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Bydlo - Ox Cart
The heavy leaden walk of the cattle is heard pulling the cart slowly through the
mud. Again, Hartmann's sketch is lost.
Con mortuis in lingua mortua - With the Dead in the Language of Death
The catacombs leads to a section not directly inspired by a Hartmann painting. It is Mussorgsky's
reflections on the death of his friend.
The Hut On Fowl's Legs (Baba-Yaga)
Hartmann's design was for an ornate clock inspired by the ancient folktale of the Baba Yaga, the witch
who lives in a house on chicken legs.
Mussorgsky's music depicts the witch flying through the air in her mortar in which she grinds human
bones. She flies into a forest, her hut following her on the ground. The music is subdued and menacing.
Then all of a sudden she re-appears, hurtling through the sky, straight into the final piece of music.
It is the Promenade theme again but this time in a purposeful 4/4 time. It
describes the grandness of the gate, with its Slavonic helmet-inspired arch and
a grand bell tower by its side, from which sounds a victorious tolling of bells.
Predictions and Notes
Name__________________________________ Date______________________
Samuel Goldenberg
Roman Catacomb Burial
___________________________________________________________________________
Russian composer and pianist Modest Alcohol Addiction
Mussorgsky is famous for his orchestral
"Pictures at an Exhibition" and opera Boris He toured Russia playing
Godunov, which was later revised by Nikolai piano for singer Darya
Rimsky-Korsakov. Leonova. In 1880 he
resigned from the civil
Early Life of Modest Mussorgsky service. A year later, he suffered fits from
alcohol abuse and was committed to a military
Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881) was born in hospital in St. Petersburg where his portrait
Kraevo, in north Russia, on March 21, the son was painted by Ilya Repin. His operas were not
of a landowner. He studied piano as a child but well received, his drinking increased.
often rebelled against his teachers. At the age
of nine, he brilliantly performed a piano Mussorgsky died on March 28 1881. Although
concerto by composer John Field. he enjoyed some recognition and fame as
composer of opera Boris Godunov and as a
Originally meant for the army, aged 10, he pianist. Most of his work was posthumously
entered the military academy at St Petersburg, published, either revised or completed by
and joined as cadet officer at the Guards Rimsky-Korsakov.
Regiment, however, continued to study music
and composition. His most famous work is 'Pictures at an
Exhibition' which was inspired by a
Balakirev and The Mighty Handful posthumous exhibition of painting by
Mussorgsky's friend Victor Harmann. Each
When he was 18, he began music lessons from piece is a masterpiece of descriptive music.
Mily Balakirev, a fellow member of 'The Five' Originally written for the piano, the work is
(or 'The Mighty Handful'), a 19th-century's best known in Ravel's brilliant orchestral
group of nationalist Russian composers version.
including Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov and Cui.
They were inspired by Mikhail Glinka, the The genius of Modest Mussorgsky was
father of the Russian nationalist tradition in recognized by later composers of the early part
music. Together, 'The Five' created the of the 20th century including Debussy, Ravel
'nationalist' school of Russian music. and Stravinsky.