Modest Mussorgsky was a significant Russian composer born on March 21, 1839, in Karevo, Russia, and he passed away on March 28, 1881, in St. Petersburg. He was a prominent figure in the Russian music scene during the Romantic period and was part of “The Five,” a group of composers dedicated to creating a distinctly Russian style of classical music.
Mussorgsky’s compositions often drew inspiration from Russian history, folklore, and other national themes. His innovative approach to composition sought to reflect the spirit and identity of Russia, sometimes challenging the established conventions of Western music. Among his most notable works are the opera “Boris Godunov,” the orchestral tone poem “Night on Bald Mountain,” and the piano suite “Pictures at an Exhibition”.
His life was marked by a deep connection to Russian culture, which he absorbed from an early age through fairy tales and the music of the people. This influence profoundly shaped his musical improvisations and compositions. Despite his lack of formal training in his early years, Mussorgsky’s natural talent for music was evident, and he eventually became one of the most original composers of his time.
Mussorgsky’s legacy is complex; for many years, his works were mainly known in versions revised or completed by other composers. However, his original compositions have posthumously gained recognition for their intrinsic value, and some of his original scores are now available, allowing a greater appreciation of his unique musical voice.
The title itself, A Night on the Bare Mountain, is enough to make one feel queasy, and the work that Modest Mussorgsky set to music…
The title itself, A Night on the Bare Mountain, is enough to make one feel queasy, and the work that Modest Mussorgsky set to music in 1867 and that describes the infernal happenings of St. John’s Night turns into a genuine horror trip.
Only later did the composer add a conciliatory epilogue. “Subterranean sounds of supernatural voices. – Appearance of the spirits of darkness, followed by that of Satan himself. – Glorification of Satan and celebration of the Black Mass. – The Sabbath Revels. – At the height of the orgies the bell of the village church, sounding in the distance, disperses the spirits of darkness. – Daybreak.”
Obviously, Musorgsky and his prominent arranger Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, who added entire sections, pull out all the musical stops for this theme: a prevailingly wild tempo (“Allegro feroce”), chromaticism, chains of octaves, tremoli – everything that the pianist’s heart desires.
The impact can only be heightened by the orchestral version, also arranged by Rimsky-Korsakov, and also available from Breitkopf & Härtel.
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