Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic - "Moussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition & Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio Espagnol" (1959) - Columbia Masterworks
Hello Friends,
We're cranking up the Classical again on tonight's Vinyl in the Valley.
And in honor of the Russian National Hockey team being eliminated at the Sochi Olympics earlier this we've got some Russkie favorites on the old the old Поворотный стол.
Modesto Moussorgsky completed his 10-part piano suite, Pictures at an Exhibition, in 1874. In 1922, composer Maurice Ravel arranged Moussorgsky's suite for a full orchestra becoming one of Classical music's most performed and recognizable pieces.
Its a piece of "program music", meaning it musically follows a plot or storyline; in this case, the composer walks through an exhibition of artwork by Russian artist, Viktor Hartmann- essentially making it an early form of the "concept" album like Come Fly With Me, Sgt Peppers or Dark Side of the Moon.
In 1959, Lenny Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic made this recording of Pictures at an Exhibition for Columbia Records. We're not sure where this recording stands in comparison to others but we've got no complaints. Its got a very "modern" feel to it like it could have been the soundtrack to some epic 1950's Cinemascope movie. The melodies are familiar and there's lots of quiet-loud-quiet moments which is always a plus for us!
Rounding out the last 15 or so minutes of Side Two is Bernstein conducting a rousing version of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio Espangnol, a composition in five movements celebrating several Spanish folk melodies. Ole!
Our thoughts go out to the Russian Hockey team! Better luck in four years!
USA! USA! USA!
Update: USA loses to Canada (0-1) and then gets blown out by Finland in the Bronze Medal game (0-5). There was no miracle on ice this time around!
RATING: 4.5 Great Gates of Kiev out of 5
And in honor of the Russian National Hockey team being eliminated at the Sochi Olympics earlier this we've got some Russkie favorites on the old the old Поворотный стол.
Modesto Moussorgsky completed his 10-part piano suite, Pictures at an Exhibition, in 1874. In 1922, composer Maurice Ravel arranged Moussorgsky's suite for a full orchestra becoming one of Classical music's most performed and recognizable pieces.
Its a piece of "program music", meaning it musically follows a plot or storyline; in this case, the composer walks through an exhibition of artwork by Russian artist, Viktor Hartmann- essentially making it an early form of the "concept" album like Come Fly With Me, Sgt Peppers or Dark Side of the Moon.
In 1959, Lenny Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic made this recording of Pictures at an Exhibition for Columbia Records. We're not sure where this recording stands in comparison to others but we've got no complaints. Its got a very "modern" feel to it like it could have been the soundtrack to some epic 1950's Cinemascope movie. The melodies are familiar and there's lots of quiet-loud-quiet moments which is always a plus for us!
Rounding out the last 15 or so minutes of Side Two is Bernstein conducting a rousing version of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio Espangnol, a composition in five movements celebrating several Spanish folk melodies. Ole!
Our thoughts go out to the Russian Hockey team! Better luck in four years!
USA! USA! USA!
Update: USA loses to Canada (0-1) and then gets blown out by Finland in the Bronze Medal game (0-5). There was no miracle on ice this time around!
RATING: 4.5 Great Gates of Kiev out of 5
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