Episode 1

Synopsis

Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Modest Mussorgsky.

He charts the course from Mussorgsky's fledgling, teenage venture onto the musical nursery slopes through his apprentice years with Mily Balakirev, his musical breakthrough with St John's Night on Bald Mountain, and his first stab at operatic realism in The Marriage, to his song cycle The Nursery - somewhat ironically, the first product of his musical maturity.

Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks (Pictures at an Exhibition)
James Crabb, Geir Draugsvoll (accordions)
EMI 5 69705 2 Tr 14

Porte-Enseigne Polka (1852)
Sylvie Carbonel (piano)
Adda 580052 Tr 17

Two early orchestral pieces (1858): Chorus of People in the Temple (Oedipus in Athens); Scherzo in B flat
London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus
Claudio Abbado (conductor)
RCA RD70405 Trs 7, 4

St John's Night on Bald Mountain (1867)
National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine
Theodore Kuchar (conductor)
Naxos 8.555924 Tr 4

The Marriage (1868) - Sc 2
Podkolesin ...... Vladimir Khrulev
Fiokla Ivanovna ...... Ludmilla Kolmakova
USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra
Gennadi Rozhdestvensky (conductor)
Olympia OCD 145 Trs 31-36

The Nursery (1868-72)
Boris Christoff (baritone)
Alexandre Labinsky (piano)
EMI CHS 763025 2 CD 2 Trs 15-21.

Tracklist

Timings are shown from the start of the programme in hours and minutes.

1. --:--

   Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky — Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks (Pictures at an Exhibition)

   Performer: James Crabb, Geir Draugsvoll (accordions)
   Performer: EMI 5 69705 2 Tr 14
   Performer: Porte-Enseigne Polka (1852)
   Performer: Sylvie Carbonel (piano)

   Adda 580052, Tr 17
2. --:--

   Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky — Two early orchestral pieces (1858): Chorus of People in the Temple (Oedipus in Athens); Scherzo in B flat

   Performer: London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus
   Performer: Claudio Abbado (conductor)
   Performer: RCA RD70405 Trs 7, 4
   Performer: St John's Night on Bald Mountain (1867)
   Performer: National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine
   Performer: Theodore Kuchar (conductor)

   Naxos 8.555924, Tr 4
3. --:--

   Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky — The Marriage (1868) - Sc 2

   Performer: Podkolesin ...... Vladimir Khrulev
   Performer: Fiokla Ivanovna ...... Ludmilla Kolmakova
   Performer: USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra
   Performer: Gennadi Rozhdestvensky (conductor)

   Olympia OCD 145, Trs 31-36
4. --:--

   Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky — The Nursery (1868-72)

   Performer: Boris Christoff (baritone)
   Performer: Alexandre Labinsky (piano)

   EMI CHS 763025 2 CD 2, Trs 15-21.

Broadcasts

1. Mon 26 Oct 2009
   12:00
   BBC Radio 3
2. Mon 26 Oct 2009
   22:00
   BBC Radio 3