Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition

Primary: Pre-K & K

Day at the Louvre

Nationalism swept over Europe in 1850’s.

Nationalism is a pride in one’s country. Establishing artistic, musical, and literature specific for the certain country without another country’s influences.

Mussorgsky and four other musicians were considered “The Russian Five”

They composed and centered around music specifically for Russia.

Mussorgsky-Russian Nationalism

Artist and architect Victor Hartmann, one of Mussorgsky’s close friends was also a nationalist.

At 39 Hartmann died stunning the entire Russian artistic community.

A memorial exhibit of Hartmann’s work was organized and displayed in 1874.

Under the inspiration of that showing, Mussorgsky conceived of his Pictures at an Exhibition.

Mussorgsky-Pictures at an Exhibition

Originally written for piano, later arranged for full orchestra by Ravel.

Feature 10 movements with a promenade between them.

The entire work is a musical example of Mussorgsky’s thoughts and feelings about going to his friend’s memorial exhibition and looking at his different pictures.

Pictures at an Exhibition

On your visit to an art exhibition, or museum, you might want to casually stroll, looking at all the lovely artwork.

You will “Promenade” until something really interesting catches your eye, then you may walk faster or with a purpose of seeing it closer.

That is when you study the piece of artwork, until you understand it’s story.

Then you will again “Promenade” until you reach another piece of artwork.

Promenade

Jardin des Tuileries is near the Louvre in Paris

Hartmann’s original picture of the children having a dispute in this garden is lost, however this is how the Jardin, garden, looks today.

Tuileries-Dispute Between Children at Play

Form When does the music

change? Are there different

sections to the music? Do the different

sections repeat? How can you draw the

different sections in the order you hear them?

Dynamics Does the music get

louder and softer in some areas than in others?

How can you draw the difference in loud or soft?

Primary’s Task-Listen to the differences in the music…Draw and Dance

Form… Does the Music Change? Are there different

sections in the music?

Yes, one sounds happy the other sounds sad/angry. Do the sections

repeat?Yes, first is sounds happy, then sad/angry, then happy again.

How can you draw the different sections in the order you hear them?

Example of Listening Map…Music-Tuileries, Dispute Between Children at Play.

Hartmann's costume design for the 1871 fantasy ballet Trilby shows dancers enclosed in enormous eggshells, with only their arms, legs and heads protruding.

Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks

Listening Map-Passport Listen to music of

Unhatched chicks and raise hand when music changes.

What do you picture during the different sections of music?

Draw your Listening Map in your Passport

Primary-Ballet of Unhatched Chicks Listening Map

Remember… Represent the music

in your dancing. Always be respectful

and safe with yourself and others while your dancing.

Dance Once the listening

map in your passport is complete, you may now dance like the unhatched chicks.

Dance showing the different sections of music.

Primary-Ballet of Unhatched ChicksDance