At the time of writing "Pictures at an Exhibition," Modest Mussorgsky, not yet in his mid-thirties, was already showing signs of alcoholism.
Interpretation
For this recording, Michael Korstick intentionally omits the "Promenade" between pictures six and seven in Mussorgsky's work to maintain the arc of suspense.
Compositional Technique
Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" uses the recurring "Promenade" theme to symbolize the listener's walk through the exhibition, changing in tempo, length, and harmony to reflect lingering impressions.
Performer Biography
Pianist Michael Korstick won first prize in the 'Jugend musiziert' competition in his native city of Cologne at the age of eleven, after only two years of piano lessons.
Composition History
Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" was inspired by a memorial exhibition of around 400 works by his close friend, the painter and architect Viktor Hartmann, who died unexpectedly in 1873.
Notable Performances
Prokofiev's Piano Sonata No. 8 was premiered by the renowned pianist Emil Gilels in Moscow on December 30, 1944.
Historical Context
Prokofiev's Piano Sonata No. 8 is one of three 'War Sonatas,' conceived and developed between 1939 and 1944, parallel to the events of World War II.
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