Pictures At An Exhibition

I'm really torn about how to rate this one. On one hand, it's fairly decent. It's interesting, but it's also kinda annoying. I'm not sure if this was influential to anybody, but it doesn't really strike me as anything extraordinary. Technical? Yea, for sure, at points, but not really anything crazy that I would want to add it to a list like this.

Yeah this is cool. I think people forget the synth had only just come in. For example, the Beatles first used one for Abbey Road in 1969, so all this was brand new. Of course bands like this wanted to experiment with it, and for audiences, this would have been amazing to see live. I really like it as a funky take on classical music.

stressful

don't like

Was honestly having a good time until the Old Castle when they started messing it all up by sounding like ELP. Blues Variation continues this nonsense. The Curse of Baba Yaga... cannot be sensibly designed for enjoyment. You ever hear a bar band play a cover but in a weird style? I rarely want to listen to classical but in this case, I'd much rather just listen to Mussorgsky. These guys didn't even try tackling Night on Bald Mountain, but I bet you any bar band can nail Float On.

Its a weird one, perhaps a little too weird.

If these were the ideas that Greg Lake brought to the table, I can see why Robert Fripp fired him from King Crimson so early on. This was nonsensical technical noodling. The album starts out all whimsical and wimpy, before the organ starts and things get noisy and chaotic. The horrendous sounds Keith Emerson gets out of the organ will make you want to time travel back to Newcastle in 1971 with a baseball bat so you can go to town on his instrument to stop this being released into the world. 'The Great Gates Of Kiev' is a take on the song that is used as the theme song of Jerry 'The King' Lawler. This got a pop out of me, but this version is tarnished by Lake's irritating vocals and the indulgent middle section that was harsh on the ears. Even as someone who does enjoy a bit of progressive rock, this was hard to listen to.

picks: the sage, blues variation

Not my style of jam bands. Do appreciate the modest attempt.

To give credit where it's due, I like that this album is a normal length. Time and time again I've had to listen to pointless and boring 2+ hour long live albums that are a complete waste of time, but this one being just 38 minutes is really refreshing. However, my praise for this album begins and ends at its length, which isn't even inherently a good thing, it's just a relief compared to most other live albums from this era. It's still just pure instrumental wankery that I don't care about, trying way too hard to be experimental, but in a way that feels so forced, like they went out of their way to try to be innovative and purposefully used unconventional sounds just because it's something different. Experimentation like that pisses me off so much because it's so forced, it's not out of love of making music or wanting to push the boundaries of their sound, it's just trying to be different for the sake of it, and while they definitely succeeded at that, they forgot about the part where the music actually needs to be good.

Generally, I really like ELP, but this album gave me neck pains with the different styles just butted against each other. All the styles were great, but this album needed a lot more editing. 3.5/5

★★½

Album No. 0181 on my list. Emerson, Lake & Palmer is one of these bands that I always wanted to listen to because they have a very good reputation and are considered to be once of these bands whom you should just familiar with. I know they were a progressive rock band, but had no actual knowledge about their music. Hence, I was pretty curious what "Pictures At An Exhibition" hat in store for me. Unfortunately, I have to say, I didn't like the album. I've always had a troubled relationship with the whole progressive rock genre: on the one hand side, Pink Floyd is among my favorite artists of all time, and "The Dark Side Of The Moon" is probably one of my Top 3 all-time favorite albums. "Pictures At An Exhibition" however represents pretty much everything I dislike about the genre. This is certainly ambitious, interesting and one can discern the musical talent of all members of this supergroup. The result is just pretty boring and pretentious. Even with the knowledge that this is an adaption of 19th century orchestral music, I found there was too much doodling and too much boredom to this. Do I get why this is on the list? Certainly. Is this interesting and unique? Definitely. Do I like it? Unfortunately, no. I'll add "Blues Variation" (the coolest song and an interesting variation of the classical original), and "Promenade" to my playlist. In the end, it's a very narrow decision: one or two stars? I think I'll go with the two star rating, in appreciation of the innovativeness and uniqueness. 2/5 stars (generously).

2.5 stars.

Okay this one was really intriguing. It's a live album which can be tough for a first listen, but I can hear how so many other bands were influenced by this. The music is really beautiful and baroque. Too many things going on for someone like me to have words for.

Not for me

Honestly pretty cool stuff but not all for me. I really enjoyed the more cohesive and familiar sounding instrumental sections. Some was definitely on the too experimental side of things but a few were great jazzy songs. More so the gurgling sections and songs felt off and unlistenable for myself but I can appreciate the art and get the appeal that this genre has.

Type of shit I’d listen to if I was a molecule of bacteria or fungus and I was created by some leftover moisture on a computer motherboard. This was a bad listen but weirdly sort of fun, I would never listen to this again intentionally. I know at the time it was probably better and new or whatever but how were people actually cheering to this in a crowd and asking for more at the end hahaha. ‘The sage’ was actually quite good but don’t know if the bar was so low that it made me like it either way that’s my top pick from this album. I’m curious as to who finds these albums and thinks YES, this needs to be on the list, overall a bad listen but a fun experience and a 1 star from me.

If you want to feel anxious, listen to this album. These musicians have chops, but nothing about this album was enjoyable to me.

huh

Popmuzikanten doen de Schilderijententoonstelling van Moessorgski. Een van de vele crossovers tussen pop en klassiek die door de decennia heen het daglicht hebben gezien, van 'In an eighteenth century drawing room' tot 'Mozart versus the rest' van (de voorgangers van) Deep purple. Het publiek gaat los, vooral bij de maffe experimenteersessies, die we ook wel kennen van het andere werk van de heren. Mooie mix van impro, herkenbare composities, virtuoos spel en af en toe wat zang tussendoor.

De band degradeert de Notenkraker tot een 8-bits Super Mario versie. En dan hopen dat het toevoegen van een paar instrumenten het geheel laat rocken....Nope...

Net als het andere album dat we kregen te horen van deze progrockheren, is dit ook wel echt een albumervaring, waar er met name veel gepriegel op toetsen voorbijkomt. Ik kan me het album Tarkus niet echt meer voor de geest halen, behalve dat ik er 4 sterren voor heb gegeven. Ik denk dat ik deze iets waziger vind en af en toe wordt het tempo er vakkundig uitgehaald. Het kan op zich best een goed idee zijn om stijlen te combineren, in dit geval klassiek en progrock, maar ik ben hier niet kapot van.

Quite interesting interpretation of Mussorgsky suite, but a lot of Hammond and Moog, just overwhelming, like “can we get even more prog-rocky than we already are”

Not my favorite album of theirs but it was a good time

Part of me wants to grade this higher, as it's an interesting idea and I feel like we should be rewarding ambition. However, I really didn't enjoy listening to it.

I like prog but this falls short for me. Good ideas but I’d rather to so many other prog records.

This is a creative reimagination but I don't really like it a lot. Two stars.

The orchestral arrangement of Pictures At An Exhibition is one of my favorite pieces of music ever, so I was excited about listening to this. It’s definitely different and certainly a strange choice for a prog rock band, but I had fun with it. I didn’t really care for the added vocals, though. Overall, I’m leaning high 3 here.

It's well done and a cool concept. Very proggy. But the keyboards sound too synthetic. The Moog was revolutionary as technology, but the specific sounds it produces haven't aged well. Nobody hears that sound and thinks "timeless". They think 1971. Compare that to a Hammond organ, which also has a very distinct sound but still gets used because it has warmth. The early Moog just sounds clinical. If the sound was so awesome, people would still be using it. They don't. If this had been done with a piano or regular keyboard, it might get 3 stars from me, maybe even 4? But as it, I will never listen to this again and be glad for it. (It's a shame the Moog messes things up. The beginning of "The Sage" is awful, but the middle is very well done.)

There is no doubt that they are great musicians. And they do something really special. However, it's not my favourite kind of music.

I bet this was a pretty fantastic concert to be at. So much of the music is truly beautiful. I loved the organ opening and the Nutcracker closing. The music was very diverse. I only wish had been a studio recording.

Original review: "I liked “The Sage”, the rest was just psychedelic nonsense and improvised keys. “Nutrocker” was complete junk!! Not for me at all." No change, sorry.

This is something I'd never put on, despite liking some of ELP's other stuff, but mostly because I already love Mussorgsky's original. I really like some parts, I really don't like other parts.

Cool enough, guys be jamming

Quite shit

I like prog but I don't like masturbatory prog. ELP is that type of prog. Too much synth! Having said that, this is also quite an interest experiment on reimagining a classical piece into rock, jazz and psychedelia. Points for daring to make something different.

While I'm in no way qualified to fully enjoy it, I did still enjoy this album and even more so after researching just enough to see the layers even if don't grasp the significance.

Another gem! 5 stars! I love it when the album is so good I have to listen to it multiple times <3 I can't believe how similar some passages of The Sage are to some of the riffs in Dream Theater's A Change Of Season, DT surely had to take inspiration from this album. I also can't believe I didn't find anyone on the internet saying the same thing...

I know im supposed to like this. And maybe I would, but i gave it a go and felt a bit meh

Not the best version of prog rock, pretty hard to stand at times

I’m not a fan of the keyboard as lead instrument so it was overwhelming at times. This is clearly the work of talented musicians and I’d probably love this if the keyboards were guitars instead. Everything from Blues Variation on is fantastic until the keyboard overwhelms the bass and drum work.

Oddly christmas forward with synth? And why does it repeat?

No idea what I expected but I need to listen to more of their non-live stuff. I actually quite enjoyed several tracks.

This is my first Emerson, Lake and Palmer experience. I'm impressed, I feel like they were ahead of their time. They incorporate sounds that reflect what I appreciate out of contemporary prog-rock bands. I think back on my last Yes experience through this generator, and it was missing the spark that made me want to revisit the effort. This recording has that spark. I started to consider the possibility that because this is their interpretation of a Russian masterpiece, that maybe that was the hook of this album and the reason the music has an air of timelessness to it, but the reality of this band is that they recognize the importance of melody and composition. Maybe falling down the ELP rabbit hole made me appreciate this effort more, I'm unsure because I insist it gets better after each listen. 5 or 6 listens later (to the original half hour project) and there are some lulls, some tracks that wouldn't work if not for the rest of the album, but I can't deny how much I enjoy hearing these instruments twist and turn into eachother. This is the type of effort that made me think so many years ago I was a prog-rock kind of person. 4.4/5

These were just sounds... Not music

As a grown up looking back on my instinctive allergy to prog rock as a kid, I think I was right to avoid it. There is no way the young me would have had any tolerance for it even if I had tried. As I’ve matured my already eclectic tastes have progressively (lol) broadened and I have inevitably found myself with an urge to at least scratch the prog itch. To be fair, my dabblings have been largely successful and while I may now have made some shelf space for Yes, King Crimson, Genesis and some others, my only attempt at ELP, which happened to be this album, was proof if it were needed, that I am still capable of despising prog given the right material. This album epitomises all of what I consider to be truly awful about the genre. I might not be much of a classical music fan, but I like it a whole lot better than virtually any rock music that tries to incorporate classicical. I actually have a lot of time for the Hammond organ, but unfortunately, from all the sound settings of which it is capable, Keith Emerson manages to choose all the ones I find irritating. The drums are nicely recorded and the majority of what Carl Palmer plays is decent, so I’m happy to bump up to 2 stars instead of 1, but even the drums piss me off when they get to the unbearable closer. Why anyone thought it was a good idea to resurrect the cringe “foot tapper” version of The Nutcracker, I will never know, but it is a decent way to summarise everything that is wrong with this for me. So, there may still be a vinyl copy of this somewhere in this house. I had a quick look but couldn’t put my hand to it. It’s in a sell/trade box somewhere. I wondered if today’s listen might change my mind enough to decide not to get rid of it, but instead, today’s listen will be my absolute last to Pictures at an Exhibition. If I ever find the vinyl, I might just burn it ceremonially.

No va

Not bad. Felt like it went by quick but I don’t remember much of it. 3/5

Definitely requires multiple listens.

Heard Before? Yes. Notes: - ambition, virtuosity, dynamism. what's not to like? - well, "The Sage" is very dull and kills the momentum. and I've never found him to be a convincing singer. - the goofy Moog sounds haven't aged well. hard to believe they ever sounded less than silly. - the live production is fine, but almost too dynamic. I can live without the crowd noise. - still, I'm happy that for a good two years in the 70s, wanky keyboard players were rockstars before all these albums headed to the dollar bin. Verdict: Impressive on first blush but ultimately hollow and rather cheesy. Easily outdone by any orchestral recording of the pieces they are paying tribute to. Listen Again? Nope, but I've queued up a Harmonium album to remind me that I still love prog.

70’s Rock ⭐️The Great Gates Of Kiev

A lot worse than the fine Tarkus. Why this is here, I'm not sure.

A prog too far for me. The whole rock interpretations of classical pieces thing is so gimmicky. It's like James Last if you also like patchouli and joss sticks.

Experimenteel en wel aardig...

Weird and i loved it. Instrumental. Symphony? Rock? Great.

There's such thing as too much prog..

the original pictures at an exhibition was an entry point into classical music for me, recommended to me by my guitar teacher when i was young. this sucks though, especially when there are other much more fun and imaginative synth adaptations of classical music, wendy carlos' switched-on bach being the obvious choice (and a glaring omission from the list)

They still aren’t winning my over, not a fan of this

Kind of a wild collection of songs. The instrumentation is all over the place but it all comes together and sounds good. Could do without the Nutrocker though.

Honestly not sure what to make of this! Some of it was honestly godawful and I had to skip through, but other parts were really cool. I guess that’s prog for you?!

Je suis rentré à reculons dans l’écoute, encore fâché que cet album a pris la place de mon cher Brain Salad Surgery, mais je dois avouer que c’était quand même bon, mais vraiment pas au niveau de BSS, CE QUI ME REND ENCORE PLUS FÂCHÉ

Let's play classical really fast, people will think we're sophisticated.

I thought it was interesting. This is definitely not my favorite. It is way too prog rock for me and the piano work, while impressive, is just not my style. It was kind of hard to follow what was happening. Everyone here is talented, this just isn't great. Actual rating...2.5. "Nutrocker" was kinda fun tho. Liked Songs: "Promenade, Pt. 1" , "Promenade, Pt. 2" , "The Sage" , "Blues Variation" , "The Hut of Baba Yaga, Pt. 1" , "The Hut of Baba Yaga, Pt. 2" , "Nutrocker"

2.5 Pretentious

interesting sounds but not something im gonna listen to again

Instrumental that tells something without saying something

Sounds like I'm at someone's fucking funeral. Boring shit that shouldn't be on this list. Almost fell asleep listening to it. 3 / 10

dvije petice za redom, je li moguće? da, jer je ovo naprosto nevjerojatno. odlično. možda zato što sam mislio da će bit sranje. elp me uopće nije privlačio, premda ih nisam slušao, činio mi se kao mim bend. a ovo je genijalno, divno. nadam se da su im ostali albumi podjednako dobri

I'm probably more of an ELP fan that most here, but I'd steer folks clear of this one. I'm very skeptical of live albums making this list in general, but this one just shouldn't be in consideration.

WOW

Like Rush but without all the stuff that makes Rush cool

This album succeeded in convincing me I hate not only this band, but the entire prog genre. The Old Castle is the only redeeming feature, but also makes you wonder what would have happened if Emerson was content to tone down all the keyboard noodling. The fact one day I will have to listen to Tarkus will haunt me

I imagine this as a live performance of the score to a movie about robots and zombies.

ok

Impressive musicianship executing a wild concept. It definitely grew on me.

This was quite novel and exciting when it came out in 1971. I played Pictures in a wind ensemble at about the time of this album's release, so I was excited to hear this progressive rock treatment of the piece. It didn't really hold much interest for me at the time, although their musical prowess was undeniable. I saw them once. Their performance was bombastic and not to my liking. It just seems dated and a bit ridiculous now. Too bad. Amazing musicians who could have made more of an impression if they hadn't gone in this direction. But, who am I?

I love how polarizing this is. Personally I found it goofy. Frantic organ power noodling. I understand the term "prog" and I hear it used a lot, but if this is peak prog I don't think I want to stay on the ride. I saw another review talking about boss music - that is kind of how I felt listening. Like I was at the end stage of the game where you're frantically dodging fireballs and hammers and having a full body seizure trying to save the prince(ss). Unrelaxing. ETA Nutrocker isn't bad. Still feels arcade-y.

It’s fine, but it’s very of its time - and The Curse of Baba Yaga does devolve into Ross Geller’s “The Geller Sound”.

I enjoy ELP, but they’re one of those bands that seem to have been an also-ran in the prog scene. Maybe that’s too harsh, because I think they have some great stuff; but listening to this at least I just wasn’t blown away. That’s ok I suppose, I mean they can’t all be zingers. And it’s alright to make constantly good albums that are enjoyable enough in the moment. So I’ll say this is a good example of them being a really good also-ran.

Nah

Extra star for only being £2.49 when initially issued.

I am not a music critic by any means, but I believe this album is effective in its goal. It is very "in-your-face" with its experimentalism and raw technical skill from notable artists of the 70s. I found parts of this album to be harsh to listen to. This is thought-provoking due to the name of the album being "Pictures At An Exhibition." The album evokes the same feeling as being in an art exhibition, where, despite your desire to enter and see the art, your feelings are not accounted for, your previous expectations are not on the mind of the artist, and are effectively moot. I don't know if I will ever listen to this album again, but it did give me some things to think about in a way that no pop culture album ever has. My feelings may not correlate with the original goal of the album, but in a very "death of the author" way, I appreciate this album for being unique and thought-provoking on what art, raw skill, and broad appeal actually mean to the artist and the consumer.

Really proggy live record - I think for a band I don’t know well I’d have preferred the studio versions. Anyway it was fine, the nutcracker at the end was corny.

Some instrumentalist and oragns

good grief.

Not great and a bit dull. Understand the influence of the band but not really for me.

not my favorite. could not take this seriously. sounded very video gamey/UFO takeovery. I liked the the songs the sage, the great gates of Kiev, and nutcracker, but if they weren't in it, I would've given the album a 1 star. peculiar to say the least! 3/10

An unpleasant listen

BEST SONGS: - The Gnome - Blues Variation

It’s impossible to listen to this without imagining a group of long haired musos sitting down with a besuited record exec and saying “Listen man - we’re PROPER musicians - we play CLASSICAL music now”. It’s ok, I guess, with some interesting use of early synthesisers, but it’s not that much more sophisticated than those novelty records with classical pieces played on a Bontempi organ with a disco beat. On the positive side it made me want to go back to listen to Mussorgsky with more conventional arrangements.

I'll search for detailed information about this seminal progressive rock album. Let me search for more specific information about the recording details and production: I now have extensive information about this landmark album. Let me provide you with a comprehensive review. --- ## **In-Depth Review: Emerson, Lake & Palmer – *Pictures At An Exhibition* (1971)** ### **Overview** *Pictures At An Exhibition* represents one of the most audacious experiments in progressive rock history. Recorded live at Newcastle City Hall on March 26, 1971, this album captures ELP's rock reinterpretation of Modest Mussorgsky's 1874 piano suite—a piece originally composed as a memorial walk through an art exhibition by Mussorgsky's deceased friend, painter Viktor Hartmann. What makes this recording remarkable is that it was captured in a single night with no safety net; there was no studio version to fall back on, and the band paid for the production costs themselves to ensure complete creative control . --- ### **Music & Arrangement** **The Core Concept**: ELP adapted only four of Mussorgsky's ten original "pictures" plus the recurring "Promenade" theme that represents the visitor walking between artworks. Rather than a faithful transcription, this is a radical reimagining that transforms 19th-century Romantic piano music into a progressive rock juggernaut. **Keith Emerson's Dominance**: Make no mistake—this is primarily the Keith Emerson show. His arsenal includes the Hammond C3 and L100 organs (the latter subjected to his trademark physical abuse), a Minimoog synthesizer, Clavinet, and most dramatically, the massive pipe organ installed at Newcastle City Hall (built around 1928) . The opening "Promenade" begins with this pipe organ creating a sound so immense it requires serious stereo equipment to fully appreciate . Emerson's approach is characteristically aggressive: he takes Mussorgsky's melodies as launching pads for extended improvisations, keyboard gymnastics, and sonic experimentation that pushes the boundaries of good taste—sometimes intentionally, sometimes not. **Carl Palmer's Orchestral Drumming**: Palmer described this as the most challenging piece he ever played with ELP. Unlike conventional time-keeping, his role here is more akin to a "fourth melodic instrument"—playing in unison with keyboard lines, providing fills, and creating textural percussion rather than laying down a steady beat . On tracks like "The Gnome," his theatrical percussion creates genuine creepiness—what one reviewer described as "the musical twin of Lewis Carroll's *Jabberwocky*" . **Greg Lake's Supporting Role**: This is where the album becomes controversial. Lake functions primarily as bassist and occasional vocalist, with limited opportunities to shine. When he does appear—such as on the original composition "The Sage"—he provides crucial emotional relief from Emerson's assault. --- ### **Lyrics & Themes** The original Mussorgsky suite was programmatic—descriptive music without words. ELP's decision to add lyrics (written by Greg Lake with Richard Fraser) fundamentally alters the work's character: **"Promenade" (Part 2)**: Lake's lyrics transform the walking theme into a vocal ballad, adding a human narrative layer that doesn't exist in the original. **"The Sage"**: An entirely original Lake composition inserted into the suite, featuring medieval-style acoustic guitar and mystical lyrics. It serves as the emotional center of the album—a moment of genuine tenderness that critics consistently cite as one of the record's highest points . **"The Curse of Baba Yaga"**: Original group material that adds narrative drama to the witch's hut sequence. **"The Great Gates of Kiev"**: Lake's lyrics on the finale have divided critics—some find them uplifting and powerful, others strained and overly pompous . The thematic tension here is fascinating: Mussorgsky's original was about mourning and memory—walking through a dead friend's art. ELP's version is about *performance itself*—the audacity of three rock musicians tackling the classical canon. The lyrics reflect this meta-narrative, often feeling more about the experience of playing this music than the original paintings. --- ### **Production & Recording** **The Technical Achievement**: Engineer Eddie Offord captured this on mobile recording equipment with remarkable fidelity for 1971. Greg Lake served as producer, and while some tracks like "The Sage" sit low in the mix, the overall sound quality defies its live origins . **The Pipe Organ**: The Newcastle City Hall instrument adds genuine grandeur that separates this from cheesy "Switched-On Bach" style adaptations. However, legend holds that Emerson had to promise the Musician's Union he wouldn't stick knives in the console—a technique he developed with The Nice . **Live vs. Studio**: The band originally recorded and filmed the suite at London's Lyceum Theatre in December 1970 but were dissatisfied with the results. Palmer called the film "shocking" and noted the absence of Offord's engineering expertise . The Newcastle show was their deliberate second attempt to get it right. **Label Drama**: Atlantic Records initially wanted to release this on their classical imprint rather than their rock label, fearing it wouldn't sell. ELP held out, and after *Tarkus* became a hit, the label relented—though they released it as a budget-priced album on Island's HELP series . --- ### **Historical Significance & Influence** **A Watershed Moment**: This is arguably the first album to fully merge classical music with rock in a live setting—not as a novelty, but as a serious artistic statement. While The Nice (Emerson's previous band) had toyed with classical adaptations, and Procol Harum had recorded live with orchestras, *Pictures* was different: it claimed that three rock musicians could replace an entire orchestra and make the music *more* visceral . **The Gateway Drug Effect**: Countless listeners discovered Mussorgsky through this album. As one reviewer noted, it "made its way into the musical collections of high-school kids... who never heard anything about the classical composer Modest Mussorgsky" . For many, this was entry-level classical music dressed in rock clothing. **The Prog Template**: ELP established a formula here that would influence progressive rock for decades: classical adaptation + original interludes + instrumental virtuosity + conceptual unity. However, it also established the excesses that would eventually doom the genre—self-indulgence, pomposity, and technical display over emotional connection. **The Isle of Wight Legacy**: The suite debuted at the Isle of Wight Festival on August 29, 1970—ELP's second gig ever—where they performed alongside Jimi Hendrix and The Who. They rented two antique cannons loaded with gunpowder to fire during the climax, though they overloaded the charges and "it didn't go as planned" . --- ### **Pros** 1. **Unprecedented Audacity**: The sheer nerve of attempting this—and pulling it off live—is breathtaking. As one reviewer noted, "You need courage and an over-dimensioned ego to attempt recreating a Mussorgsky masterpiece... Emerson, Lake and Palmer have both" . 2. **Emerson at His Peak**: When he's focused, Emerson's keyboard work is genuinely transcendent. The Hammond organ runs on "The Hut of Baba Yaga" represent prog-rock at its most thrilling. 3. **Dynamic Architecture**: The album breathes. The transitions between bombastic instrumental sections and Lake's delicate acoustic moments create genuine dramatic tension. 4. **Historical Importance**: This is essential listening for understanding progressive rock's development. It proved that rock musicians could engage with the classical canon without dumbing it down. 5. **"The Sage"**: Lake's original composition stands as one of ELP's most beautiful moments—a medieval ballad that provides necessary emotional relief. 6. **"The Great Gates of Kiev"**: The finale successfully builds to a genuinely uplifting climax, with Lake's vocals soaring over Emerson's majestic organ. --- ### **Cons** 1. **Severe Imbalance**: This is not a trio effort—it's Emerson plus rhythm section. Lake and Palmer are underutilized, leading to criticisms that ELP was becoming "Emerson's backing band." 2. **Inconsistent Quality**: For every brilliant moment, there's a tedious one. "Blues Variation" degenerates into aimless keyboard noodling that wears out its welcome. "The Old Castle" feels like an exercise rather than a performance. 3. **The "Nutrocker" Problem**: The album closes with a honky-tonk adaptation of Tchaikovsky's *Nutcracker*—an encore piece that undercuts the preceding grandeur. Some find it fun; others find it "embarrassing, trivial, ridiculous" . 4. **Production Limitations**: Despite Offord's skill, 1971 live recording technology couldn't fully capture this music. The Mobile Fidelity remasters reveal details lost in original pressings, but some tracks remain muddy. 5. **Emerson's Excess**: His tendency toward "sound rather than music" (as one critic put it) results in sections where synthesizers produce noise rather than melody. The Moog occasionally hits wrong notes due to power supply issues . 6. **The P-Word**: It's pretentious. Deliberately, gloriously, unapologetically pretentious. As one defender admitted: "It's tasteless, it's ear-destructive... it bleeds white-bred anglophile academic pomposity throughout" . --- ### **Verdict** *Pictures At An Exhibition* is a flawed masterpiece—perhaps the definitive example of progressive rock's simultaneous brilliance and absurdity. It opened doors that allowed countless musicians to explore the classical-rock fusion, while also establishing the excesses that would eventually make prog-rock a target for punk's rejection. Is it faithful to Mussorgsky? No—and that's the point. As one reviewer observed, "covers must not be played like the author did it because it would be a simple copy... the adapter must recreate the whole work adding something of their own inspiration" . Is it consistently great? No. But when it works—as on "The Sage," sections of "Baba Yaga," and "The Great Gates of Kiev"—it achieves a unique synthesis of classical grandeur and rock power that remains thrilling over 50 years later. **Rating**: 4/5 stars—Essential for understanding progressive rock, intermittently brilliant, historically indispensable, and occasionally insufferable. As one critic summarized: "Very, very good live album. Probably the only live album that revolves around a single concept and wasn't already done in the studio" .

ELP often holds the reputation of being one of prog's campiest, most ridiculous bands...and in the case of this, they'd be right. But it's impressive and theatrical and so grand and dramatic that I can't bring myself to hate this. Although I will ask why this is in here and not Brain Salad Surgery or Welcome Back My Friends. There's two ELP records in here and neither one has "Karn Evil 9". What the hell man.

I know this one is going to be a tough sell for most people. I liked it well enough, although I don't think it's their best work by any means. I don't think this album should have been on this list, it's a live album so that's already strike one. But it doesn't really provide anything that you couldn't get on another better album. I like the whole concept of approaching classical music with contemporary instruments and sounds and I suppose that's why this was included. I don't think I'll listen to this one again, maybe down the road sometime. 3/5

This was much more fun and enjoyable to listen to than so many of these supposedly genius albums which are, in fact, nothing but droning drivel.

Fine music, very long and involved.

cool because i thought it would be boring butit wasnt!

A proggy live album. Fuck me with a rusty razor.

Best I can say for this is Saint Etienne *maybe* sampled the intro “We’re gonna give you...” for their own intro to Sound of Water, one of my favourites. Beyond that, WTF England???? This blows!

I'm not the biggest fan of progressive rock anyways, and this one topped the cake of why.

Ambitious idea, but I don't really think Mussorgsky's compositions were improved in any way, nor was this rendition particularly interesting. The original compositions they interpolate into the album are much more inspired. The whole thing kind of feels like a gimmick on which ELP went all-in. Interesting that several rock critics absolutely despised this piece, although it seems to be appreciated by fans and prog rock afficionados. There are definitely some really nice keyboard lines in here, and I don't think it's that grating or pretentious. Perfectly adequate music.

I’d never heard this album before today, and once I finally tracked it down I realised it’s a live, almost entirely keyboard-driven record which straight away wasn’t what I was expecting. The concept is also pretty bizarre: largely instrumental interpretations of a 150-year-old Russian classical piece. Fair play for the ambition, but it all feels very niche. There are moments where it’s catchy and interesting, and I can appreciate what they’re trying to do, but overall this really wasn’t my thing. I enjoyed Blues Variation and Promenade (Part 2), but beyond that it’s a tough, often dull listen. Too much of it blurs into one long stretch of noise where you’re not quite sure what’s happening or when it’s going to end. I get why people rate it as bold and different, but for me there are far better live albums that somehow haven’t made the 1001 list. Favourite track: Blues Variation Least favourite tracks: Most of the album. It all merges into one confusing sprawl Album artwork: Cool album cover, easily one of the highlights

Other ELP albums are way better

nope didn't get this at all.

Was never a big fan of this album

Episkt å å klassiskt å proggigt med lite tidig synt

Jahaja, vet inte riktigt vad jag lyssnade på precis men det var ganska bra ibland men var också lite skönt när det var slut. KUL avslutning! Svag trea.

Tänk ändå att detta kunde ta sig rätt högt upp på topplistorna, vilken tid! Jättekul grej, och visst kittlar syntharna mig lite, men soundet överlag är för platt för att jag verkligen ska svepas med. Var är det mäktiga?

Trots att jag älskar progrock har jag knappt lyssnat på ELP. Det här var ju svinkul! Pretto-britter som tolkar rysk 1800-talskompositör på konserthus är alltid ett lyckat recept. Blir varm i hjärtat av att ett sånt här album kunde hamna långt upp på topplistan 1971. Stark 4a.

Meh

Lite sjukt att dom tar den här plattan från Emerson, Lake & Palmer eller?! Men ah, det mycket trevligt. Älskar hur dom låter. Emerson är ju också stört bra, vilket hjälper till.

stundom mäktigt, mestadels…… ja det bara pågår

För en gångs skull tog jag mig tillfälle. Eller var det snarare så att jag fick tillfälle? Vid närmare granskning syntes mig omständigheterna för dagens albumlyssning oklara. Klart var i alla fall att redaktör Åberg, det vill säga jag, satt fast i en stor förstärkare uppställd på familjens vardagsrumsbord. Inte med skägget, men en sladd från ett par hörlurar av skaplig kvalitet till nämnda förstärkare. Helt kopplad och halvt liggandes visades sig detta bli en upplevelse i stark kontrast med mitt tidigare möte med Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Den gången hittade jag skivan Brain Salad Surgery i min hylla, fick intresset väckt av det galna omslaget, men hann inte lyssna färdigt på första sidan förrän jag panikslaget försiktig lyfte nålen från skivan och bytte till något lugnare (läs: Steely Dan). Den här gången kanske det bara var skjutsen i ljudkvalitet och tryck som fick mig... eller var det bara ett jäkla fett drag?

The idea is cool and there are some bright spots but the problem is the orchestral work is far better and far heavier. So this just feels like a knockoff that doesn’t contribute much.

Energetic, experimental, and phenomenal keyboard playing. This album was a treat to listen to. It was lively but also a but ominous at times but I still loved the shift between those dynamics and made the listening experience special. Also the fact that it was live and transitioned so beautifully. 9/10, Favorite Song: Blues Variation

2/10 This album has a lot going against it. First of all, I do not think live albums should be on this list. Second, this is a progressive rock (opera) adaptation of the titular opera by Mussorgsky, and it's... kind of boring? The prog rock aspects are simultaneously barely there and also painful to listen to. The singing (what little there is) is... fine. It just sounds like a midi version of classical music. Not great.

Artsy and rockish.

There were some parts I really liked and some I really disliked, so I’ll take the average, although I couldn’t bring myself to listen to it a second time; to frenetic and shrill for me.

Overall, an enjoyable listen. Excellent musicianship, good vocals, not too long an album. What keeps it from getting that last star from me is the keyboard/synthesizer. I know it was all the rage in 70's prog, but it's just overpowering too often.

-was expecting a lot from this because i loved Tarkus. this definitely was not Tarkus and kind of underwhelmed me, sounded like a lot of fucking around on keyboards which i know is their specialty but not done nearly as well here -still kinda appreciated some elements. the keyboard fuckery was cool at least -Favorites: The Sage, The Great Gates Of Kiev

Annoyingly listenable given it's clear wankery

Its interesting, electronic piano noodling. I like some of it, but it grates my nerves because it's a bit too experimental for me D:

Interesting and groovy - 2 stars because I won’t be going back to listen probably.

I usually like prog but this was a bit drab

Great to put on and just vibe. My expectations were wrong and I had a blast listening while I painted. The organ sound maybe isn't for everyone, but it sounded great in headphones

Is this meant to be fun? Enjoyable? Sophisticated? Clever? Impressive? An exhillerating display of virtuosity? A great lesson is just because you can doesn't mean you should? It's not even THAT technical is it? I truly never understood who this kind of stuff is meant to be for. There's a crowd going wild, who are you people?! Just listen to classical music, avant-garde experimental music, hard rock, OR do some math homework. But don't try to do them all at once - it just ends up as this tepid psuedo-smart dross.

There a couple of good grooves in this album, but that's as much as I feel like I can say for it. Got bored, DNF'd. 2 stars because it's not actively grating.

Super weird and generally challenging to listen to. Is it fun weird, genius weird, or just “hey look at me I’m being weird” weird? Maybe a little of all three.

This is awful

Horrible. I didn't find anything to enjoy in this album at all. Too clever by half and lacking in any kind of musicality, structure and joy. Awful

wow

I'm biased because I love Pictures an Exhibition in orchestral arrangement, for piano, and for ELP!

This has some of the worst excesses of prog rock on it, especially in some of the first few tracks, but I actually overall enjoyed this...? I am a bit of a sucker for prog-rock anyway, but I found the concept of this as an adaption really interesting, and Nut Rocker ends it on a high. Like I get why some people hate this, but I will gladly listen to it again!

Funky and jazzy I like

This is one for the “I’m glad this exists but probably won’t listen to it again” file

This is fantastically wonderful. I love that the reviews on here describe the record as well if not better than the positive ones. Video game boss villain aliens invading the Catholic Church indeed!!!

Weird

This could be the most potent example of how prog rock is just classical inspired rock. The fact that they were just a trio is so cool too they fill up the space so well. Slight Ben folds five vibes at times. Also adore Greg lake’s voice

I’m imagining that if all the guys were born in the 60s this is the concert we’d be going to in high school and we’d be going so fucking nuts. This is 70s black midi. I don’t think I latched onto any one song but this was an awesome and concise performance to a clearly big audience of ADORING fans. Love it.

Emerson Lake & Palmer were the most pretentious prog rock group, for better or for worse. I don't mind them, but any criticizers of prog rock could just point to ELP and go "god aren't they smarmy and pretentious", and no one could disagree. Anyways. Not a bad album. Synth covers of old classical music sounds good, and it mostly is. But it just kinda exists.

‘Pictures at an Exhibition is an enjoyable live prog-rock opera, reimagining classical music through extraterrestrial funk and virtuosic synthesizer work

Not bad, but I agree with another user, does sound like "boss music" at times. 2.5/5

Litt kaos, men mye kult

Well, instrumentals.

This fucking rules actually

I admired it more than I liked it but it was interesting!

I found it more fun to read about the album than I did to listen to it. Like, it’s a cool concept to revisit a classical Russian composer as a prog rock band, and must have been really fun to record as the band, and to experience as a fan at the time. The live recording aspect of it was distracting for me though, and it might have hit better as a studio recording. The synth was a fun add to a classical cover, but at times ended up reminding me of video game music (clearly not their fault and a matter of future developments of course). But overall happy to have experienced the album, and I feel slightly more pretentious for it! Win win

There's a part of me that wants to like this, but I don't. This album provides a lot of ammunition to anyone who wants to criticize prog rock. This would feel more fun to see live.

Pretentious and annoying to listen to.

Groovy. Though I could have done without the Nutcracker parody.

This is horrible.

I respect it, it's interesting, it's funny (probably not intentionally), it's annoying in parts. I'm glad it exists.

excellent

I wouldn't be surprised if this is what Spinal Tap was directly making fun of. This is basically devoid of all meaning. I like how the audience never claps or makes any noise for thr first 1/2 of the album. And after all, why shouldn't we end our album with a cover of the nutcracker. No one needs to listen to this, especially before they die. High 1.

Honestly I can’t stand this album like it’s basically an Alina invasion and robot invasion sound track I struggled to get through every song and keep interest but maybe it’s just me

This was pretty good for a live album. ELP's performance is great, the music's recorded well and the album captures the feeling of a live show well. I really enjoyed Keith Emerson's keyboard playing in particular. Overall, the album's nothing mind-blowing, but it's good, nonetheless. 3.5/5, but closer to a 3 than a 4.

Not for me. 1/5

Lame, Lame & Lamer. I'm the first guy to ever make this joke. Cheers.

Worst kind of live album. Self indulgent with solos and weird sound effects. Was not a fan.

ugh. it's like if aliens only heard RUSH and though that was how music should be. only redeeming section is the blues song w the organ solo

How much prog is too much prog? Impressive, ridiculous and exhausting (2.5)

I actually quite like them but this kind of sucks. Lsd is likely required

4.7

It might be Prog Rock, but that doesn't mean that it's a good idea to add a Live album to a list of 1001 Albums in ANY reference... With the exception of Classical music and maybe 8 other Live albums (7 which I doubt you put on this 1001 list). Stop adding Live albums!!!

Experimental (derogatory)

Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition is a beautiful melodious and harmonious journey. Sadly none of these words can be applied to this evisceration of a performance. ELP could have done so much better than this unlistenable nonsense.

Meandering prog

Exhibitionist nonsense

Self indulgent prog nonsense. Honestly relieved when we got to the end. Mussorgsky must be turning in his grave. 1*

2.5

I wasn't really feeling this one. There was a bit of fun synth, but it felt lacking in large places.

It is a fine album with a nice idea, but not something I would personally replay. Favourite songs: Blues Variation, The Hut of Baba Yaga (both parts)

I wanted to like this, but I found it so unrelentingly annoying.

Very fun for an instrumental but won’t be back

Another one that I liked more back in the day. Pretty dated at this point.

I enjoyed this but I think I need more time with it to decide if it's something I'd listen to again.

At first, I was excited for a live album again. Then the keyboard and organ kicked in...am I in a video game? Watching a wonky, fever dream wedding from the pews? The British are strange, but this is just...what are we cheering for here? Because now I'm getting Scooby Doo vibes. This is still the first song, too. Please make up your mind. The rest of the album isn't like this...right? It took 2 songs before someone started to sing...I thought this was all the same song wtf. It's foggy out, badly, and The Sage only adds to the Silent Hill vibes right now. This album confuses me and I'm not sure what kind of experience I just had, as you can see above my reactions when they occurred. Not my normal was of reviewing. This was just....strange.

Finally, something interesting! Could've done without the addition of lyrics to well-known themes. Overall, silly and fun to listen to.

This would be better without the vocals but still an awesome listen.

De final boss van progrock, zo voelt dit een beetje. Heel bizar album en eigenlijk onmogelijk om hier een favoriet nummer uit te halen. Onprogrocks duurt het album wel relatief kort; ik denk dat je er met een ruim half uur doorheen bent, maar het voelt soms als jazz, soms als rock, maar ik heb ook zeker wat dikke synths voorbij horen komen! Wel een groot stuk eigenpijperij dit hoor, het is denk ik het meest pretentieuze album dat ik tot nu toe heb gehoord. Bij elk stukje muziek hoor je wel dat ze zichzelf ook heel erg interessant vinden. Het is soms interessant, maar er zijn ook best wel wat stukken waarvan ik denk; is dit muzikaal goed? Nee, maar het is wel heel erg muzikaal. Dus ja; het is knap wat ze doen, maar het zorgt gewoon niet per se voor hele mooie muziek en zeker niet voor een album dat ik vaker wil luisteren. Wel vond ik het interessant om een keer te horen, ik kende deze artiesten niet en je hoort dat hier ontzettend veel over is nagedacht. Ik denk dat ik hierna ff Roxy Dekker of Yves Berendse aanzet om weg te komen van het elitaire muzikale stuk dat ik net heb gehoord. FAVO: The old castle

Far out

rather dates album these days. the studio version is better

I’ve come to the conclusion that I’ve been too generous with my 2’s. If a band had talented musicians, as ELP seems to, or I could see how others could really appreciate them, they got two stars. Ones were reserved for truly obnoxious records I couldn’t get through or I couldn’t see redeeming qualities. You know what? No more. I call bullshit. I don’t care if others love or even like this record. It’s nails-on-chalkboard time for me. Endless indulgent noodling with no lyrics, but when a song started that featured singing, the male lead can’t hold a fucking tune. On top of that, they go for the stupid medieval imagery of the period with tracks called things like “The Gnome.” Gnome thank you. It’s a one.

Not quite sure what to make of this. I don’t really think this works as live album, nor as an adaptation of classical music, nor as a must listen. I can’t say I really disliked it, but it feels kind of cheap and silly in a not so endearing way a lot of the time

Ugh. Prog rock, plus live album, plus "look how high-concept we can be"? UGH. I listened to the whole thing, but at what cost.

I know they’re good but this album isn’t it for me - it’s too neckbeard Jacob collier and not enough epicness and grandeur from what I expect prog rock to be Some cool synth sounds ig And it’s cool how much they could do with 3 instruments

I refuse to listen to 2 hours of this

Very unsure of what I listened to... Apparently it's a live adaptation of a piano suite for a prog rock band. I did appreciate some of the very futuristic aspects of this performance from the 70s, but I can't say I really enjoyed it. There definitely are some interesting tunes, but in terms of appreciation I'd probably listen to the original one.

Some bits were good, a lot of it was just loud, all of it was nerdy af. Liked the general vibe, but it when they start jamming it’s very much separate people mercilessly wailing on their instruments w v little cohesion

A little too chaotic for my taste.....guess I'm just not cut out for that prog-rock lifestyle.

I tried, I really did. This was a little much. Do you think there was one woman in that audience?

the hammond organ on this one goes insane. they were really cutting up on this. Every ELP album tells a story but idk what this one's was...still kinda a jam in sections Top Tracks: Blues Variation, The Great Gates of Kiev

I’m sure this album is top of the list for people that think prog is awful. I played the original piece in several groups as a kid and hearing this was fun. Definitely an interesting listen. I could have done without nutrocker though.

Wtaf?

2.9

I wanted to like it but just didn't.

Some good and some less so.

I have a lot of issues with ELP. There's something false about their sound to me. The keyboard sounds like a cheap casino. The drums never seem to work. The bass sound is odd. The guitar is expressionless. This album is a pretty clear example of all these things. It doesn't hang together either. I'd certainly give it a miss as I didn't enjoy it at all

Какой то непонятный лайв рок группы по русскому композитору, хз как оценивать

Progressive crap.

Definitely an interesting concept and these guys are talented musicians but this mostly falls flat for me. A super pretentious take on classical music that ends up sounding like video game music meets an organ grinder. “Nut rocker” and “the curse of baba yaga” were most interesting.

4/10 It's kind of odd, but this largely feels like novelty to me. And that is weird because they were obviously talented musicians, but performing classical music on synthetic and electric guitar is just naff. Don't know if this is partly because I'm looking back, but I don't think so. Mad to hear the crowd going so crazy for it!

This album grows roots in you. The classical and organ elements provide an anchor to the out-of-this-world keyboard and synth. Some jarring moments that make for interesting bites at you and lead seamlessly into mesmerizing sequences. The extreme pivots make for an addicting experience. Goes by too quick!

I like their music but I’m not a big fan of the albums. Good recording and good variety of stuff represented here though.

I have to be in the mood for prog rock, not sure today was the day for it. Definitely talented musicians and all that, but just not my thing all the time.

I do appreciate the gimmick here but it was t a thing I really liked.

It’s ok. Synth rock?

did not expect a live album was very suprised

Why can’t you just create a prog tag, and I think ELP definitely had better albums than this

My first prog album in what seems like ages. I've owned a copy of this record for years but never put it on the turntable. Let's see what we've got here..... Interesting. It's all over the place, isn't it? Big church organ; prog fiddling and futzing; crazy synth sound effects; a cappella singing; a classical guitar arrangement with vocals; a blues exploration; and on and on. It's a bit of a kitchen sink, this. I did enjoy this record overall. Until. "The Nut Rocker." Good God. You'd think from the explosion of adulation after "The Gates of Kiev" that the audience had just seen Jesus Christ himself descend from heaven. I mean- they LOVED this show. Then one of the ELP's says "You want some more music!?!?!" and they all scream and holler for more. **And the band's response is to play the single lamest song in the history of rock and roll music.** It's just unbearably terrible. "WE'LL DIE IF WE DON'T HEAR MORE ELP!!!!" - "Ok! here you go!" -> *AURAL ABORTION* It's also incredibly funny to think of this huge audience of Geordie's being SO KEEN to see this artsy-fartsy prog band play CLASSICAL MUSIC. What a moment in time this was. THREE STARS

It's becoming more clear to me over time that I am not really a prog rock kind of person. This is no exception. The album improves as it goes, but it is not for me

Never liked ELP - and this album isn't helping. 2.5/5

Another live album. JFC people saw this live? And liked it? Fave track: Nutrocker. Helps that it was the last on the album and had a memorable lick.

Live prog rock stuff. 3/5

A bunch of dorks, playing music very well.

Not bad. I think ELP pulls too much from classical music in their songs for my taste, but overall a decent album. 3/5

Pretty fun album, and I liked it, although in hindsight I can't really recall any details. I'd listen to it again, but it also wasn't super engaging. 3/5

Creative for sure. However the execution was lackluster in parts.

And people wonder why prog gets a bad reputation for being pompous and overblown! The evidence is all here

4.5/10

Has it's moments, but also a bit ridiculous and pretentious.

Interesting Live Album. I cannot say I typically love Live Albums outside of Peter Frampton but this was fun. I have heard a few of their songs before. Very jam bandish.

*Started slow but the last 2/3 of the album was great jazz rock *Impressive that it was live

interesting collection of instrumental songs

Amazing album. I can’t even imagine how sounded in 1971. This album made me feel anxious and nervous at points. Can’t think of many albums that were able to do that while also drawing me in to listen further.

mostly new age jazz with no music

Wow, this was a bit of a challenge. Remember my rule is not to Google anything about an album before reviewing. What I knew about ELP is Fanfare for the Common Man, that they are generally considered prog as hell, and that critics don't often put them near these lists. This is obviously a live album in 1971, from Newcastle, and contains a number (if not all?) of classical covers or at least elements from classical pieces. It's not all as bombastic as you'd think though, parts are quite slow and tender and Greg Lake has always had a sweet voice (see 'I Believe in Father Christmas'). The vocals don't start until Track 3 though. There are some very strange noises at times and musical wizardry but it mostly sounds pretty grand actually. I had a Rush album yesterday and this is better. I was only disappointed that 'The Gnome' wasn't their spin on the Piper at the Gates of Dawn classic. This is definitely not for everybody and with the excess they drift into (and I think they'd get more grander throughout the decade) you can see why a lot of bands started to copy MC5 or the Stooges instead (what 16 year old kids can play this in their garage?)

Never again

ehhhh the name of the band is the best thing here

Sorry Mr. Emerson! The interpretation of Isao Tomita (1975) is much more impressive (if you like to compare Synth - interpretations of Mussorgskij's piano work). Personally I prefer the the version created by Maurice Ravel.

Not my favorite ELP, but fun.

"Nutrocker" was honestly pretty great. Favorite track: Nutrocker

A lot of organ noodling not a lot of songs

Thanks. But yeah, no thanks

A circle jerk of pretentious prog rock. Not bad

Fuck this man.

Nice

Not a fan

3 legends of their instruments come together and make an album I would never want to listen to again.

Did these lads just discover synthesisers that day, or...? Obviously very talented musicians, but the incessant noodling felt like a bit of an assault on my brain. Definitely worse than their Tarkus album that I had already. Hopefully that's all I have to endure from ELP now.

Greg Lake was on fire on this particular day.

Funky stuff. Cool titles Favorite track: Nutrocker

#768. Weird mostly, but still impressive in a way. Probably not something I'd listen to a second time though. 3/5: acceptable.

This is an album by Emerson, Lake & Palmer that mixes original material with a classical composition called Pictures At An Exhibition. Which is quite cool. Another thing that is cool is they did all these songs in one swoop; no breaks. When I get sick, for some reason I just lose interest in listen to music, which is the complete opposite when I'm not sick. So when I fell ill was around the time I heard their previous album (Tarkus,) and maybe thought because I was sick that I didn't like it because of that. But I figured it out, I just don't think I can do with the overzealous amounts of artiness, and I understand even more why punk music sought to get rid of it. Highlight Song/s: The Gnome

This is terrible. I hate giving 1s, but no one should be subjected to this.

161125 14:28 2.5

I usually wouldn't dive immediately into an artist's discography with a live project, but because I am being told to by the 1001 albums to hear before I die challenge, I guess I can bend my own rules a little bit. I am very vaguely familiar with Emerson, Lake, and Palmer as I have heard the band name before but none of their music to my knowledge. In true Prog Rock fashion, this shit gets real weird, maybe I just need to take more acid in my freetime because I don't quite get what makes this so remarkable? It seems like both critics and audiences don't like this album, so why is it seen as "essential listening before you die?" If anything it sounded like a 38 minute warm-up and I honestly wasn't a fan. This is a hard pass in my eyes and I really wish I would have gotten something more meaningful from Emerson, Lake, and Palmer than this wack ass bullshit.

music to play runescape to. i mean this politely

What a load of bollocks.

Not for me. I don’t get the live version. I guess I see how the event is fun but why record there? Both pretentious and stupid in here.

fun!

In my late teens and early twenties I became a passionate record collector. Over a decade I had collected more than 1500 records, mostly from obscure flea markets and the cellars of record stores where the 5$ record crates were stacked. The joy (especially on flea markets) when you found a rare record for a bargain was priceless. But of course, it came with deceptions too. As it was with this record. Knowing ELP as being a progrock supergroup from their hit "Lucky Man" my expectations were high. At this time that thing called "The Internet" was barely available, and computers didn't belong to any household. So my musical knowledge came from a pop encyclopedia, the radio and of course, mixtapes on cassettes we shared with friends. So I couldn't wait to get home and play my new records (luckily, I had bought a few more). The deception was complete, this was nothing like "The Nice", "King Crimson" or "The Crazy World of Arthur Brown", this was, well, utterly synth batshit. Played the record once, put it in my collection and never listened to it again. Until today, and I'm still convinced that the only right thing to do was to throw this album away, instead of keeping it. 1/5

Fine to listen to. Nothing I'd seek out. 2.5

Like most prog of this era, it is cool to listen to and entertaining in spots, but in general wears a bit thin and the vocals are not interesting

Favorite Track: Nutrocker

EL&P live always quite be like: "Oh, look at us and how we manage to jack off our instruments using this massive ten ton synthesizer" But taking that apart, it's wonderful music. 4 stars.

That was unexpectedly Epic.

Fine I guess. Sort of videogame-y, mostly instrumental. Not sure prog-rock is my jam. The concept of a music adaptation of an art exhibit is interesting though.

I generally like prog rock, but there is something quite pretentious about ELP, so i've never really gotten into them and this album doesn't change things.

Weird but just great and partly hilarious!

While I like some prog rock, I'm mostly partial to his sister psychedelia. Some progressive rock is a bit too much like free jazz, in that it's not as much music as it is theory and getting weird with it in practice. Since this is a rock adaptation of a classical piece composed some hundred years before, it's somewhat different to your "regular" prog rock record, also being a live recording, but the prog vibe is strong on this one none the less.

Id listen again truth be told, but there’s definitely better in the genre

Loved this. Interesting throughout, great classical twist and difficult believe it was live

Garbage. Lukewarm noodling garbage, with the bones of some grander music tossed in for an appearance of structure.

I wasn’t sure what to make of this performance until I learned Emerson, Lake & Palmer were reworking Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, a composer I’m not familiar with. The crowd is clearly into it, and I can respect what it must have taken to pull off something this elaborate live. Still, the art-rock theatrics and experimental stretches were off-putting to me—it often felt too artsy and self-indulgent for my taste. Impressive concept, but not a show I’d have wanted to sit through.

I’ll never get this 38 minutes back

ELP were talented but this is pretty bad in both concept and execution

Pretty uneven, I just as often find the synth tones grating as I do neat. It's at its best during the adaptations with fuzzy bass lines and gliding synth passages.

Basically the epitome of everything I don’t like in music — theatrical, noodly, and way too pleased with itself.

Spannender, alter Synthisound, tut weh, wenn man sie zu lange hört :-;

I had a better time than I originally expected. Some hidden jams.

Cool experimental stuff and nice for a live album not excellent though

Was alright, don’t think I’d listen to again

This is so prog. I love it.

wow, i'm a little blown away by this one. i am familiar enough with ELP, but haven't listened to anything beyond a couple of albums and a compilation here and there. this album rules! the live energy adds something great to this recording, and everything on here is super cool. i love the prog treatment of some classical classics. the musicianship is incredible, but that goes without saying. hidden gem!

I don't know. I don't know what Progressive Rock is. I'm gathering that it's Weird. Sage was strong. I liked him singing, he had a nice voice like all the YouTube comments said. The Interludes and Gnome were some bullshit tbh. I think "The Old Castle" into "Blues Variation" will be my model for Progressive Rock. I definitely rocked with parts of it, "Kiev" I took note of. And "Nutrocker" wasn't bad. Hey, you know what, good job Emerson and Lake & Palmer. This felt like I imagine the 70s were supposed to if you were in the headbands and tassels camp. Free spirits. Philosophical wanderers. You know. Druggies.

Not really sure how this adds to the original

Entertaining but not something I'll come back to

Hard to hate, hard to enjoy. Some interesting explorations into symphonic prog rock which bounds about the place with great enthusiasm but never really delivers a clear vision which balled me over.

I can’t give it more than a 3 as I never intend to listen to it again, but I enjoyed it!

Not exactly one to return to

aha ich kenn das stuck?? schön. ahaa jetz prog version devoo. ich kenn sie eher als softies. nöd so al prog dudes. aber das isch fun gad. kennt mer öpis anders vom mussorgsky? jö sie hend text gschriebe. haha und funny synths. yoo 1971?? wasch da füren synth? aha moog wa susch. aber cool. the sage mega schöne gitishit. so hanis mer vorgstellt. aso halt folky. blues variation mega orgeltime (of wie n achtarmiger ein reinorgeln fame). macht no spass. de bass isch meega präsent. nomol promenade mit meh schlagzüg. isch alles instrumental? ha sie als singendi im chopf. huere fun hend die das gmacht. the curse of baby yaga isch rechti kakophonie haha. aha sie singed. the great gates of kiev isch en weeeirde titel?? nutrocker huere fun haha. au blöd aber huere fun. ha etz aber nüt vo dem mega wow gfunde und wirds glaub au nüme lose. guets 3.

ohh funnyyy, nimmtmi wunder wie das wird joo funny tön bis jz aber nanig megaaa mini konfitüre ui chli ahstrengend gad mitem tüdele the sage isch easy herzig! sie liebed ihri piepsigrüsch DUDÄDOO POSTAUTOOO es isch echli much und chli vill "random" sache aber es macht trz na spass, au wenn ich jz nöd megaa "aktiv" lose hahahaha de nutrocker isch ja ultra funny d lüt GÖND AB nöd mega mis aber isch na cool gsi

Decent but not really for me. I appreciate the musicality.

How do you describe an album as "It's a live album of a keyboard-driven progressive rock band covering a 150 year old Russian romantic composer, and it sounds like video game boss music" And then GIVE IT A TWO⭐??? Crazy work.

Finally thought I got a good track so I went to check and see what it was, turns out the album finished and shuffle took me to some Jethro Tull track. This album is shit. 1.5

Dad music couldn’t get into it

Pleasant and forgettable. ★★★

Despite several WTF moments, I enjoyed this a lot. I don’t know if British prog rock ever manifested itself more strongly and unashamedly than this. Great stuff! 4/5

pompous tosh

Two stars for Nutrocker, otherwise I didn’t understand what the hell was going on.

Very good, quite a pivot to have the last one be so jaunty but it was all enjoyable. Best were: The Old Castle The Hut of Baba Yaga, Pt. 1

This is an album that I listened to.

Excellent for a live album.

Good music I was in the wrong mood for.

It’s great but surprising what counted as entertainment back in the 70’s!

I didn't save any specific songs but I can't rate a 2/5. She's gotta be a 3/5.

I guess it’s kind of interesting but I just can’t

Really unenjoyable

Almost a 3