Pictures at an Exhibition

An extraordinarily inspirational and fun presentation was from Emerson, Lake and Palmer, when in fall of 1977 they outrageously thought that they could take the show on tour with a 70 piece orchestra. After only a few weeks, they realized the folly of such expense and had to dismiss the orchestra. All were heartbroken as so much fun had been in in the offing, that the orchestra, virtually to the last person said, it's OK... You don't have to pay us. We just want to show to go on! Alas, this was impermissible under union rules, but certainly indicated the enthusiasm for the project. And who knew there were lyrics? Greg Lake, that's who. (He wrote them). This, to me, is truly goodly, spiritually speaking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jO4lEEigeeo

What a fabulous piece of music and a fabulous piece of orchestration by Ravel ! I agree with the assessment of the version with The Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Kubelik conducting.  it is a great MONO recording on the Mercury label. I performed it many times as an orchestral musician.  I even had the privilege to perform it with Leopold Stokowski in HIS orchestration of the piece. It was good, but nowhere near as good as Ravel's original version.  One of the great features of the CSO/Kubelik recording is the "Bydlo" movement.  It is meant to depict a slow-moving 2 wheeled cart pulled by oxen.  The solo voice is scored for solo tuba.  It is supposed to sound slow and laboured.  Kubelik called upon the CSO's superb tuba soloist, Arnold Jacobs to perform it on a smaller than usual tuba in the key of "F" with great effect !   Many times today, it is performed on a "tenor tuba" or euphonium to make it far easier to perform but it loses the heavy, laboured character that was originally intended.  I studied with Mr. Jacobs for a bit and he thought it was just another day on the job !  What an orchestra !!

FWIW, I just listened to some of my Mussorgsky's piano versions of 'Pictures' and clearly I overlooked Kissin's recording made early i his career. My mistake, I think. I like it quite a bit and recommend it. Pretty good recording too.

@chayro perhaps I missed it but who is the Pianist on the recording you praised in the OP?

@rvpiano recommendation is excellent.  I usually play the Richter Sofia recording that was mentioned upthread, but it does suffer from cramped mono sound and sounds like it was recorded in a TB sanitarium.  Richter is incandescent however- Bydlo in particular-and it’s one of those special musical moments where you just have to put up with the sound.  Katia is my modern go to.  Byron Janis is a very good recording from the early stereo era

@mahler123 - you didn’t miss it because I didn’t say. It’s Denes Varjon. And I just ordered the Yamashita guitar version on CD. Should be interesting. My vinyl version is Lorin Hollander, but I think I only listened to it once because I am waiting for a new cartridge.