Enthusiasm for
Leopold Stokowski's idiosyncratic arrangements is uncommon nowadays, and purists may reject this recording simply on spotting his name.
Oliver Knussen's peculiar fascination with
Stokowski started in childhood, and his position now seems that of a standard-bearer, eager to rehabilitate his idol and his arrangements for posterity. Appreciation of these versions may be difficult for those who like the polished orchestrations by
Ravel and
Rimsky-Korsakov, or who only take
Mussorgsky's originals straight. Since Pictures at an Exhibition has been arranged many times, one may approach
Stokowski's version with an open mind. However, "Tuileries" and "The Marketplace at Limoges" are missing, due to
Stokowski's misapprehension that
Ravel had composed them. Aside from these inexcusable cuts, Pictures comes off in a grandiose manner, though often too slow and atmospheric. The moody Symphonic Synthesis on "Boris Godunov" is less likely to raise objections, for the liberties
Stokowski takes in the reduction of the opera to a synoptic suite are understandable. The flamboyant Night on Bare Mountain, made famous in Disney's Fantasia, comes off vividly in this recording.
Knussen ably leads the
Cleveland Orchestra through its harrowing passages, making this nightmarish piece the most enjoyable track on the disc. Deutsche Grammophon's soft recorded sound requires a fairly high volume setting.