Paul Rissmann, the presenter, had produced some really good graphics for the screen above the orchestra to illustrate his lecture. Indeed they had a warmth of colour about them that was enticing and thoroughly comfortable to watch whilst we listened to the music.
Mussorgsky wrote the music for the piano after the death of a close friend; it’s pretty morbid when explained. Paul Rissmann told us that many years later Maurice Ravel was paid handsomely to orchestrate it. To make a point as to why this was worthwhile, he had Lynda Cochrane, the pianist, play a note and asked her to make it louder - but, of course, the piano cannot do this. But she did start to play the piece Mussorgsky had written originally and then the orchestra joined in, on top as it were.
The alto saxophone player, Joseph Pacewicz, was called forward to talk about and then demonstrate his instrument and then a few minutes later the tuba player, John Whitener, was playing his alongside the conductor.
Bit by bit the Bulgarian conductor, Danail Rachev, led the orchestra through the work on the cue of the presenter and it was far from boring. If only I had been taught music this way, I kept saying to myself.
Mussorgsky must have been barking mad. The movement titles such as Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks, The Gnome, The Hut on Children’s Legs and Baba Yaga give us an idea. Paul Rissmann had scoured Google for some illustrations and once or twice they were just too wacky - but they made the evening just a little less serious. He got that right.
After the interval we heard Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, orchestrated by Ravel, played all the way through by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Entertaining and educational.
Event: Friday 10 December 2010, 7.30pm