Search - Alexander Borodin, Aram Khachaturian, Modest Mussorgsky :: Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition

A must-listen "Pictures" from Giulini

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 12/19/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Like most veteran listeners, I own enough versions of "Pictures at an Exhibition" to shy away from yet another, so it was sheer neglect that made me pass up Giulini's 19777 account, especially considering that the Chicago Sym. already had a classic recording under Reiner. However, the two couldn't be more different. In a nutshell, Reiner i about Ravel, Giulini is about Mussorgsky. Instead of the gossamer refinement that Reiner drew from these superb musicians, Giulin is earthy and powerful. In that era he was working with Solti's CSO, and the impact of the brass and winds is stunning.



I know that most people wouldn't associate Giulini with such an aggressive approach. True, not every scene is played for visceral excitement, but many are, and the forcefulness of Baba Yaga and the Great Gate of Kiev is staggering. This isn't a first-choice "Pictures" for those who want refined picture-painting, yet in its own way it demands to be heard."