What Vladimir Ashkenazy said about ‘For Viktor’.
Maestro Ashkenazy is an acknowledged expert on Russian music. He has recorded Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition twice and has created his own orchestration of the suite which he has recorded with the Philharmonia Orchestra as well as conducting its performance with other orchestras all over the world. Here's what he said about For Viktor.
May 2009
Sydney
Dear Mr Bolton
I read your book For Viktor. The Story of Mussorgsky's 'Pictures at an Exhibition' with great interest and satisfaction. I think it is very important to try to bring school children to a certain level of appreciation and understanding of what great music of the great composers brings to all of us. I know of numerous examples of how children react being exposed to well presented lessons based on this kind of music and the results are absolutely astounding; apart from the fact that as they grow up they almost never abandon their affection for the serious music, they perform much better in all other subjects of their curriculum than those children who were not exposed to the same musical appreciation program. I know first hand of these examples in many countries - from the U.K. to Russia - having been a part of such programs.
I think your very well presented book on 'Pictures' could be a wonderful item in such a curriculum and I think you should endeavour in presenting it to various educational institutions in your country. I'll be delighted to be of help when needed and send you all my best wishes.
Sincerely
(Signed)
Vladimir Ashkenazy
Other reviews
"This is a dazzling original creative work and I personally am wildly enthusiastic about seeing it produced and staged. It takes the element of the classic Mussorgsky musical suite and develops it into an imaginative literary work which is simply brilliant. Bolton's ability to get inside the head of the composer and bring his dialogue to life is in itself a work of art. Mussorgsky becomes a great character; you feel totally involved with this man as he moves around the gallery. This is a compelling work that I think would richly serve a small theatre performance and travel easily into high schools, universities and the performance circuit."
Bob Harvey,
Mayor, Waitakere City
"Lovers of classical music will know well Mussorgsky’s ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’. In 'For Viktor – The Story of Mussorgsky’s 'Pictures at an Exhibition’' Robert Bolton, takes us on a reader’s journey to the accompaniment of the music. We explore an exhibition of Viktor Hartman’s 'pictures’ through the eyes of his great friend Mussorgsky, who mounted the exhibition after Hartman’s sudden death. Mussorgsky set about describing the pictures in music to memorialize Hartman and here, Bolton attempts to capture Mussorgsky’s thoughts in words, as he shows a friend around the exhibition. A short, well researched work, that will be enjoyed over and over along with Mussorgsky’s wonderful music."
Graeme Beals, PublishMe
For Viktor. The story of Mussorgsky’s ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’
- Paperback
- A5
- 38 pages
- $9.50
