An art exhibition in honor of his friend, the painter Victor Hartmann, inspired Mussorgsky to compose his piano cycle in 1874, the idea of which is simple: a kind of 'first-person narrator' wanders through the gallery and looks at 10 paintings in detail. Maurice Ravel orchestrated them for orchestra in 1922. Giulini's performance with the Chicago Symphony is regarded as a reference recording. Prokofiev wrote his first symphony in the middle of World War I. In sound and form, it differs from other works by the composer. No late romantic orchestra, no performance of an hour, but a classical orchestra and only 15 minutes are needed for his Symphony No. 1, written in 1916/17. The Original Source Series features 4-track recordings from the '70s remastered by Emil Berliner Studios using 100% analogue techniques to create the highest possible audio quality. Produced on 180g vinyl by Optimal and housed in deluxe gatefold editions, featuring additional photos and/or recording documentation.
