****Pictures at an Exhibition

by Anna Harwell Celenza

Illustrated by JoAnn E. Kitchel

Reviewed July 29, 2003.
A Talewinds Book (Charlesbridge), Watertown, Massachusetts, 2003.  32 pages.
Available at Sembach Library (E CEL).

Here’s a picture book that includes a CD of classical music in the back.  This book tells the story of the writing of  the musical composition Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky.   The exhibition of the title was a display of work by his friend, Victor Hartmann.  After his death, Mussorgsky was horribly depressed.  The exhibition, followed by a musical tribute to Hartmann’s work, helped him to revive and face the world again.

The book tells the story, with some explanation of the different pictures represented by the music.  It is a story book, only based on fact, so it is shelved with the other picture books rather than in the nonfiction section.  The CD which is included contains both the piano and orchestral versions of the piece.

Copyright © 2003 Sondra Eklund.  All rights reserved.

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