Night on Bald Mountain

Inspired by a witches' sabbath, this orchestral tone poem reflects Mussorgsky's early sketches for an opera that evolved over nearly a decade. Initially conceived in the late 1850s, the project transformed from opera to tone poem, influenced by Liszt's works. Completed on St. John's Eve in 1867, it showcases the composer’s innovative approach to orchestration and thematic development, capturing the eerie atmosphere of the original scenario. This piece stands as a significant early example of the Russian tone poem genre.