Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" was the piece that marked the end of my life as a violinist. It was one of two pieces that the high school symphony played my sophomore year. I already had a poor experience in symphony up to that point, but having to audition for chairs on "Pictures at an Exhibition" totally unprepared (I focused on the other piece) left a bitter taste in my mouth. In the end, I didn't even show up for the actual performance - I had that much contempt for the whole experience. The piece was just the final nail in the coffin - the one year hiatus from violin lessons probably killed things more than anything else - but the whole experience left me with a bit of grudge against "Pictures at an Exhibition".
However, I think I'm finally able to appreciate "Pictures at an Exhibition" without holding deep feelings of resentment. Almost by fluke, I attended a performance of it last night. This performance was the first time I truly had a deep appreciation and understanding of the structure and inspiration of the piece. It almost makes me wonder if things would've been different if I had a conductor that could've conveyed the power of the piece all those years ago.
Glorious 1080p - I <3 you new TV.
