The effective orchestral score are required by the addition of the string section, 2 flutes, piccolo, 3 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, alto saxophone, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, 2 harps, timpani, bass drum, cymbals, celesta, snare drum, xylophone, bells, Chinese gong, triangle, ratchet, and whip.
I must thank the kind assistance of fellow Leiter in his phenomenal detailed analysis of the numbers that make up the suite:
- Promenade: The opening theme (Alternate time signature of 5 / 4 and 6 / 4) is exposed by the trumpet soloist and answered by a fanfare of metals. On this occasion mainly Russian incorporate strings and wood complementing and developing the theme that goes through a 3 / 2 strongly reminiscent corals. This theme will be cyclical throughout the work and could describe the author's wandering through the gallery showing the paintings.
- Gnomes: In 3 / 4 and tempo alive. Represents a lame dwarf moving in a grotesque way. A quick plea on the ropes, answered in a phased manner by woods and down with prominent in all of the celesta, gives way to a second theme in 4 / 4, heavy, threatening, exposed by the timber and which opposes the first item with violent breaks. A rough melody is drawn by the horns and wood on a chrome downward violas and cellos, to immediately pass to trombones and tuba, now with the colors of violins. Then, on bassoon trill notes and bass clarinet, the first step of defense plea (precious metals dissonances) culminates in a rapid scale up bursting into a dry line of Sun
- Promenade: Now is the tube who explains why, with the dialogue of wood, so that first and second violins (In octaves) draw a motif ritardando upward.
- The old castle is an Italian landscape overnight. In 6 / 8, expressive, on a persistent rhythm of the lower strings centered on the note G, the saxophone recites a beautiful melody in the manner of a minstrel song. After a response from the muted string of masterful poetic evocation, the subject passes through the flute and develops bold harmonies. Finally, the sax takes the reason cantabile guard with an unexpected sharp basses, cellos unattached, ending with a sustained note after a pizzicato chord.
- Promenade: Again the trumpet presents the subject, the more heavy, in B major, harmonized by the lower strings a hint of counterpoint.
- Tuileries: The table describes a few children playing in the famous Parisian park. A whimsical melody is drawn by the oboe and underlined by the flute. The meandering of the lines is joined by the clarinet, which leads to another reason given by the violins and beautifully adorned with wood then takes center stage.
- Bydlo: The table represents a huge Polish wagon pulled by a yoke of oxen. The issue, painfully heavy, in 2 / 4, is presented by the tuba solo in a pounding rhythm and bass strings timber. After some disturbing pictures on the rope, the band takes the main theme in a powerful rhythmic crescendo by the timpani and snare. Tuba again takes the topic to be closed in original underscore pianissimo with a muted horn.
- Promenade: The theme of the trip is now exposed by flutes, clarinets and oboes, in a climate that takes tension with the dark metal line and the transition to the topic minor mode in the string.
- Ballet of the chicks in their shells: In 2 / 4 and B flat major, the theme is developed as a charming colorful orchestral miniature. It happens a trio with dissonant trills in the violins that is complemented by the oboe and then by the flute to resume after dancer theme.
- Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuyle: The dialog box represents a between rich and one poor Jew: violins on the G string and wood exposed to a menacing unison in B flat minor issue that is mirrored in triplets for a reason submitted by the muted trumpet in his high register and is backed by the long notes and with less intensity noise of the woods. After an up-down double scale, the trumpet, which is added a second in the eighth, hammering an incessant rhythm on which is attached, so masterful, the rich Jew tiresome theme in the strings. After a passage of eerie calm, the number ends with an orchestral unison.
- The market for Limoges: The painting portrays a women arguing in a market. In 4 / 4 and E flat major, this number is an exercise in orchestral virtuosity anthology, with a succession issue by violins, wood and metals that are fighting, they joke and interact with each other, and which is joined by the percussion in the middle of all the holiday revelry. After a very rapid dialogue between all sections, an eerie tremolos persecution accelerated over the whole orchestra culminates with the first chord of the next issue.
- Catacombae sepulchrum Romanum: The drawing shows the Hartmann own review in the light of a lantern the catacombs of Paris. In 3 / 4, a long line of trombones and tuba gives way to a dark coral metal is developed through and tied notes open harmonic dissonances. Some dynamic contrasts leave a hollow sound the trumpet a mysterious hovering soon absorbed by the rest of the horn section. The number ends up again with sharp dissonances.
- Cum mortuis mortuary in lingua: (Talking to the dead in the language of the dead). Mussorgsky is a license, a reflection on the previous issue. Acute and pianissimo tremolos of the first violins muted down a mysterious background on which first oboes and bassoons then outline a melodic theme related to the Promenade. The atmosphere is quite important, leading to a step major mode, soft and relaxed, which is magically nestled in the ascending notes of the harp. The number ends in pianissimo on a sharp note tremolos Fa prolonged by the first violins.
- The hut on chicken legs: Hartmann's drawing was a clock in the form of the legendary Russian witch Baba-Yaga. Mussorgsky added the witch hunt in the score. Two dry orchestral hits, rhythm and bass drums give way on the lower strings a rhythmic motif that is installed on the first theme, stated by the trumpets in triads and chords chopped brilliantly answered by horns and percussion. After an orchestral development, moves into a mysterious atmosphere in which a second reason is drawn by bassoon and then tuba on a background of sixteenth notes in the woods. After a pianissimo chord (with a subtle touch of gong), the orchestra returns to the dry line of the introduction and recapitulation of the first theme that culminates in a mad dash to ...
- The Great Gate of Kiev: The table represents an architectural project consisting of a monumental gate topped with a cupola. Start with a low coral woods and metals, in 4 / 4 and E flat major, distantly related to the Promenade. After the restatement, solemn and glorious, added strings and percussion, comes a soft issues dealt with clarinets and bassoons which ends with another explosion choral conductor, sheltered by Scales upstream and downstream of first and second violins. Presentation of the second theme in clarinets and bassoons that ends in a beautiful atmosphere, set by the ringing of bells, which paves the way to the glorious recapitulation. The issue now is the Promenade, which after an orchestral hit the scales are drawn down in the ropes, explode majestically in the closing stages of the work, are prominent in percussion.
The great rivalry of the golden age of the recording was that of the RCA Living Stereo vs. Mercury Living Presence. So high was the level achieved by these magical productions that the records of today pale in the meeting yardarm to yardarm. I refer to the evidence: The rich timbre of the metals of the Chicago Symphony under the direction of Fritz Reiner (RCA, 1957) is already evident in the Apollonian Gnomes, steely lines, while Bydlo threat and heartbreaking loss in his hands . Jews clarity of texture, balance, rhythmic precision, power, brilliance, meticulous dedication to detail. The recording quality is legendary with realistic details such as the impact of the drum, the breath of the professor of tuba, or the rustle of pages of the score (!). At the same level of excellence is making a noise almost physical presence and depth (these strings expressionist Gnomes) in the register of Antal Dorati (Mercury, 1959) with the Minneapolis Symphony.
Nervosa version of Georg Solti leading the Chicago Symphony (Decca, 1980). Aptly gritty and torn in the Old Castle. At the sharp timbral differentiation in Ballet's still a sarcastic Catacombs. Great, great not the Great Gate. Making it sound more brilliant atmosphere.
Philharmonic New York has again demonstrated its power with Giuseppe Sinopoli (DG, 1989): Wood Gnomes acidic, which shows new details on harp and metals, distinguished by the broad tempo. Desolate landscape around Old Castle and the wonderful contribution Bydlo tuba. The flatness of the dynamics of the roughness Jews seems to miss the dialogue of orchestral masses, and this is, in short, the ultimate feeling of the record, the reluctance to exploit the magic (dark) of the score, to let her lead to a delicious mix of instrumental detail. Making transparent sound but somewhat distant.
Upon request - At request
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