🇷🇺Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky ： Intermezzo in Classical Style

This piano piece combines the poised writing associated with the Classical style with Mussorgsky’s characteristically unadorned lyricism. Its appeal lies in the clear exchange of phrases and the balance between the melody and its accompanying texture, while a succession of coherent ideas allows the listener to appreciate changes of expression from one passage to the next. In performance, it is important to maintain a steady pulse while preserving the melody’s natural breathing, and to clarify the chords and inner voices in order to bring out a light, transparent sonority. Rather than exaggerating the dynamics, shape them carefully according to the direction of each phrase and its sense of cadence; this brings out both the work’s Classical elegance and its warm humanity.