Sample reviews of Lawrence Leonard’s arrangement of ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’.
Reviews by Amazon listeners:
Pictures at an Exhibition was originally written for piano, and later transcribed for orchestra, which is the most heard form of the work. Making a piano concerto out of it combines the lush orchestral strings, stinging brass, piercing percussion and the hugely impressive piano sound that is perfect when enters. More people should hear this work arranged this way.
…should be in every classical lover’s collection
…a fresh take that brings out interesting aspects of the composition that are subdued in the common Ravel orchestration.
Review from Musicweb by Hubert Culot:
Yet another Pictures at an Exhibition, I hear you say! Well, yes, but this is a somewhat different affair for here is (the late) Lawrence Leonard’s rarely heard arrangement for piano and orchestra made in 1977. As a whole it is a quite satisfying compromise … well worth having for a change from Ravel’s ubiquitous version … an unusual, though well worth having arrangement of Pictures at an Exhibition.