“Art is not an end in itself, but a means of addressing humanity.” Modest Petrowitsch Mussorgski (1839 - 1881)
This was Mussorgski’s main focus and driving force, the truthful portrayal of human life, and all its trials and tribulations. Browse our sheet music and scores, and explore all the tumultuous highs and lows of Mussorgsky’s music today.
Mussorgsky was born into a wealthy, aristocratic family with a strong military tradition. After finishing his studies at the Cadet School of the Guard in St. Petersburg, Mussorgsky joined the Russian Imperial Guard. He soon gave up his commission to focus on his music. To that end, he held various positions as a civil servant to support his artistic and social development. Having got a taste for it at Cadet School, in his mid-twenties, Mussorgsky had his first issues with alcoholism. After his mother’s death in 1865, he fell into a deep depression which, along with his bohemian lifestyle, saw his alcoholism consume him, which resulted in an inability to work as an artist and composer. Despite the sincere efforts of his friends, particularly Rimsky-Korsakov, his brighter moments became few and far between. He finally succumbed to his vices, and died at the young age of 42.
The fundament of Mussorgsky’s music is realism. Its musical expression is gross, like the truth of life. Mussorgski’s music does not enchant but captivates with its emotional and dramatic charge. With this psychologically penetrating, harsh musical language, Mussorgsky influenced the entire up-and-coming generation of modern composers at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
The high point of Modest Mussorgsky’s artistic output is often viewed as his operas “Boris Godunov” and“ Khovanshchina”, which explore many new ideas, such as their dramatic musical structure, setting of folk texts, grand expressiveness amongst others. Numerous autobiographical elements can also be found in all his dramatic works.
An important part of the Mussorgsky’s work is his 60 songs, which reflect well the tragic nature of his troubled soul. The most famous symphonic works are “A Night on the Bald Mountain” and the cycle “Pictures at an Exhibition”, originally composed for piano, which today is mainly performed in the instrumental arrangement by Maurice Ravel.
Urtext
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401460
Tableaux d'une Exposition
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 659188
Yamashita Edition 1
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 327702
orchestriert von Maurice Ravel
Breitkopf Urtext
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 623224
from "Pictures at an Exhibition"
The Organist's Library
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 971762
In a simple arrangement for piano
Get to Know Classical Masterpieces
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 1215445
for: 5 clarinets (quintet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1667301
Zehn Stücke
for: Piano
Item no.: 287398
Sinfonisches Melodram für Streichorchester
Partitur, Text und Stimmen
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1671134
In Commemoration of Viktor Hartmann. Edited from the autograph
Wiener Urtext Edition
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 125067
For (High) Voice and Piano
for: Voice (high), piano
Score
Item no.: 1652243
EMB Album Series for Piano
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 197515
for: Tenor saxophone [soprano saxophone], piano [organ]
Item no.: 299086
für Viola und Harfe (Klavier)
for: KAMMERMUSIK SONSTIGEBESETZUNGEN GEMISCHTE DUOS
Item no.: 1668156
Neuausgabe in dt./russ. (mit Transliteration)
for: Voice (medium/low), piano
Piano score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 138630