PICTURES AT AN

EXHIBITION
Maurice Ravel-Modest Mussorgsky
 Pictures at an Exhibition
2

Pictures at an Exhibition was written by Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (1839-1881), who was a Russian
composer and one of the group known as "The Five". This work has been orchestrated by many composers,
with the version by Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) being the most famous.
There has been no composer who understood the strengths and weaknesses of the orchestral instruments
better than Ravel, and this orchestration is one of the great achievements in music by capturing the spirit of
the original work and through Ravels insightful choices of instrumental combinations.
This file has only two of the movements and I hope by next year to finish my complete analyses of the
whole work.
The edition I used (by Boosey & Hawkes) is very useful in that it allows us to see the original piano part on
the same page as Ravels orchestration.
 Categories
3

Bowing
Blending of
Balance and
Families
Phrasing

Red arrows
show you
what to Doubling Dovetailing Highlighting
look at

Expression Harmony
Form
Black Markings
arrows
show you
connected
sections
Main Melodic
Tessitura Texture
Sections Linking

Note: Not all categories are utilized in every work

 Promenade
4

There are virtually no added notes from the original piano part to Ravels finished orchestration. Most of
this orchestration is also at the actual tessitura of the original piano part, with the occasional octave
doublings.
Promenade is a wonderful example of how to use the vary the sections of the orchestra to great effect.
u Beginning - solo trumpet.
u Letter 1 - brass section.
u Letter 2 - woodwinds and strings.
u Letter 3 - alternating woodwind and strings with light brass.
u Letter 4 to end tutti
u This use of contrasting sections creates a compelling orchestration that gradually evolves, as opposed to
static sound of utilizing the same instrumentation throughout a single work.
5

Main section

Remember the
layout of an
standard orchestral
score has the horns
above the trumpets Doubling
though they
generally play a The brass section
lower part enters; horn 1 plays
the soprano part
unison with the
Tessitura trumpet, excepting
the eighth notes
Expression markings
Trumpet in C plays
Note the traditional
the melody; note
spacing of the horn
Ravel slurs only the
chord: 1-3-2-4;
eighth notes without
tenuto markings
including the fifth
added that are not
beat as the original
in the piano part
6

Texture

Trumpet solo
returns; 1st horn
plays the alto part
while the 2nd horn
plays the tenor part
(doubled by 3rd Texture
trombone)
The first entry of
strings and
woodwinds; note the
pizzicato in the low
strings and the
addition of the mf
dynamic at Letter 2
 Expression markings

What does this

mean? *
7

Blending of families

Full tutti with

alternating strings
and winds; a classic
orchestration device
to create variety and
color; observe the
pizzicato bass used
to support the winds

* Change to flute
from piccolo
8

Doubling

1st Flute 8va

above the 1st
violins; very
Form bright timbre (this
added octave is
A rare instance of
Ravel adding notes not in the
not in the piano part original)
to his orchestration;
the horns playing
a dominant pedal
flourish; very
typical brass writing
with the added
accents
 Doubling
9
Tutti ending with
the added octave for
the soprano line;
octave doublings in
the winds with an
high F7 for oboe 1!
Note the added
accents.
 Bydlo
10

q Bydlo is an oxcart which is reflected in the gradual crescendo and diminuendo of this movement.
q This movement is a study in the use of a solo instrument (in this case the ungainly tuba) versus full
orchestra; it is also an excellent review in how to effectively accompany a low ranged instrument without
overwhelming the solo or distracting the listener from it.
q Beginning to Letter 38 solo tuba with the bassoons, cello, bass, and harp accompaniment.
q Letter 39 to 41 strings with the melody
q Letter 42 - melody is played by high woodwinds, horns, and high strings; in two octaves as in the original
q Letter 43 to the end- return to the solo tuba with the bassoons, cello, bass, and harp accompaniment.
 Doubling

Bassoons and
contrabassoons
11 doubling the basses
but note the 2nd
bassoons sustained
D flat; adding a
pedal effect
Tessitura

High tuba solo Highlighting

that is normally
performed on the Harp highlighting
smaller tenor tuba the basses; A-F flat
(or euphonium)
pitched in
B flat or in C;
marked pp not p

Expression markings

Muted strings
make a quieter
timbre for
accompaniment;
note the unusual
divisi bass part
12

Expression markings

Note how closely

Ravels markings
match the original
13

Texture

Tuba solo ends and

the woodwinds
enter; note the wide
spacing in the
clarinets and the
gradual crescendo
and adding of
instruments
14

Texture Blending of families

Horns enter playing High point of the

chords movement
The melody is
played by high
woodwinds, horns,
and high strings; in
two octaves (as in
the original) and
observe the fff
dynamic marking
and the sul G
indication
15

Tessitura

Ravel adds
tambourine and
Expression markings
gran cassa (bass
drum); note the Tuba solo re-enters
interesting timpani but now marked
part which acts as a forte not piano
pedal as opposed to
following the actual
bass line
16

Texture

The melody is
finished by the
muted 1st horn and
which other
instrument?* Tessitura

Half the bass section

ends the cue; is it
the inside or outside
players?*

*The bass clarinet

* The inside players

 Norman Ludwin
17
Award-winning composer Norman Ludwin holds a Doctorate in Composition from the Claremont Graduate University, a Masters in
Music from the California State University at Northridge and a B.F.A. degree from The California Institute for the Arts in Valencia.

He has been an instructor in the UCLA Extension Film Music Department since 2001 and at the Professional Musicians Local 47
since 2008; he is also on the faculty of the Cornel School of Contemporary Music.

Ludwin has been active for over forty years in the recording business, both as a bassist and an orchestrator. His recent orchestration
credits include: Jurassic World, Inside Out, Star Trek Into Darkness, Super-8, and John Carter. Ludwins bass playing credits
include work with artists such as Michael Giacchino, John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Thomas Newman, Ron Jones, Danny Elfman,
Chris Young, Jeremy Lubbock, Bruce Broughton, Maurice Jarre, Alan Silvestri, Mark Isham, Charlie Haden, Barbara Streisand,
Roger Kellaway, Darius Brubeck, Van Dyke Parks, Nancy Wilson, and David Foster.

Normans compositions have been performed by a variety of groups worldwide, with recent commissions from the Colburn School
Orchestra de Camera, the Peninsula Symphony, and the California State University at Long Beach. He has written nine books on
orchestration and his music publishing company, Ludwin Music, is the world's largest catalogue of double bass music.

Dr. Ludwin has given master classes and lectures at Northeastern University in Boston, the University of Maryland, Seattle Film
Composers Alliance, Howard University, Bowie State University, Toronto Screen Composers Guild, the Academy of Scoring Arts in
Los Angeles, the San Diego Ravel Group, the Rangsit University in Thailand and at the Ho Chi Minh Conservatory of Music.

Email: lmus@mac.com

Book web-site: www.musicnewapproach.com

 Reviews:
Norman has played in my orchestra since my earliest
scores, and frequently orchestrates for me as well. In his
18
book, he covers the basics of orchestration from the
invaluable point of view of one of Los Angeles' top session
players. Orchestration: A New Approach, with its clear
analysis and numerous examples from the masters, is a
fresh offering of orchestration technique that emphasizes
craft and is enjoyable to read. -Michael Giacchino
(Oscar, Emmy and Grammy winning composer)
My first reaction to Norman Ludwin's orchestration book?
Where was this wonderful aid when I started orchestrating
many years ago? It would have been my constant
companion during those early days when I was learning so
many things the hard way! My good friend, Norman, has
combined his talents as musician, composer, and
orchestrator with his gifted teaching skills to author this
must-have book for every orchestrator. It is extremely
comprehensive, very logical, and best of all, easy to use. I
heartily recommend this book as an essential building
block for a career in orchestrating. Kudos Norman! -
Tim Simonec (Orchestrator of over 80 films for the past
35 years)
Norman Ludwins Orchestration: A New Approach gives
us a learn from the masters guide that focuses attention
on score analysis. The wealth of information it contains
makes it a wonderful course book or supplementary text
for college orchestration classes, depending on how they
are taught. Many studying orchestration independently
will find it an invaluable tutor. The package makes such
excellent use of technology that many older texts seem
quaint by comparison. Ludwin is to be applauded!-
Dr. Anthony Scelba (Anthony Scelba has taught
Orchestration since 1979)
An incredibly well thought out, easy to use, wealth of
information for the curious student or the professional who
needs a sudden moment of clarity. Your Course and
Score Anthology will be kept close at hand when Im
composing. I especially like, The Double Bass Up Close.
Thank you Norman. -Roger Kellaway (Composer,
Pianist, and former Double Bass Player)
This book is amazing, I had no idea of the depth and size
of the study you made. Congrats on this most needed
book!.. -Randy Miller (Orchestrator and composer of
more than 30 film and TV shows)
 NormanWhat an extraordinarily comprehensive
book!!!!!!! Wonderful research on your part.
Congratulations!! -Jeremy Lubbock (Composer, arranger,
19 on hundreds of films for the past 50 years)
Your book is very impressive, very well laid- out and clear
and I particularly like the way you put remarks directly into
the scores, pointing things out....very useful and I imagine a
very good teaching book. -Peter Golub (Composer and
Professor at UCLA)
Recently, I purchased Dr. Norman Ludwin's book
"Orchestration - A New Approach. His superb book,
accompanied by a DVD of orchestral scores and examples,
is thorough, balanced and very organized. He has developed
a unique, understandable, insightful and comprehensive way
of breaking down intricate pieces of music, evidenced
throughout his book and classes, making the presentation of
a very complex subject, far easier to grasp. -Doane Perry
(Session percussionist and drummer with the Jethro Tull
Band)
The content is extremely approachable and thoughtfully
organized and I think it will be of good benefit to our first
year students... I am going to recommend that the students
purchase it as beneficial reading for the unit. -
Dr. Eve Klein (Convener of Music, University of New
England, Australia )
NormanI find it very interesting in the way that you
consistently highlight integral elements of how a particular
voicing, layering or instrumentation achieves its intended or
specific effect -- or the way by which we perceive the
sound. Much appreciated. -Dr. Ronald Sadoff (New York
University Assoc. Professor, Director & Chair Dept. of
Music and Performing Arts)
Dr. Norman Ludwin has combined years of professional
experience as a composer and orchestrator for the film and
television industry, with exhaustive research and
scholarship into a teaching program for orchestration that is
exceptionally informative and genuinely unique. His
creative approach to the subject is both easy to understand
and challenging, and sincerely breathes new life into the
study of the orchestra, and its infinite possibilities. -
Daniel Walker (Dean, Cornel School of Contemporary
Music at Shepherd University)
 In his treatise on orchestration Dr. Ludwin not only
presents an overview of diverse orchestrational approaches
from the masters, but also illuminates the integral
20 relationship between the orchestrations and the
compositions themselves." - John Neufeld (Orchestrator
and instrumentalist in the film industry for over 50 years)

To any one wishing to become a Composer and or

Orchestrator I highly recommend Norman Ludwin's Vol.
One A New Approach. It has been a rewarding experience
reading through the works of so many composers, seeing
and studying the breakdown of their scores to make it easier
to understand what the composer thought was most
important to him. Wishing Norman great success with Vol.
One and Volume Two. -Eddie Karem (Orchestrator for
John Williams)
1A-A FIFTEEN LESSON COURSE
This book and accompanying DVD is a
orchestration course on its own.
Currently part of the curriculum of
many colleges, this book includes
lessons, tutorials, examples, and 20
scores edited for the student of
orchestration.
1B-ANTHOLOGY VOL. I Works by
Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven,
Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov,
Dvorak, Wagner, Berlioz, Brahms,
Ravel, Debussy (2), Mendelssohn, R.
Strauss, Holst, Elgar, Mahler (2),
Stravinsky, and Bartok.
(Print version of the scores from the 1A-A 15 Lesson
Course) (Is printed as two books)
1C-ADVANCED ORCHESTRATION
An in-depth examination of the various
textural levels of an orchestral score
with over 15 musical examples.
Including two analyses of Brahms and
Ravel original piano scores to finished
orchestral scores.
1G-FILM MUSIC Real analyzed film cues available for
purchase! Licensed titles for reprint include selections from:
Psycho, Silverado, Planets of the Apes (Goldsmith), Jaws,
Born on the 4th of July, King Kong (Howard), To Kill a
Mockingbird, Jurassic Park, Road to Perdition, 1941, Pans
Labyrinth, and Lawrence of Arabia.
1D-ANTHOLOGY VOL. II Music
from the 20th and 21st Century-Works
by Stravinsky, Prokofieff, Bartok,
Britten, J. Adams, Ravel, Ginastera,
Copland, Vaughn-Williams, and
Leonard Bernstein.
1E-FOCUS ON THE STRINGS
The string family is the cornerstone of
our modern orchestra. This book
examines the way the masters wrote for
the strings includes points on film
music composition. Composers include
Michael Giacchino, Mahler, Bartok,
Grieg, Mendelssohn and Penderecki.
1F-COMPOSITION: A NEW
APPROACH
Three techniques: Limited Intervals,
Modulating Scales and Writing with
Hexachords. These techniques have
been used by many modern composers
to broaden their harmonic language and
develop a more sophisticated means of
expression.
Books by
Ludwin