Pictures at an Exhibition: a Reconciliation of Divergent Perceptions About Mussorgsky's Renowned Cycle
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Pictures at an Exhibition: a Reconciliation of Divergent Perceptions about Mussorgsky's Renowned Cycle Item Type text; Electronic Dissertation Authors Nagachevskaya, Svetlana Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 05/10/2021 09:52:06 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/194168 PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION: A RECONCILIATION OF DIVERGENT PERCEPTIONS ABOUT MUSSORGSKY’S RENOWNED CYCLE by Svetlana Nagachevskaya Copyright © Svetlana Nagachevskaya 2009 A Document Submitted to the Faculty of the SCHOOL OF MUSIC In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2009 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Final Examination Committee, we certify that we have read the document prepared by Svetlana Nagachevskaya entitled: Pictures at an Exhibition: a Reconciliation of Divergent Perceptions about Mussorgsky’s Renowned Cycle and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Musical Arts Date: 11/12/2009 Rex A. Woods Date: 11/12/2009 Paula Fan Date: 11/12/2009 Tannis Gibson Final approval and acceptance of this document is contingent upon the candidate’s submission of the final copies of the document to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this document prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the requirement. Date: 11/12/2009 Document Director: Rex A. Woods 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This document has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this document are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgement of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGNED: _____________________________________ Svetlana Nagachevskaya 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It has been my honor, joy and pleasure to be guided through the process of writing this document by my Document Director and Major Advisor, Professor Rex A. Woods. His great knowledge and precise advice has helped me to choose the angle of my research and organize the material in this document. His unique talent for writing and his generous willingness to help me edit the paper have truly enriched and embellished this document. A brilliant scholar, an outstanding musician and pedagogue, Professor Woods has also helped me prepare and present two recitals that are part of the dissertation: an all-Chopin Solo Recital and the Lecture-Recital dedicated to Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. Professor Woods’ belief in me inspired me to take part and become a winner in the Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition in New York City, which resulted in my performance in Carnegie Hall. I would also like to thank Professor Nickolas Zumbro with whom I started the doctoral program. His kind guidance helped me pass the Diagnostic and Comprehensive Examinations, as well as successfully present the Doctoral Qualifying, all-Ravel Solo Recital, and all-Rachmaninoff Ensemble Recital. Under Professor Zumbro’s kind supervision I became the First Prize winner in the Green Valley Annual Piano Competition. I am so very grateful to my committee members: Dr. Fan, Professor Gibson, Dr. Decker, and Dr. Murphy for their precious suggestions on organizing the research material in this document and for their precise and helpful comments upon reading this research paper in its various stages. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Boise State University Professor Kathleen Petersen for her beautiful visual representation of the Gnomus’ “motive of wrath.” Professor Petersen’s artistic talent and professionalism has added a charming touch to this document. My most personal thanks goes to my husband, Andrew A. Maddox who helped me create and format the musical examples using Sibelius, a music notation program. He has also sacrificed his time for proofreading and editing the document. His love, patience, and support have helped me finish writing and working on formatting this document. My final and greatest thanks goes to my parents Irina and Eugene and to my sister Helen who have always supported my professional goals and encouraged my professional growth. Their unconditional love and care gave me strength to go through the doctoral degree program and become an accomplished professional musician. 5 DEDICATION With the greatest honor and sincerest gratitude I would like to dedicate this document to my Major Professor, and Document Director Dr. Rex A. Woods. Thanks to his enormous help and outstanding professionalism this research work was brought to life and accomplished. 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES ....................................................................................10 LIST OF CHARTS ............................................................................................................14 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS .............................................................................................15 ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................................16 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................18 I. RUSSIAN SOCIETY AND CULTURE IN THE 18TH AND 19TH CENTURIES .......23 A. Saint Petersburg: The Great City and Its Children ...................................................23 B. The Nationalistic Movement in Russian Music .......................................................27 C. Mussorgsky and the Abolition Manifesto of 1861 ...................................................33 II. PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION ..................................................................................37 A. Genesis of Pictures at an Exhibition ........................................................................37 B. Western Influence .....................................................................................................40 C. Organization of the Cycle ........................................................................................46 D. Historical Role of Mussorgsky’s Music ...................................................................52 III. RECONCILIATION OF DIVERGENT PERCEPTIONS ..........................................58 Promenade (I) ................................................................................................................58 a. Divergent Perceptions ............................................................................................58 b. Internal Evidence ...................................................................................................61 c. Composer’s Markings ............................................................................................68 1. Gnomus ......................................................................................................................69 a. Divergent Perceptions ............................................................................................69 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS – Continued b. Internal Evidence ...................................................................................................72 c. Composer’s Markings ............................................................................................78 Promenade (II) ...............................................................................................................80 2. Il vecchio castello ......................................................................................................82 a. Divergent Perceptions ............................................................................................82 b. Internal Evidence ...................................................................................................85 c. Composer’s Markings ............................................................................................90 Promenade (III) .............................................................................................................93 3. Tuileries (Dispute d’enfants après jeux) ....................................................................96 a. Divergent Perceptions ............................................................................................96 b. Internal Evidence ...................................................................................................98 c. Composer’s Markings ..........................................................................................101 4. Bydlo ........................................................................................................................104 a. Divergent Perceptions ..........................................................................................104 b. Internal Evidence .................................................................................................107 c. Composer’s Markings ..........................................................................................111