Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Prokofiev: Sarcasms

Steven Osborne is one of the finest pianists recording today. His recent release of Rachmaninov's Preludes was critically acclaimed as the greatest modern version since Ashkenazy. Now he turns to further cornerstones of the Russian repertoire with this recording of Mussorgsky's Pictures from an Exhibition (a work that has been in Osborne's concert repertoire for many years), coupled with two sets of Prokofiev's miniatures. Mussorgsky's masterpiece is one of the most popular programmatic works of the 19th century as well as a great pianistic challenge. Prokofiev's delightful Sarcasms and Visions fugitives are performed with Osborne's subtle, yet brilliant use of color, exploring moods ranging from the mystical to the grotesque.