"Pictures at an Exhibition"

Rebbi,
Apologies, I made a mistake, I loaded my multi player with all three cd's, I got them in the order wrong from what I thought I was listening to, the Bernstein is sonically good, but the Maazel/Cleveland on Telarc is sonically superior to my ears.

If you want the 'best' get an original RCA LP of Reiner and the CSO, an outstanding recording of an outstanding performance. You'll get a feeling for what RCA Living Stereo is all about if you haven't already heard them on a good system. But it may not be as assessible as you wish. I'd bet it would cost a 'bit'. In the alternative find a RCA .5 edition, it is almost as good and should be easier to find and relatively inexpensive. I can't speak to the quality of the SACD/Hybrid reissues.

15 minutes later - I just listened to the Reiner edition on the original CD. Its flat dimensionally - still a great performance but not a demo disc.

Now the good news about something you didn't ask for - demo quality Mussorgsky on the cheap. BUT it is the Stokowski Transcriptions by Jose Sebebrier and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra on Naxos. Try it. Not only a BIG piece, musically speaking it is a break from the Ravel Orchestration.

FWIW.

At RMAF 2007 I heard an incredible transcription for pipe organ of the Pictures At An Exhibition. . . unfortunately I remember neither the label nor the organist. Particularly, The Great Gates Of Kiev was overwhelming both sonically and musically. . . I may have heard it in the Nordost suite amongst other places. If anyone heard it please post the release info. G.

Reference Recordings: Eiji Oue and Minnesota Orchestra

The Maazel/Cleveland version, the Reiner/CSO version on RCA, and the Bernstein/NYPO are all good. I think I probably prefer the Maazel on CD. The two piano versions I like are the Richter recording with BBC (probably considered the classic), and one by Yevgeny Kissin - very well-recorded and excellent musicianship (then again, I am a Kissin fan).

There are organ versions by Asselin (forgot his first name) and someone with a name like Arthur Mills; once upon a time I looked for PAAE on organ and never got around to buying one. I can imagine a good transcription would be fantastic.