M. P. Musorgskij - Pictures at an Exhibition: Piano version in comparison with orchestral version

This bachelor´s thesis presents an analysis of Modest P. Musorgsky´s piano cycle Pictures at an Exhibition. It describes the circumstances of the composition´s creation and the source of its inspiration, namely the pictures and sketches by the artist and architect Viktor Hartmann. The thesis also offers a comparison of the original piano version with the orchestral version by Maurice Ravel and an analysis of style differences between the two composers. Marginally, it refers to orchestrations by several other authors. The analytical part studies in detail the form and character of each piece of Mussorgsky´s composition in comparison with Ravel´s orchestral version. It shows the departures from the original version, variations in tempo and dynamic quality, specific instrumentation and its influence on the character and style of the whole piece