This album includes Mussorgsky’s *Pictures at an Exhibition*, inspired by an exhibition of works by his late friend, artist Viktor Hartmann. Mussorgsky’s music walks listeners through each painting, from the grotesque “Gnome” to the majestic “Great Gate of Kiev.” Also featured are *Songs and Dances of Death*, a vocal cycle where Death is personified in various scenes, from lullabies to battlefields. Performed by pianist János Sándor and baritone Erik Saedén, these pieces capture Mussorgsky’s profound expression of human and supernatural themes.
