An evening with
Fazil Say

Bold textures, vivid colours 

Pictures at an Exhibition from 1874 is one of Modest Mussorgsky’s best-known works. Although originally written for piano – as you will hear it this evening – it was only through later orchestrations that the music truly achieved its breakthrough, most notably in Maurice Ravel’s 1922 version. 

Across ten movements, the composer paints ten scenes inspired by a memorial exhibition for his recently deceased friend, the painter and architect Viktor Hartmann – ranging from grotesque sketches and medieval portraits to the grand finale, The Great Gate of Kiev. The movements are linked by musical “Promenades”: brief, recurring interludes that give the listener the sense of wandering through the exhibition itself. 

In Fazil Say’s hands, the work gains a distinctive dramatic intensity and freshness, shaped by his keen ear for colour, rhythm and fine detail. 

Listen to Fazil Say’s recording of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. 

Say’s world 

Fazıl Say is internationally renowned both as a pianist and a composer, and has written a wide range of commissioned works, symphonies and oratorios. After the interval, we enter his characteristic musical world – marked by energy and playful storytelling.  

Through a selection of his own compositions, Say’s ability to build bridges between the classical repertoire and Turkish musical tradition comes clearly to the fore. The programme ranges from the existential Yeni hayat (New Life), via lyrical ballads and musical narratives rooted in Turkish culture and poetry, to Kara Toprak (Black Earth), one of his most popular works. 

The almost cinematic Claros, inspired by the ancient oracles of a sacred site in present-day Turkey, forms a dramatic high point of the evening. From there, Say launches into virtuoso genre play with Jazz Fantasies and Paganini Jazz. 

Concert Programme

Modest Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition 

Interval 

Fazil Say 
Yeni hayat (“New Life”), Piano Suite, Op. 99 
4 Ballads (Nazım, Ses, Kumru) 
Kara Toprak (Black Earth) for piano 
Claros: The Temple of Prophecies (Kehanetler Tapınağı Klaros) 
Jazz Fantasies, Paganini Jazz