Another Night On a Bare Mountain
By marandina
- 5548 reads
Night on a Bare Mountain (aka Night on Bald Mountain) is a series of compositions written by composer Modest Mussorgsky (1839 – 1881). It was only after his death that it was finally performed publically and became known thanks to Rimsky-Korsakov. It achieved world renown through Disney’s movie Fantasia in 1940.
Audio version at https://soundcloud.com/user-62051685/another-night-on-a-bare
Ethereal mist drifts across moss-covered gravestones,
midnight, mordant air alive with pitch-fork static,
bolt lightening zig zags, ire of rancorous Gods,
faded names on tombs visible fleetingly, then gone.
Standing in a circle, palms and faces turned upwards,
dark robes ripple against a fierce, flagitious wind,
this band of sisters summoning elemental forces,
Pagan magic and witchcraft forged from archaic spells.
Bare Mountain fantasia, ornate throne casts shadows,
wrathful witches watch and await their master,
luminescence and moonlight, evil Incarnate called,
a kid borne of Mendes arrives and takes its seat.
Around and around, dancing ever faster, frenetic,
unhallowed heads thrown back, they chant and praise,
faithless acolytes reaching fever pitch, death becomes life,
Satan chooses a maiden to beg its mischievous pleasure.
This is the enchantress’s tale of the unholy Sabbath,
of Russian peasantry and folk stories from Kiev,
a legend of ancient lore captured in composition,
an eternal cycle unbroken, life becomes death.
Mussorgsky – Night on a Bald Mountain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCEDfZgDPS8
Image free to use at WikiCommons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:La_Danse_du_Sabbat_(no_caption).jpg
- Log in to post comments
Comments
Love mordant air and
Love mordant air and rancorous gods - I imagine they all are. Perfect ending. The witch in me approves. :)
- Log in to post comments
My youngest son had Aspergers
My youngest son had Aspergers and was very musical, and I got to know so much more classical music than I had before. He got a weekly children's magazine on different composers and pieces, and I often wondered whether some of the suggestions of what the music was depicting was really that of the composer, and anyway, how many (like me!) enjoyed the music stirring up different emorions, feelings, ideas, stories! I liked exciting, fast music, but also the gentle, soothing. Rhiannon
- Log in to post comments
I did like the music very
I did like the music very much, and other exciting Russian music. Rhiannnon
- Log in to post comments
words
Mussorgsky wrote the (sheet) music I understand this, but it is not clear who wrote the words? I find it upsetting, is it your own story? Can't be Disney, this is not good. And you need a much higher age-rating too. Cheers Paul!
Nolan &
- Log in to post comments
Shadowy images appear to me
Shadowy images appear to me reading your poem and hearing the great music, especially in that fourth stanza.
I loved this poem as a whole, but those lines:-
Ethereal mist drifts across moss-covered gravestones,
midnight mordant air alive with pitch-fork static,
bolt lightening zig zags, ire of rancorous Gods,
visible fleeting, then gone.
A poem I wish I'd written, right up my witchy street, and very stirring to my senses.
Jenny.
- Log in to post comments
I discovered Mussorgsky
because of ELP. Who says rock music is for philistines?
Good poem and anything with 'flagitious' in it is alright with me.
- Log in to post comments
Facebook and Twitter Pick of the Day.
Vivid imagery which sits well with the music which inspired it. For that reason it is our FB and Twitter Pick of the Day. Please do share and/or retweet it too, dear readers.
- Log in to post comments
More classical music writing,
More classical music writing, Paul, I mean bring us more.
This is another piece I love.
Requests? Try The Moldau by Smetana, a big romantic sea/river epic. One of my favourites. That is if you do requests. :-)
- Log in to post comments
I love the idea of you taking
I love the idea of you taking requests - you could be our resident classical music poet! Congratulations on the golden cherries
- Log in to post comments
Hi Paul
Hi Paul
What a great poem. Your use of imagery is excellent. The reader is transported to a very frighening experience.
- Log in to post comments
This is our Poem of the Week
This is our Poem of the Week - Congratulations!
- Log in to post comments
Another poem about another
Another poem about another great piece of classical music, (and Russian again!)! Thanks for reminding me about what it was all about. I think you have done a good job of describing it!
- Log in to post comments
This is so energetic! Have
This is so energetic! Have listened to the (I am guessing) Rimsky Korsakov variation on Spottify, and you have captured the intensity and eeky vibe really well. But it's wonderfully vivid too, all your words seem clear because dissonant (am not sure this is the right adjective) starkly exciting. But much more dark/scary than the sort of comedy spooky films the music tends to go with
- Log in to post comments
who is Mendes? congratualtion
who is Mendes? congratualtion on poem of he week. well deserved.
- Log in to post comments
What a wonderful use of
What a wonderful use of flagitious, M. Well deserved accolades.
- Log in to post comments