Classical Music in Pictures Music in Pictures    

Lesson 8: Pictures at an Exhibition - The Great Gate of Kiev

by Modest Mussorgsky

Performer: Skidmore College Orchestra

Directions

Study the musical selection for one week.

Over the week:

• Each day, listen to the musical selection.
• Read the synopsis.
• Review the vocabulary terms.
• Read about the composer and practice reciting his or her name and the composition title.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Study the review questions.

Synopsis

Each movement within Modest Mussorgsky's 'Pictures at an Exhibition' reflects a picture. Mussorgsky used music to represent himself wandering the halls of a museum and stopping to look at pictures of gnomes, gardens, and markets. The Great Golden Gates of Kiev are in the city of Kiev, Ukraine. Construction started long ago in 1017 and finished seven years later. The gate was taken apart in the Middle Ages and reconstructed in 1982, although no one truly knows what the original gate looked like. Today the gate serves as a museum. Examine the picture 'Plan for a City Gate in Kiev' by Mussorgsky's good friend, Viktor Hartmann. Victor died at the young age of 39. Saddened by his friend's death, Mussorgsky was inspired to compose Pictures at an Exhibition based on artwork created by Viktor. Many of the images were lost to time, but 'Plan for a City Gate in Kiev' survived. Listen to the music, and look at the drawing. How do they relate? Both are massive and grandiose, perhaps even a bit formidable. Do you hear the bell ringing? We have come to the end of our museum tour, but you are welcome to come back and review the artwork and listen to the music anytime. Just watch out for Baba Yaga!

Vocabulary

Gates: Attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature.
Kiev: The capital city of Ukraine.
Ukraine: A country in western Europe.
Massive: Extremely large, immense.
Grandiose: Impressive or magnificent in appearance or style.

Composer

1. Modest Mussorgsky was born in 1839 in Toropets, Russia. See his picture below.

2. Zoom in and find Mussorgsky's country of birth on the map of Europe below.

3. Mussorgsky's mother was a pianist, and she taught him piano starting at the age of six. He published his first composition at the age of twelve.
4. Mussorgsky went to military school and served in the military and as a civil servant.
5. Mussorgsky suffered from alcoholism induced epilepsy, which eventually claimed his life at the age of 42.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Host Your Own Museum Exhibition

• This week: Listen to the music, and draw, color, or paint a picture of The Great Gate of Kiev. Keep your pictures in a safe place until your exhibition.
• Use your pictures to create your own museum show.
• Fasten the pictures to your walls and promenade around, looking at your art.
• Play 'Pictures at an Exhibition' and invite your family members to peruse your works.

Activity 2: Describe the Music

After listening to the music, describe and discuss what you heard.

Read the list of adjectives. Select those that describe the music or think up additional adjectives.

• Cheerful
• Mournful
• Soft
• Noisy
• Vivacious
• Soothing
• Eerie
• Threatening
• Surreal
• Whimsical
• Rhythmic
• Grand

Activity 3: Study the Painting

Examine the painting paired with the music.

• After you study the painting, narrate the scene shown in the painting aloud using your own words.
• Describe how the painting relates to the music.

Find the following items in the painting:

• Great Gates
• People
• Horse
• Bells
• Painting
• Door

Activity 4: Map the Music

• Study the map of eastern Europe below.
• Find Ukraine in eastern Europe.
• Find the capital city of Kiev (red dot in Ukraine).

Review

Question 1

What is the title of the music?

1 / 4

Answer 1

The title is 'Pictures at an Exhibition - The Great Gate of Kiev.'

1 / 4

Question 2

Who composed the music?

2 / 4

Answer 2

The composer is Modest Mussorgsky.

2 / 4

Question 3

Where are the 'Great Golden Gates?'

3 / 4

Answer 3

The 'Great Golden Gates' are in Kiev, Ukraine

3 / 4

Question 4

What is 'Kiev?'

4 / 4

Answer 4

'Kiev' is the capital city of Ukraine.

4 / 4

❮ ❯

1. What is the title of the music? The title is 'Pictures at an Exhibition - The Great Gate of Kiev.'
2. Who composed the music? The composer is Modest Mussorgsky.
3. Where are the 'Great Golden Gates?' The 'Great Golden Gates' are in Kiev, Ukraine
4. What is 'Kiev?' 'Kiev' is the capital city of Ukraine.

References

'Modest Mussorgsky.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'Pictures at an Exhibition.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.