PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION

When an artist appropriates another's work with such mastery and respect that you end up believing it's their original creation, well, that's what happens to me with Emerson, Lake & Palmer's live version of Pictures at an Exhibition.

The piece was originally composed by Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky in 1874 as a piano suite in ten movements, plus a recurring and varied theme from Promenade. Inspired by the work of his friend Viktor Hartmann, Mussorgsky created one of his most enduring works.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer began performing their rock version of the suite live in 1970 after Keith Emerson, inspired by an orchestral version, proposed the idea to Greg Lake and Carl Palmer. Both agreed and added their own interpretations to the piece. Although the band first filmed the suite in December 1970 at London's Lyceum Theatre, they were dissatisfied with the result. They opted to re-record the performance at Newcastle Town Hall on March 26, 1971, a venue known for its excellent acoustics and the presence of a pipe organ. The band funded the recording, determined to produce a version that lived up to their vision.

The band's version uses only four of Mussorgsky's original ten movements, along with variations on the Promenade theme. To connect them, the trio composed new sections, fusing classical motifs with blues, hard rock, and synthesizer-driven soundscapes. The result feels like a single, cohesive suite, performed without interruptions. Highlights include Lake's medieval-style acoustic piece "The Sage," Emerson's wild Moog solos and pipe organ interludes, and the powerful finale, "The Great Gates of Kyiv," transformed into an emotional rock anthem with added vocals and stagecraft.

Initially, Greg Lake was hesitant about releasing the album, fearing comparisons to Emerson's previous band, The Nice, and concerned about the commercialization of such a classically inclined work. Atlantic Records struggled to categorize the album (rock or classical) and even considered releasing it on its classical sub-label, Nonesuch. Plans for a budget release were blocked by the label, and the album was shelved. However, following full airplay on New York's WNEW-FM and an avalanche of fan requests, Atlantic finally agreed to release it at full price. The UK price was higher than the band had intended, but demand was strong enough to justify it. They had originally considered a double LP, combining Pictures with the early Trilogy sessions, but decided the suite deserved a space of its own.

Pictures at an Exhibition was originally intended to be the band's debut album, but Greg Lake wanted to shelve it in order to release original material first. Still, this album stands as another great release during ELP's most creative years, between 1970 and 1973, a period in which they released their most iconic works. And with all due respect to the Russian composer, this cover is a knockout: it's bold, explosive, and far better than the original. In my opinion, it's one of the best covers ever made.

That's it. No other band could have pulled it off like ELP.

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