Modest Mussorgsky: The Troubled Dramatist [The Mighty Handful, Pt. 5/6]

Рет қаралды 12,643

4 жыл бұрын

🎶 Support the channel:
🎼 lentovivace.bandcamp.com
🎼 / classicalnerd
This was requested by parker, Josh Tebben, torram28, Sean Ramsdell, Jose Vega, and Peasant's Rondo. See all requests at lentovivace.com/classicalnerd....
📚 Sources/further reading:
“Musorgsky: His Life and Works” by David Brown
“Pianistic Mastery of Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition: Developing Associative Thinking through Analysis of Musical Texture” by Ana Cristea (DMA Dissertation, University of Miami, 2016): scholarlyrepository.miami.edu...
“Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition: Identifying the Expressive Narrative through Comparisons with Vocal Literature” by Matthew Quick (DMA Dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 2014): etd.ohiolink.edu/!etd.send_fi...
“Correcting the Record: A Comparison of Vladimir Ashkenazy’s Urtext-Based Edition of ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’ with Orchestration by Ravel and Stokowski” by Hoon Choi (DMA Dissertation, University of North Texas, 2012): digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/...
“A Stylistic Analysis of the Early and Late Songs of Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (1836-1881)” by Daniel Johnson (MM Thesis, Texas Tech University, 1976): ttu-ir.tdl.org/bitstream/hand...
----------
Classical Nerd is a video series covering music history, theoretical concepts, and techniques, hosted by composer, pianist, and music history aficionado Thomas Little.
----------
Music:
- Modest Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition (1874), performed by Chiara Bertoglio and available on IMSLP: tinyurl.com/PixatanExhibition
- Thomas Little: Dance! #2 in E minor, performed by Rachel Fellows, Michael King, and Bruce Tippette
- Modest Mussorgsky: Night on [the] Bald[/Bare] Mountain (1867), performed by the London Philharmonic conducted by David Lloyd-Jones [original upload: zR2P-5J-2MA]
----------
Contact Information:
Questions and comments can be directed to:
nerdofclassical [at] gmail.com
Tumblr:
classical-nerd.tumblr.com
Facebook:
/ classicalnerd
Instagram:
/ the_classical_nerd
----------
All images and audio in this video are for educational purposes only and are not intended as copyright infringement. If you have a copyright concern, please contact me using the above information.

Пікірлер: 82

@ClassicalNerd 4 жыл бұрын

*I'm currently fighting a false copyright claim on the public-domain recording of **_Pictures at an Exhibition_** I used in this video.* If you'd like to support my work, links to my Patreon and Bandcamp are in the description. Speaking of Patreon, I'd like to welcome new patron *Andres Abarca,* who joined after this video was produced.

@andresabarca37 4 жыл бұрын

Amazing video as always Thomas! Thanks!

@DavidA-ps1qr 4 жыл бұрын

This is of course absolutely disgraceful. Are these actual human beings? What right does anyone have over anything when it's teaching others facts. I shall investigate Patreon further as I've been following others who have mentioned this word.

@ClassicalNerd 4 жыл бұрын

Update: the false copyright claim has finally been rescinded!

@DavidA-ps1qr 4 жыл бұрын

@@ClassicalNerd JUSTICE!!! I was beginning to think that was a word from the past. I raise a glass to you.

@ADarkandStormyNight 4 жыл бұрын

I will never forget the first time I came across Mussorgsky. I was reading a textbook, I believe the Joy of Music, when I was about fourteen and there was a chapter headed with his name. My response was "what is so modest about this guy?" as I took his first name as an adjective not a noun hahaha.

@DavidA-ps1qr 4 жыл бұрын

This is without doubt the best "post" in the series so far (with only one to go I can't see it getting better). 30 minutes of absolutely outstanding facts about a composer who, quite frankly, didn't set the world on fire! I cannot thank you enough for these amazing videos. A wonderful learning tool for the world.

@mybachhertzbaud3074 2 ай бұрын

Isao Tomita's version of Pictures at an exhibition was what turned me on to this piece. I now run it through my synthesizers on a pretty regular basis.😁🎶🎹🎶Play On

@moniquethomas3610 3 жыл бұрын

Classical Nerd: Absolutely love your commentaries. I know how it feels to love Classical Music and have virtually no one with whom to discuss it in such depth, and with such humor and flowing energy- as you do here. Well, we are your appreciative audience. I'll bring a correction to a set of life span dates to your attention, if I may: the enigmatic French Composer Maurice Ravel lived from 1875 to 1937, and not 1834-73, as what is posted. Not your fault, of course. If he left us in 1873, he would have never crossed paths with Claude Debussy and so many other French Expresssionist geniuses. In addition, many thanks for including Scott Joplin, and I will be patient in waiting for your future commentary about Frederick Delius, if you are so inspired. Ta!

@ClassicalNerd 3 жыл бұрын

I copied and pasted the subtitles, so sometimes I forgot to change one or both of them. I changed the way I do these lower thirds after the Mighty Handful series, so videos within (roughly) the past year or so don't suffer from that possibility.

@kenm.3512 4 жыл бұрын

An excellent presentation, Thomas. My first exposure to Mussorgsky was the London Phase 4 Stokowski American SO vinyl 33 and a third. It was Stokie's take on Pictures. It made a big impression on me as an 8 year old, 50 or so years ago. It was a gateway recording in regards to my continuing fascination with classical music. I especially hear Mussorgsky's influence in Shostakovich's music among many others. Thank you, Thomas. I always feel intellectually refreshed and entertained when I watch your clips. This is indeed a fine one. I love the Boulez clip. I admit not caring for his music but your presentation had my interest from beginning to end. Great stuff.

@joycegeertsma7115 2 жыл бұрын

THANK YOU for this; I've been looking for a documentary on Mussorgsky for years. I grew up listening to all sorts of music, classical included, and I was spell-bound by Mussorgsky's Pictures At An Exhibition (orchestral) from an early age. The original piano version I love beyond words (by Ashkenazy).

@stevehinnenkamp5625 3 жыл бұрын

Another masterful discussion. What little survived is sensational, provocative, unique.

@classicalmusic3334 4 жыл бұрын

Great video! Undoubtedly, Pictures at an Exhibition is my absolute favourite piano piece.

@Posturtle 4 жыл бұрын

Mussorgsky is my second favorite composer. Even before streaming music was a thing, I managed to track down most of the pieces you mentioned here.

@flaviucalin 2 ай бұрын

I think Mussorgsky was inspired from the very begining part of Mendelssohn's "Violin Concerto In E Minor", reducing the tempo. I listened recent and for the first time this Mendelssohn Concerto and the first part seemed so familiar. Where it is from??? I finally remembered: Mussorgsky - Pictures at an Exhibition!!! I have the vinyl and I found!!! THE OLD CASTLE!!! I listened again and again, one and another. I'm not an expert, but for me was inspiration, theft or coincidence.

@theponderingplumb9790 2 жыл бұрын

An excellent essay! Thanks for your research. I’ve always been quite moved by pictures at an exhibition, and all of its prog rock/digital music derivatives.

@autsni 4 жыл бұрын

happy 156th birthday Ricard Strauss!

@karlseminaro7824 4 жыл бұрын

Very good!

@glensheppard1056 4 жыл бұрын

So recently I have been exposed to the music of Mussorgsky, and I have been having a hard time founding good information on him, so this has been a very interesting video. This video has been quite enjoyable so thank you

@martinpitchon5578 Жыл бұрын

I like very much his explanations

@joellleoj 4 жыл бұрын

Very nice video, as always, thank you. Thomas Goss at the "Orchestration Online" youtube channel did a very extensive score analysis of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition last year, hosted a community orchestration challenge for the piece, and evaluated many of the orchestrated products. Other works have gotten the treatment as well.

@vanallensattic4468 4 ай бұрын

Rimsky's version of "Night on Blad Mt. " actually follows quite closely Mussorgsky's plot or musical narrative in the choral version of Sorochinsk including the shepards flute them at dawn at the end. He did 3 versions, the middle one done for "Mlada" seems lost. Also his style was a big influence on Debussy.

@jyosephineanne 4 жыл бұрын

Excellent video, keep up the great work! Would love to see one on Hanns Eisler.

@ClassicalNerd 4 жыл бұрын

Duly noted: lentovivace.com/classicalnerd.html

@emilynightingale7758 4 жыл бұрын

yay!

@stephenfegely 2 жыл бұрын

@rubiegrimmett2788 2 жыл бұрын

His piece Night on Bald Mountain truly made me love classical music. His music is so raw and authentic. So sad he was an alcoholic…. That’s the only reason I don’t have him tattooed on me. Because he genuinely was not a good guy lol

@lambdaodysseus722 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot for the video about one of the best boi from the Могучая кучка. Мусоргский - воистину сокровище, которое мы не смогли при жизни правильно оценить.

@hutaolover6665 Жыл бұрын

can’t believe i found bronya under a video of a russian composer bur am not surprised

@marknieuweboer8099 Жыл бұрын

The problem with Mussorgsky was indeed that he was ahead of his time. Tchaikovsky: "a hopeless case, superior in talent, narrow minded, devoid of any urge towards self-perfection." Seems 50% correct to me, given all the unfinished projects. Rimsky predicted that eventually the world would prefer Mussorgsky's originals to the reworks and was okay with this. Lyadov: "It's easy enough to correct Mussorgsky's irregularities. The only trouble is that when this is done, the character and originality of the music are done away with, and the composer's individuality vanishes."

@ha3vy 4 жыл бұрын

Great video as always, also would you talk about vasily kalinnikov? His 1st symphony is one of the most underrated pieces of music ever written

@ClassicalNerd 4 жыл бұрын

Duly noted: lentovivace.com/classicalnerd.html

@renatmelamed6140 4 жыл бұрын

Boris Godunov is my favourite opera.

@DrMarianus Жыл бұрын

May I suggest Vasily Kalinnikov? His was a tragic life also. And I love his symphonies. Thank you.

@ClassicalNerd Жыл бұрын

Duly noted.

@sileno_atelier Жыл бұрын

I've noticed some editions has a C before the Bb at the final of Goldengerg und Schmuyle, the edition you present here has both in the different hands. Some pianists also play a C instead of a Bb

@ZeacorZeppelin 2 ай бұрын

I watched Boris Gudonov the original and the altered versions.

4 жыл бұрын

Great series! Is "Le Six" or "Måndagsgruppen" up next? 😉 I hope you dont mind me suggesting that you use a little bigger font for the texts (or a white on black background/vice versa) under the pictures? It's a bit hard to read them without having to pause the video and squinting my eyes. Which is a shame, since I really enjoy those descriptions, they're really funny 😄

@ClassicalNerd 4 жыл бұрын

There is the distinct possibility of me doing a Les Six series similar to this one once one of them pops up at the top of the request pool (since doing one will doubtless get me requests for the others). As for the Måndagsgruppen, I might do an overview video on them, but I fear that there simply isn't enough on each of those composers (especially in English) to make an actual series worthwhile. I definitely have found working with the text to be troublesome and will change the style for future videos (with Rimsky-Korsakov the last to have this harder-to-read style).

4 жыл бұрын

@@ClassicalNerd I understand, It's sadly true that information in english is lacking when it comes to swedish composers. Also, the group was a pretty large one, consisting of not just composers, but musicians and conductors as well, like legendary choir director Eric Ericsson, founder of the famous Eric Ericsson Chamber Choir 🙂 my father also knew Ingvar Lidholm, the last of the composers in the group, who passed away just a few years ago. He took lessons in composition from Lidholm during the 60s at the Royal Academy of music in Stockholm during his organ-studies.

@swymaj02 Жыл бұрын

This man makes Da Vinci look productive. A bit relatable if I'm honest. Oh, and u got Ravel's date wrong.

@seanramsdell4117 4 жыл бұрын

Night on Bald Mountain in Fantasia always scares me since I'm a religious person, but am so glad that Schubert's Ave Maria closes the film

@ClassicalNerd 4 жыл бұрын

_Fantasia_ is a really excellently balanced film in that regard.

@seanramsdell4117 4 жыл бұрын

@@ClassicalNerd Also love Fantasia 2000

@rubiegrimmett2788 2 жыл бұрын

What about the piece goes against your religious views?

@seanramsdell4117 2 жыл бұрын

@@rubiegrimmett2788 Nothing, just scared about Hell

@adrianflamme4967 4 жыл бұрын

Great video! I'd like to make a request for Max Reger please

@ClassicalNerd 4 жыл бұрын

Duly noted: lentovivace.com/classicalnerd.html

@Mythologos Жыл бұрын

Wow, he's a *major* Burl Ives fan.

@thomascampbell127 Жыл бұрын

Mussorgsky is the closest to the original vision of the mighty handful. He is an underrated master like Borodin, Glinka, Barvinsky, etc.

@themanupdtairs Жыл бұрын

Boom, roasted. °air horns°

@seanramsdell4117 4 жыл бұрын

What would you call Rimsky on your next vid? The Mighty Perfecter? The Tone Poet? The Handy Orchestrator?

@ClassicalNerd 4 жыл бұрын

You'll just have to see!

@vanallensattic4468 6 ай бұрын

You're about my most favorite music historian on the web, But you seem to be missing a point everybody else does, and that is Night on Bald Mt. the Popular Rimsky version which mostly taken from Mussorgsly's Choral Version, in Fair at Sorochinsk. It's basically the same piece , only orchestrated by Rimsky with small editing, even down to the shepards flute song at the end indicative of sunrise which doesn't exist in his original version. The whole plan of the recognised popular version in Disney etc. is all Modest's, with slight editing from the operatic version.

@themajor2072 4 жыл бұрын

It’s sad really, to think that Mussorgsky’s reputation would be completely posthumously annihilated in the eyes of academia as a result of his contemporaries. In many ways he represents what The Mighty Handful was, both in its lofty aspirations and in its abject failures. He cultivated an amateurish style informed by the Russian culture and language around him, just as Balakirev himself aspired for all of Russian art to be, and yet he was so much more committed to this way of living as an artist that even Balakirev could not follow him. He made the other members hypocrites, their condemnation of him was just as narrow minded as the criticisms of men like Tchaikovsky and Rubinstein, and all the more hollow. He contributed more to the unique and original sound of Russian music than the other four combined, and that’s with the “corrections” (a word that, if we’re being honest, effectively means “edited for a Western audience’s sensibilities”) that the others imposed. His failures were the failures of the vision of the Five, his successes represent the truest incarnation of their vision of a uniquely Russian sound free of academic constraint, and it was for being too true to his own Russian soul that he has been unjustly maligned for over a century.

@michaweinst3774 3 жыл бұрын

I consider Mussorgsky to be one of the great musical pioneers of the late 19th century to the early 20th along with Wagner, Liszt, Richard Strauss, Wolf, Mahler and the Second Viennese School.

@karlseminaro7824 4 жыл бұрын

I have found a new composer named André Mathieu. Is it in your list?

@ClassicalNerd 4 жыл бұрын

Duly noted: lentovivace.com/classicalnerd.html Please note that, now that you have five active requests in the pool, I am unable to take any more requests from you until one of them (Khachaturian, Myaskovsky, Glazunov, Moszkowski, or Mathieu) has been produced.

@levicopp3224 2 жыл бұрын

Refer to Ilya Repin's painting of the composer that so memorably captures the ravages and ruinous effects of his alcoholism. Without question Pictures at an Exhibition is the greatest and most monumental Russian piano composition. Rimsky Korsakov's orchestration of the work is brilliant but lacks its rough hewn and genius of the characteristions contained within this magnum opus. Not to speak of the terrifying Baba Yaga and the triumphalism of The Heroic Gate of Kiev

@vanallensattic4468 6 ай бұрын

hello

@seanramsdell4117 4 жыл бұрын

16:13 Is "Samuel Goldenberg und Schmuyle" anti-Semitic?

@ClassicalNerd 4 жыл бұрын

That's a whole can of worms that I didn't dive into (but the resources linked in the description talk about it a little more). The movement itself is pretty tame in that it just evokes traditional Jewish music, and ascertaining the true extra-musical influences largely (as I mentioned in the video) rely on Stasov's interpretations. Add onto this the nature of Hartmann's paintings (which, it can be argued, play into stereotypes) and the general cultural anti-Semitism of the late Russian Empire and you can make a case in either direction, although it's flimsy to equate mere use of Jewish idioms with antisemitic attitudes.

@smashissocool65 Жыл бұрын

Have you ever ran into fantasia before?

@ClassicalNerd Жыл бұрын

I'm assuming you mean the Disney film? I've seen it, once, in my freshman year of college.

@smashissocool65 Жыл бұрын

@@ClassicalNerd huh, i asked that cause it was Mussorgsky themed

@ClassicalNerd Жыл бұрын

Not sure I'd go that far. _Night on Bald Mountain_ is just one of many individual sequences, and it's the only Mussorgsky selection.

@iknowimaysoundgaywhenisayt386 4 жыл бұрын

Can u do Scott joplin

@ClassicalNerd 4 жыл бұрын

You've already requested Joplin: lentovivace.com/classicalnerd.html

@ClassicalNerd 3 жыл бұрын

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mdFjoKdot7G7f5s.html

@DavidA-ps1qr 4 жыл бұрын

Actually, I think Mussorgsky spent a third of his life drunk, a third of his life asleep and a third of his life trying to remember what he was doing when he was drunk !! :-)

@evagrant7907 2 жыл бұрын

DavidA: IDIOTIC POST

@DavidA-ps1qr 2 жыл бұрын

@@evagrant7907 Of course it's idiotic Eva. How else would you be able to understand it?