Dear Friends,
I hope this finds you well and healthy.
As I mentioned in the previous post, I will introduce each movement of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, orchestrated by Ravel.
Here is the list of the movements:
Promenade
1. The Gnome
Promenade
2. The Old Castle
Promenade
3. Tuileries
4. Cattle
Promenade
5. Ballet of Unhatched Chicks
6. Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuyle
7. Limoges
8. Catacombs
9. Baba Yaga
10. The Great Gate of Kiev
As you can see, Promenade appears 4 times in this work. So today, let's explore these Promenades.
The first Promenade opens with a solo trumpet joined by the rest of the brass, followed by the entire orchestra:
Promenade 1
How did this make you feel? I always imagine myself having a nice slow stroll through a magnificent and historic museum on a sunny afternoon, with nothing else to do but to enjoy the marvelous art works.
Now let's explore the rest of the Promenades.
The melody is the same, but the orchestration is very different. Ravel changes the combination of instrument, dynamic, and articulations. These changes provide different "feel" to the same melody.
I would like you to listen to the following Promenades and imagine what you will "see" next if you were to walk down the hallway listening to these Promenades.
Promenade 2
Promenade 3
Promenade 4
Fun fact: There is another Promenade, after Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuyle, in Mussorgsky's original composition, but many orchestrations (including Ravel's) omit it.
Happy Listening!
Best,
Kayoko
