Modest Mussorgski

Pictures at an Exhibition (Ravel/ Rogers 2025 edition, complete)

Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881) composed Pictures at an Exhibition for solo piano as a musical depiction of a tour through an exhibition of paintings by his late friend Viktor Hartman. The most commonly performed version of the piece is an orchestration by Maurice Ravel. In fact, Ravel's orchestration drew enough attention to the once-obscure piece to place it in the modern piano repertoire. Ravel based his orchestration on Rimsky-Korsakov's version of Mussorgsky's score published after Mussorgsky's death. Ravel's choices of featured instruments for color are widely admired, including a trumpet representing a peasant in "Samuel Goldenberg and Schmüyle" and a saxophone representing a minstrel in "The Old Castle." Ravel's orchestration of Pictures at an Exhibition premiered in Paris on October 19,1922. This 2025 edition by Mark Rogers of Pictures at an Exhibition, as orchestrated by Maurice Ravel, consists of an entirely newly engraved score and parts. Players will appreciate the fact that combined parts from the first edition (for example 1st and 2nd Flutes on the same part) have been separated, entirely eliminating unworkable page turns that have vexed players for nearly a century. The edition is based on the original French score and parts and later sources. Ravel's original rehearsal numbers are retained so that this edition is entirely compatible with old scores which conductors may wish to use, and measure numbers have been added as a tool for additional negotiation around the score. The Bass Clarinet in A has been transposed to B-flat, and supplemental parts for clarinets and trumpets in B-flat, and bassoons and trombones in bass clef have been added. Incorrect notes and inconsistent articulations have been clarified as needed. Instrumentation: 3 (2nd & 3rd d. Picc).3 (3rd d. EH).2+BCl.2+CBsn: ASax: 4.3.3.1: Timp.Perc(6). Clst.2Hp: Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set). The original published Ravel edition is also available from Edwin F. Kalmus. 11x14 oversized full score.This product is Printed on Demand and may take several weeks to fulfill. Please order from your favorite retailer.