Mussorgsky’s “Pictures” on Two Guitars

This morning the Omni Foundation for the Performing Arts, in association with D’Addario, released its latest video. The performers were Duo Kontaxakis-Ivanovich, the partnership of guitarists Michalis Kontaxakis and Dejan Ivanovich. They performed their own transcription for two guitars of the Pictures at an Exhibition suite, originally composed for piano by Modest Mussorgsky.

Duo Kontaxakis-Ivanovich playing “The Great Gate of Kiev” in from of the cathedral “playing the role” of that gate (screen shot from the video being discussed)

Filming took place across an impressively diverse set of locations through the country of Portugal. With the exception of footage of a major cathedral, “playing the role” of “The Great Gate of Kiev,” filming took place in both countryside and seaside. My guess is that this project began by creating the soundtrack in a single recording of the composition from beginning to end. Director Martin Lloyd and Director of Photography Francisco Carvalho then joined forces to select and capture video of each of the venues selected to be associated with of the episodes in the score.

The result could not have been more smoothly polished. Mind you, I would speculate that just about anyone watching this video would already be more than casually familiar with the music. While most of them probably came to “know the score” through the orchestral version created by Maurice Ravel, there is one “Promenade” that Ravel overlooked. Kontaxakis and Ivanovich, however, drew upon the original Mussorgsky version, accounting for it in its entirety.

Those interested in a full account of the details behind this project will be happy to know that YouTube has also created a “Director’s Cut” video, which provides “behind-the-scenes” footage and full artist commentary. My guess is that those drawn to the diversity of venues visited in the making of this video will enjoy the opportunity of a “making of” experience. For my part I am just as impressed that a pair of guitarists could do justice to one of the most finger-busting compositions in the piano repertoire!