769
1080
No.1 GNOMUS 1992
|
28 1/4"x 34 1/4" Acrylic on linen A gnome walking awkwardly on crooked, deformed legs. Hartman's gnome is not a very pleasant creature who scurries crablike, and who stops with devastating suddenness. The shadows being thrown in multiple directions follow the creature's unanticipated haphazard movements. The music emphasizes this thru speratic percussion.
686
1080
No. 2: Il Veccio Castello
|
61 1/2" x31 1/2" Acrylic on linen
A Mediaval castle before which stands a singing troubadour seemingly serenades the cathedral of the love song he has given it. A startling contrast to "Gnomus", this picture with its soft pastel coloration. Mussorgsky weaves the legato oboe solo throughout the piece with only soft accompaniment of the wind instruments floating as the mist.
1800
1187
TULERIES: Dispute of the childen after play 1993
|
45" x 73 " Acrylic on linen
An avenue in the garden of the Tuileries, France, with a swarm of children and nurses. The visitor is enchanted by the soft scene as busy children and sharp-eyed nurses enjoy the Tuileries. All is mischief, squeals of merriment. All is sunshine and light shadow. The music races lightly throughout the piece with flute and woodwinds with a clarinet squeal periodically ended with the staccato of a flute.
732
1080
Bydlo 1992
|
47 1/2" x 32" Acrylic on linen
A Polish wagon on enormous wheels drawn by oxen. Patient oxen draw the lumbering awkward cart, its huge wheels proportionately dwarfing all else. As the cart moves forward , it grows suddenly to a great height, the wheels reach the sky as it rumbles and lumbers side to side. The Music begins quietly and at a largo walking speed with a tuba representing the cart. As the cart gets closer to the summit the music crescendos and the astinnatto constant trudge of the bases' rhythm loudly as the cart's wheels touch the sky. Then a steadydecrescendo as the oxen cart travels into the distance.
1695
796
BALET OF CHICKENS IN THEIR SHELLS 1991
|
14 1/2" x 33 1/2" Acrylic on canvas
For a setting of a picturesque scene in the ballet "Tribi, "Mussorgsky bases this movement of the chicks struggle and peck away for freedom. Though the newborn babes, having the initial look at the big world, decides in one startled squawk of a clarinet in dismay it was safer back in the egg. Hartman's sketches refer to a chicken costume design for the ballet. The music is more of a collection of squawks and squeals in a question/answer format as if the chicks were racing competitively to get out of their shells and the end with a shocking trombone trill.
533
1080
No. 6 SAMUEL GOLDENBERG AND SCHMUYLE 1993
|
56" x 26 1/2 " Acrylic on canvas
Two Polish Jews, one rich and on poor. In this celebrated argument Goldenberg's paunchy but rich and overpowering statement roars forth a viewpoint destined to win by sheer weight. In contrast, Schmuyle's mewling , whining opinion is insistent and monotonous provoking another blast from Goldenberg. Now angered by the piteous weakness of Schmuyle's defense. The argument rages by into a deep-bellied bark from Goldenberg. The answer is NO!!Mussorgsky had fun with the argument representing a lightly staccatto trumpet representing whinny Schmuyle and a brash euphonium bass of Goldenberg's weighty replies. All end in a blast of 4 forte separated brass section.
1800
1163
Limoges: The Marketplace 1993
|
25" x 32" Acrylic on linen
Frenchwomen furiously disputing in the marketplace. Bickering and snarling, the razor-tongued battle seethes, developing into a wild brawl as the marketplace erupts. This is an unsafe place! The swirling scene of chaos disappears without interruption into the next picture. A very fast paced vivacci steady 16th notes throughout the piece sometimes woodwinds and other time as trumpets. A steady snare drum is keeping time. Sixteenth notes throughout.
1800
1144
CATACOMBAE 1993
|
30" x 49" Acrylic on linen
Hartmann's picture represented the artist himself looking at the catacombs of Paris by the light of a lantern. Figures of Hartman, the architect Kenel and the guide holding a lamp leads the creative spirit of the departed toward the skulls and addresses them. A pale light radiates from the interior of the skulls, With the dead in a dead language. The music is an eerie up and down glissando of the violins throughout the entire piece.
1207
928
No, 9 THE HUT ON FOW'LS LEGS 1993
|
41" x 24 1/2" Acrylic on linen
Hartman added the ride of Baba Yaga, a legendary Russian witch who flies through the air in the sky in mortar with pestle as paddle .At an artist's ball Hartmann appeared masquerading as Baba Yaga. According to legend, Baba Yaga would fly through the sky swoop down on the earth and rob its bones then streak back into her flight. The Promenade theme leads to the next final picture. The piece begins with whirlwind of trumpets and woodwinds racing up and down the scales crescendos towards the end and gradually slows ritardando crescendo into a sudden pause, then into the Great Gate of Kiev with a loud gong crash.
1243
1140
No. 10 THE GREAT GATE OF KIEV 1993
|
61 1/2" x 78" Acrylic on Canvas
Hartmann's drawing represents his project for a gate in the city of Kiev in the old massive Russian style. He regarded it his finest work, yet the project was called off and no gate was erected. Slavic style columns support the trim arch crowned by a huge head piece. Mussorgsky based this movement by an old Russian church hymn exemplified by ringing chimes resembling church bells into a glorious splendor. This is my favorite. It is the picture that I base all over nine works either through color, line, micro geometric planes or shapes, brush usage, space and non-space, movement and majesty. They all speak of one voice that shouted for the recognition of a great artist. Abrams inscribed above the gate in old Russian text translates, "With all my love to you Victor Hartman, love".
The entire orchestra blares with the theme song throughout the entire piece. It has interludes of the hymn periodically and all crescendos in the end by fortissimo full orchestra and gomgs honoring Hartman's works.Of course his greatest work saved for the last no. 10 'picture' 'The Great Gate of Kiev'
712
1080
PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION by J.L.Abrams artist/composer
|
This show is comprised of 10 visual works created by JLawrence Abrams over a decade. It is the intent of Abrams to translate and transpose Mussorgsky's 10 tonal 'pictures' from his great work "Pictures at an Exhibition" back to artist/architect Victor Hartmann's visual 'pictures' while keeping strict guidelines as to order , composition and subject matter. There is no absolute evidence of any surviving works or reproductions of the exact 10 'pictures' depicted by Mussorgsky, only similarities of certain related subject matter remain. I present to you "Pictures at an Exhibition".
706
1080
Pictures at an Exhibition
|
Page 2
778
1080
Pictures at an exhibition
|
page 3
1691
1080
Pictures at an Exhibition
|
page 4
