Though the first published version of this piece appeared in 1886 it was not until Maurice Ravel created an Orchestral version of Pictures From An Exhibition in 1922 that the world awoke to the magnificence of the work. Originally created to honour a deceased artist friend of Mussorgsky’s by creating musical impressions of his art works at an exhibition the work also represents the composer’s version of Russian national music a cause to which Mussorgsky was dedicated.The music includes translations of the composer’s own comments on each movement in descriptions of the pictures. The Promenade is now frequently used as a processional at weddings.
