Alain & Mussorgsky: Organ music

Advantages: Contrasting programme music unified by a recurring theme
Disadvantages: None

...Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky, born in 1839, was one of a group of Russian composers known as The Five, who were dedicated to producing a distinctive Russian style of music. Among Mussorgsky’s closest friends was the archietect and painter, Victor Hartmann. Hartmann died suddenly at the age of only 39. Mussorgsky was devasted by the news of his death. The following year of 1874, he attended an exhibition of his friend’s work. Walking around the exhibition, stopping and gazing at each of the pictures was to inspire Mussorgsky to compose an evocative and masterful tribute to his friend and his aristry. Mussorgsky composed Pictures at Exhibtition as a cycle of Piano pieces illustrating ten of Hartmann’s pictures linked by a recurring theme to show the viewer moving from one painting to another. It was later arranged for the orchestra... Read review

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Advantages: Best of Borodin's compositions
Disadvantages: Extracts only

...Given the quality of his music, it is surprising to note that Alexander Borodin (1833-1887) was never a professional musician. Musical composition for him was more of a hobby. After graduating in medicine and taking up a profession in chemistry. Borodin’s musical output was understandably small since his work was a product of his spare time only. However, despite being only a part time composer Borodin’s work, as you can hear on this CD, was in no way inferior. Born in St. Petersburg, Borodin was part of a small elitist group of Russian composers committed to national patriotism and “truth in music”. The group referred to as “The Five” or the 'The Mighty Handful” also included Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Balakirev and Cui. This CD, “The World of Borodin” released on the Decca label, provides indisputable evidence of Borodin... Read review

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Advantages: A great recording of popular and familiar works with excellent sound and performance values
Disadvantages: Absolutely none whatsoever

...GENERAL HISTORY OF COMPOSER Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky was born in 1839 to a family of land-owners. In 1856 he joined the army where he met Alexander Borodin and César Cui, who introduced him to Mily Balakirev, the teacher of Cui and the future, self-appointed head of the Mighty Five. He resigned in 1858 to pursue a musical career, but the emancipation of the serfs in 1861 forced Mussorgsky to join the civil service, while continuing to composing in his spare time. Mussorgsky was soon linked with the Nationalist Russian School of composers of the "Mighty Five" that included Mily Balakirev following Mihail Glinka, the grandfather of Russian national music, as the "leader" of the group. Others were Cesar Cui, Alexander Borodin and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. During this time Mussorgsky developed his own realistic style, abandoning Western... Read review

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