Markus Stenz conducts *Pictures at an Exhibition*

Markus Stenz stepped down as chief conductor of the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra in 2019. But he is happy to return for a special production like this one. Mussorgsky’s belovedPictures at an Exhibitionis on the program in Ravel’s famous orchestration. Rachmaninoff’sIsle of the Deadand Martin’sSecond Piano Concerto serve as a beautiful framework.

A Musical Tribute
Mussorgsky takes his listeners into a surreal world of gnomes, dancing chicks, and a terrifying fairy-tale witch. He alternates these fantastical explorations with “promenades” based on a single recognizable theme. He drew inspiration from the paintings of a friend who died young, Viktor Hartmann. Thus was born a posthumous musical tribute, which would later conquer the world thanks to Ravel’s orchestration.

"Isleof the Dead"
Mussorgsky came up with the idea for his composition during a visit to a major retrospective exhibition of Hartmann’s work. Rachmaninoff, too, drew inspiration from the visual arts. His"Isle of the Dead"refers to the series of paintings of the same name by the Swiss artist Arnold Böcklin.