 21st century we’re a long way from Mussorgsky’s world, and it takes some digging to unearth the whole fabric of Russian culture that gave rise to this masterpiece. Hartmann’s famous paintings are just the tip of the iceberg.

Join Noah, tonebase’s Assistant Head of Piano, for a close look at how Mussorgsky’s vision for “Pictures” was colored by Russian folk poetry, satirical literature critiquing society, and the rising tide of realism in all fields of art (and special looks at related works of music). All this, plus detailed, practical tips on how to actually wrap your brain and fingers around this ungainly masterwork!