Pictures at an Exhibition is a live album by English progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer, released in the United Kingdom in November 1971 by Island Records and in the United States in January 1972 by Cotillion Records. It features the group's adaptation of Pictures at an Exhibition, the piano suite by Modest Mussorgsky, performed at Newcastle City Hall on 26 March 1971.

The album concludes with the concert's encore, "Nut Rocker", a rock adaptation of The Nutcracker originally arranged by Kim Fowley and recorded by B. Bumble and the Stingers in 1962.

Pictures at an Exhibition went to number 3 on the UK Albums Chart and number 10 on the US Billboard 200. In 2001, it was reissued as a remastered edition that included a studio version of the piece recorded in 1993.

Background

thumb|Label of a German edition of Pictures at an Exhibition

thumb|Newcastle's City Hall

In February 1971, Emerson, Lake & Palmer finished recording their second studio album Tarkus. They resumed touring in the following month, which began with a UK leg that included a show at Newcastle City Hall, Newcastle on 26 March. The tour's setlist included their arrangement of the classical suite Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky, which had been performed since their live debut in August 1970. Keyboardist Keith Emerson had attended an orchestral performance of the suite several years before, and bought a copy of the score. He pitched the idea of performing the suite to singer/bassist/guitarist Greg Lake and drummer Carl Palmer, who agreed to adapt it. Both members contributed their own arrangements and additions to the suite.

The band had already recorded and filmed a live performance of the piece at the Lyceum Theatre in London, on 9 December 1970, and planned a live album release around August 1971. However, their dissatisfaction with the picture, editing, and audio led to the decision to record another show. Palmer deemed the film "shocking" which lacked any contemporary filming technique, and said the absence of engineer Eddy Offord to control the sound contributed to its substandard quality. The date at Newcastle City Hall was chosen for the new recording, and Palmer recalled the "amazing atmosphere" of the concert.

Release and reception

After the album was recorded Lake was wary that its classical content would make the public compare Emerson, Lake & Palmer to The Nice, and argued against its release before Tarkus. As a compromise Pictures at an Exhibition was to be released at a budget price, but upon learning this Atlantic Records vetoed the idea. The label could not decide whether to promote it as a rock or classical record and at one point, considered putting it out on an associated label, Nonesuch Records, that handled classical releases. Fearing that this would lead to poor sales, the band decided to shelve the work. Palmer said the group received letters from fans expressing their anger at the delay.

Reissues

The album was reissued in 2001 with a new master and a bonus studio version of the suite recorded in 1993 that was released The Return of the Manticore (1993) box set and some pressings of In the Hot Seat (1994). A new remaster was issued in a 2005 Deluxe Edition included the live performance of the suite from the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival. The album was remastered once more in 2016, containing live bonus tracks from the 1972 Mar y Sol Festival (actually only the track "Pictures at an Exhibition (Medley)") and the December 9, 1970 Lyceum Theatre concert (almost the complete show).

Track listing

All music by Modest Mussorgsky, except where noted. All lyrics by Greg Lake and Richard Fraser.

Personnel

Emerson, Lake & Palmer

  • Keith Emerson – Hammond C3 and L100 organ, pipe organ, Moog modular synthesizer, Minimoog, Clavinet
  • Greg Lake – bass guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals
  • Carl Palmer – drums, percussion

Production

  • Greg Lake – producer
  • Eddy Offord – engineer
  • Joseph M. Palmaccio – remastering
  • Keith Emerson – musical arrangement
  • Greg Lake – musical arrangement
  • William Neal – cover design and painting
  • Nigel Marlow – photography
  • Keith Morris – photography

Charts

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

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!scope="col"|Chart (1971-72)

!scope="col"|Peak<br>position

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! scope="row"| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)

| align="center"| 19

|-

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! scope="row"| Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)

| align="center"| 8

|-

|-

! scope="row"|Italian Albums (Musica e Dischi)

| align="center"| 5

|-

!scope="row"|Japanese Albums (Oricon)

| align="center"| 2

|-

|-

|-

|}

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|-

!scope="col"|Chart (2016)

!scope="col"|Peak<br>position

|-

|-

|}

Certifications

References

Sources