Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition is not only one of the composer's most enduring works, but also one of the frequently performed and recognizable pieces of classical music, both in its original form for solo piano as well as
Ravel's legendary orchestration. The story, or at least the jist of it, is equally well-known: a stroll (promenade) through an exhibit of highly contrasting paintings. Despite the inherent contrast between the movements, pianist
Davide Cabassi's performance is as dull and gray as the cover art on the CD. Much of his playing is exceedingly rigid and metronomic, a startling trait for a finalist from the
Van Cliburn competition. Even the final movement -- "The Great Gate of Kiev" -- is played without sufficient amounts of grandeur or excitement, leaving listeners largely unsatisfied and unmoved. Tagged on to the end of the program are two works of
Debussy, which, even though they offer even more sumptuous possibilities for performers, comes across as disjointed and sterile. The recorded sound quality of the album doesn't help
Cabassi, either; the volume level is rather quiet and the captured tone of the piano is lacking in depth.