Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition, Giulini (CD)

“Giulini draws superlative playing from the Chicago orchestra.” — Gramophone

One of the most recorded works in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s discography, Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition is an Imaginate series of musical tableaux inspired by an art exhibition. Originally composed as a piano suite, it is most frequently heard in this colorful orchestration by Maurice Ravel. Accompanying this 1976 recording by Giulini and the CSO are a selection of other eastern European composers, including Aram Khachaturian and Alexander Borodin.

Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition (orch. Ravel)
Carlo Maria Giulini conductor
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
April 1976, Medinah Temple, Chicago

Mussorgsky A Night on Bald Mountain (orch. Rimsky-Korsakov)
Lorin Maazel conductor
Berlin Philharmonic
February 1959, The Jesus Christ Church, Berlin

Borodin Prince Igor, Polovtsian Dances
Neeme Järvi conductor
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
Gothenburg Symphony Chorus
Ove Gotting director
June 1989, Gothenburg Concert Hall, Gothenburg

Mussorgsky Boris Godunov: Symphonic Synthesis (arr. Stokowski), “Coronation of Boris”
Oliver Knussen conductor
Cleveland Orchestra
November 1996, Severance Hall, Cleveland

Khachaturian Gayane, “Sabre Dance” and “Dance of the Highlanders”
Gennady Rozhdestvensky conductor
Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra
September 1960, Brent Town Hall, London

Discs: 1
Record Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Release Date: October 21, 2011