IKVA is International Kartinki s Vystavki Association, which is the society formed to promote Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition (= Kartinki s Vystavki, the original Russian title of the work).
At the suggestion of Julian Yu, the arranger of a successful new version of Pictures at an Exhibition, composer, collector and archivist David DeBoor Canfield is herein forming a society to promote this work, which is one of the great masterpieces of 19th-century romantic writing, as well as being a work far in advance of its time. Pictures holds the distinction of being the most-arranged piece of classical music ever composed (there are at least 140 different arrangements of the work), and very likely also the work with the greatest number of distinct recorded performances, which number 619 at present count. The association uses in its name the original (transliterated) Russian title of the work, which is actually best translated, Pictures from an Exhibition. IKVA will, however, use the traditional English translation of the title.
Purposes[]
IKVA has been formed for the following purposes:
- To promote performances and arrangements of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.
- To compile a listing of as many arrangements and distinct recordings as possible.
- To provide its members with sources to obtain unusual or hard-to-find recordings of the work.
- To allow its members to contribute articles about the work, or recordings or performances of it, to share with other members.
- To allow members also to contribute their opinions about their favorite recordings or arrangements of the work.
- In general to provide a forum for the exchange of information and ideas among the membership of the association.
- To provide members with periodic updates on the master list of recordings of various performances of the work.
- To encourage members to be on the lookout for new and/or obscure recordings of Pictures that they can share with other members, and also help build up the master list of existing recordings of the work (available at no charge to all members).
- To eventually record previously unrecorded versions and arrangments of Pictures.
Memberships[]
There are no dues required to join IKVA—the only requirement is an interest in the music of Mussorgsky in general and Pictures at an Exhibition in particular. To subscribe to these newsletters, just send your name and email address to David DeBoor Canfield at davecanfield@sbcglobal.net. David is, by virtue of his initiative, and by his owning the world’s largest collection of recordings of the work, the founder and president of IKVA. Raymond D. Kickbush, retired judge in Valparaiso, Indiana, and long-time collector of recordings of Pictures, is the vice-president. Please forward this email newsletter to anyone you know who might be interested in joining IKVA so that our organization might grow and thrive and better serve its members!