Music for Brass
Pictures at an Exhibition, Promenade – Modeste Moussorgsky
Brass Choir Arrangement – Pictures at an Exhibition, Promenade
General Information
- Year of Composition: 1874
- Duration: c. 1:45
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Price: See Below
Look/Listen
Instrumentation
- B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
- Horn in F I-II-III
- Trombone I-II-III
- Euphonium
- Tuba
- • Alto Sax (optional sub for Horn III)
- Tenor Sax (optional sub for Trombone II)
- Baritone Sax (optional sub for Trombone III)
Purchase Options
Pictures at an Exhibition Promenade brass choir
Program Note
Modeste Moussogsky originally composed Pictures at an Exhibition as a suite for piano in ten movements (plus a Promenade theme that recurs throughout). The suite depicts a tour through a gallery of works by Russian artist Viktor Hartmann, a friend of the composer. Mussorgsky’s suite has long been a showcase for virtuoso pianists, but is probably most famous in its orchestral setting, Maurice Ravel’s 1922 adaptation, widely performed and recorded.
The opening of the suite, Promenade, was intended to depict a gallery visitor beginning their exploration of the artwork. Vladimir Stasov, a Russian critic and contemporary of Mussorgsky’s, wrote of the Promenade theme:
In this piece Mussorgsky depicts himself roving through the exhibition, now leisurely, now briskly in order to come close to a picture that had attracted his attention, and at times sadly, thinking of his departed friend.
This transcription of the first Promenade theme was originally created specifically for a Commencement Brass ensemble, and is perfect for such events. The optional saxophone parts are included to help with any missing horn or trombone parts.