Editing Boris Godunov (opera) (section)

===Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov (1908)===
In the spring of 1906, Rimsky-Korsakov revised and orchestrated several passages omitted in the 1896 revision:<ref>Rimsky-Korsakov (1923: p. 421)</ref>
#"Pimen's story of Tsars Ivan and Fyodor" (Cell Scene)
#"Over the map of the Muscovite land" (Terem Scene)
#"The story of the parrot" (Terem Scene)
#"The chiming clock" (Terem Scene)
#"The scene of the False Dmitriy with Rangoni at the fountain" (Fountain Scene)
#"The False Dmitriy's soliloquy after the Polonaise" (Fountain Scene)
[[File:Chaliapin Godunov 1912.jpg|thumb|175px|[[Feodor Chaliapin|Fyodor Shalyapin]] was a powerful exponent of the Rimsky-Korsakov version, which launched ''Boris Godunov'' abroad. Portrait by [[Aleksandr Golovin (artist)|Aleksandr Golovin]] (1912).]]
Rimsky-Korsakov compiled a new edition in 1908, this time restoring the cuts, and making some significant changes:
* He omitted the end of the Novodievichy Scene, so that it ends with the Pilgrims' Chorus. (As does the 1874 vocal score.)
* He added some music to the Coronation Scene, because producer [[Sergei Diaghilev|Sergey Dyagilev]] wanted more stage spectacle for the Paris premiere. The additions are a 40 bar insert placed before Boris's monologue, and a 16 bar insert following it, both of which are based on the bell motifs that open the scene and on the "Slava" theme.
* He altered the dynamics of the end of the Inn Scene, making the conclusion loud and bombastic, perhaps because he was dissatisfied that all of Mussorgsky's scenes with the exception of the Coronation Scene end quietly.
* He similarly altered the conclusion of the Fountain Scene, replacing Mussorgsky's quiet moonlit trio with a grand peroration combining the 6 note descending theme that opens the scene, the 5 note rhythmic figure that opens the Polonaise, and the lusty cries of "Vivat!" that close the Polonaise.

These revisions clearly went beyond mere reorchestration. He made substantial modifications to harmony, melody, dynamics, etc., even changing the order of scenes.

{{blockquote|"Maybe Rimsky-Korsakov's harmonies are softer and more natural, his part-writing better, his scoring more skillful; but the result is not Mussorgsky, nor what Mussorgsky aimed at. The genuine music, with all its shortcomings, was more appropriate. I regret the genuine ''Boris'', and feel that should it ever be revived on the stage of the Mariinskiy Theatre, it is desirable that it should be in the original."<ref>Calvocoressi (1956: pp. 216–217)</ref>|César Cui, in an article in ''Novosti'', 1899}}

{{blockquote|"Besides re-scoring ''Boris'' and correcting harmonies in it (which was quite justifiable), he introduced in it many arbitrary alterations, which disfigured the music. He also spoilt the opera by changing the order of scenes."<ref name="Calvocoressi 1956: p. 216" />|Miliy Balakirev, letter to Calvocoressi, 25 July 1906}}

Rimsky-Korsakov immediately came under fire from some critics for altering ''Boris'', particularly in France, where his revision was introduced. The defense usually made by his supporters was that without his ministrations, Mussorgsky's opera would have faded from the repertory due to difficulty in appreciating his raw and uncompromising idiom. Therefore, Rimsky-Korsakov was justified in making improvements to keep the work alive and increase the public's awareness of Mussorgsky's melodic and dramatic genius.

{{blockquote|"I remained inexpressibly pleased with my revision and orchestration of ''Boris Godunov'', heard by me for the first time with a large orchestra. Moussorgsky's violent admirers frowned a bit, regretting something... But having arranged the new revision of ''Boris Godunov'', I had not destroyed its original form, had not painted out the old frescoes forever. If ever the conclusion is arrived at that the original is better, worthier than my revision, then mine will be discarded and ''Boris Godunov'' will be performed according to the original score."<ref>Rimsky-Korsakov (1923: p. 407)</ref>|Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, ''Chronicle of My Musical Life'', 1909}}

The Rimsky-Korsakov version remained the one usually performed in Russia, even after Mussorgsky's earthier original (1872) gained a place in Western opera houses. The Bolshoy Theatre has only recently embraced the composer's own version.<ref>Lloyd-Jones (2002)</ref>