In 1874, within three weeks, Modest Mussorgsky composed his piano cycle "Hartmann", which later found worldwide renown under the title "Pictures at an Exhibition". At the time, he had no idea that innumerable musicians would transcribe his work for their instruments. He certainly was not aware of the existence and possibilities of today’s marimba, the playing technique and sound production of which first found its essential development in the 1950’s. It was left up to two specialists in their field, the GERMAN MARIMBA DUO, to adapt the work for two marimbas and to give it a new dimension in sound. The marimba, with its soft, warm palisander wood tone, is exquisitely suited to lend expression to moods, feelings and even to the indescribable contents of paintings. The instrumentation with its possibilities in sound meet up with the touch of genius in the composition, and are presented in a thoroughly unique way by the GERMAN MARIMBA DUO.

Mussorgsky’s piano cycle was inspired by the work of his friend, the architect and painter, Victor Hartmann, who had died a year before. The composer was guided by the demonic and pastoral qualities of Russian folklore in which we find the important and the trivial, good and evil, tragedy and greatest happiness juxtaposed. With this in mind, the GERMAN MARIMBA DUO created a version of "Pictures at an Exhibition" which abducts the listener into a world of Russian music in general and Mussorgsky’s in particular.

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