Pictures of Crimea

Intended as a pair of “remembrances”, Mussorgsky composed these two short works during a visit to Crimea in 1879. Both were originally titled “Near the Southern Shore of Crimea”, but were distinguishable by their subtitles – “su Gkhurzuf by Ayu-Dag” and “Baydarki Capriccio” respectively. Many modern editions have adopted the titles of “On the Southern Shore” and “Near the Southern Shore”, although the second movement is commonly referred to as “Capriccio” as well. The first movement is a solemn processional, while the second is lively and intense. Both have a center section that is inspired by Crimean folk music.