Mussorgsky never heard this piece performed in his lifetime, certainly not in this version, the most famous which was compiled by Rimsky-Korsakov from all the various versions Mussorgsky composed. The piece depicts an assembly of witches on the Bare Mountain near Kiev, and is a perpetual whirlwind of terror that lasts until the church bell sounds at dawn. This is a challenging arrangement that will test every player's tonguing and finger dexterity.
