Romantic · 1839–1881
Mussorgsky music for your video — 13 recordings, licensed once
Is Mussorgsky public domain? The compositions are — Mussorgsky died in 1881, more than 70 years ago. The recordings are not: every recording carries its own rights, held by its performers and producer. Using Mussorgsky in a video therefore needs a licence for the recording you use. Here are 13 Mussorgsky recordings that Artyfile licenses directly: €29.90 once per track, worldwide and for life, with a licence certificate as proof.
Modest Mussorgsky (1839–1881, died in Saint Petersburg) was the most radical member of the Russian “Mighty Handful”. Pictures at an Exhibition (1874), written for piano after a memorial exhibition of his friend Viktor Hartmann’s drawings, and Night on Bald Mountain are the works the screen keeps returning to — the catalogue holds twelve movements of Pictures in orchestral recordings plus Night on Bald Mountain.
Listen: Mussorgsky in Artyfile recordings
Every recording €29.90 once · worldwide, for life · instant WAV
Mussorgski: Pictures Exhibition 13, Cum Mortuis in Lingua Mortua
Artyfile Orchestra
Mussorgski: Pictures Exhibition 11, The Market Place at Limoges
Artyfile Orchestra
Mussorgski: Pictures Exhibition 6, Tuileries
Artyfile Orchestra
Mussorgski: Pictures Exhibition 14, The Hut on Fowls Legs
Artyfile Orchestra
Mussorgski: Pictures Exhibition 10, Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuyle
Artyfile Orchestra
Mussorgski: Pictures Exhibition 12, Catacombae
Artyfile Orchestra
Mussorgski: Pictures Exhibition 7, Bydio
Artyfile Orchestra
All 13 Mussorgsky recordings
Original work = the composition as written. New arrangement = a newly composed arrangement, a protected work of its own; the Artyfile licence covers both.
| Recording | Performed by | Version | Suited for | Licence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mussorgski: Pictures Exhibition 13, Cum Mortuis in Lingua Mortua | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Documentary, Film & TV, Video games | €29.90 |
| Mussorgski: Pictures Exhibition 11, The Market Place at Limoges | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Trailer & promo, Film & TV, Sports & fitness | €29.90 |
| Mussorgski: Pictures Exhibition 6, Tuileries | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Advertising, Fashion & luxury, Party & celebration | €29.90 |
| Mussorgski: Night on Bald Mountain | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Film & TV, Trailer & promo, Video games | €29.90 |
| Mussorgski: Pictures Exhibition 14, The Hut on Fowls Legs | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Video games, Trailer & promo, Sports & fitness | €29.90 |
| Mussorgski: Pictures Exhibition 10, Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuyle | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Film & TV, Trailer & promo, Documentary | €29.90 |
| Mussorgski: Pictures Exhibition 12, Catacombae | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Trailer & promo, Film & TV, Video games | €29.90 |
| Mussorgski: Pictures Exhibition 7, Bydio | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Trailer & promo, Video games, Film & TV | €29.90 |
| Mussorgski: Pictures Exhibition 1, Promenade | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Documentary, Trailer & promo, Corporate & presentations | €29.90 |
| Mussorgski: Pictures Exhibition 2, Gnomus | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Film & TV, Trailer & promo, Video games | €29.90 |
| Mussorgski: Pictures Exhibition 42, The Old Castle | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Documentary, Film & TV, Video games | €29.90 |
| Mussorgski: Pictures Exhibition 15: The Great Gate at Kiev | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Documentary, Trailer & promo, Corporate & presentations | €29.90 |
| Mussorgski: Pictures Exhibition 9, The Chickens in Their Shells | Artyfile Orchestra | Original work | Kids & family, Advertising, Video games | €29.90 |
Is Mussorgsky’s music public domain?
- The composition
- Public domain — Mussorgsky died in 1881. Protection ends 70 years after the composer’s death; the works are free in the EU, the UK and the US. Anyone may perform, arrange and re-record them.
- The recording
- Protected in its own right — by the related rights of its performers and producer. A recording from Spotify, a CD or YouTube can’t simply be cut into your video, even though the composition is free. The Artyfile recordings you license directly: €29.90 once, or own a numbered 1% share of the master from €69.90.
Good to know
Pictures at an Exhibition was written for piano; the orchestral version most people know is Maurice Ravel’s from 1922. Ravel died in 1937, so his orchestration has been public domain in the EU and the UK since 2008. Night on Bald Mountain is usually heard in Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s version of 1886; Rimsky-Korsakov died in 1908. Whatever the orchestration, every recording carries its own rights — the Artyfile recordings are licensed directly by Artyfile.
Work by work with death years: public-domain classical rights table · for one specific piece: music copyright checker
Mussorgsky in video: which piece for which scene
- Grand finale: The Great Gate of Kiev — the triumphant ending, award shows, epic reveals.
- Grotesque and eerie: Gnomus, Catacombae, Cum mortuis and The Hut on Fowl’s Legs — horror, fantasy, villains, games.
- Busy and comic: Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks, The Market Place at Limoges, Tuileries — children’s content, comedy, quick cuts.
- Walking and looking: the Promenade and The Old Castle — museum, gallery and walk-through videos.
- Night and storm: Night on Bald Mountain — Halloween, witches, thunderstorms.
What the licence covers
- Basic, €29.90 once: worldwide, lifetime sync rights for videos, ads, social media, film and broadcast, client work included. Instant WAV, invoice and licence certificate as proof.
- Limited Edition, from €69.90: everything in Basic plus a numbered 1% share of the master in the Artyfile register — with a share of this recording’s revenue, which may be zero.
- YouTube: Artyfile uses YouTube Content ID with a monetization policy. A claim may appear; it is not a copyright strike. With Basic, ad revenue claimed for the music goes to Artyfile, not to your channel.
- Public playback: Sync and master rights cover embedding this recording in your audiovisual projects. Public playback may require separate permission or collection-society fees from the venue or operator.
More composers
MozartBeethovenBachHandelGriegTchaikovskyVivaldi
Related collections
Dark orchestral music →Scary & horror music →Classical music for videos →
Frequently asked questions
Is Mussorgsky’s music public domain?
The compositions are: Mussorgsky died in 1881, more than 70 years ago, so the works are public domain in the EU, the UK and the US. Recordings are a different matter — every recording is protected in its own right by the related rights of its performers and producer. To use Mussorgsky in a video you need a licence for the recording, for example one of the 13 Artyfile recordings from €29.90.
Can I use Mussorgsky in a YouTube video?
Yes, with a licensed recording. Artyfile uses YouTube Content ID with a monetization policy. A claim may appear; it is not a copyright strike. With Basic, ad revenue claimed for the music goes to Artyfile, not to your channel. With Limited Edition you share in it according to your master share. A recording taken from Spotify, a CD or another YouTube video is not licensed for your video, even though Mussorgsky’s composition is public domain.
How much does it cost to license a Mussorgsky recording?
€29.90 once per recording (Basic): worldwide, lifetime sync rights for videos, ads, social media, film and broadcast, with an invoice and a licence certificate. With Limited Edition you own a numbered 1% share of the master from €69.90.
Which Mussorgsky works can I license from Artyfile?
Currently 13 recordings, including twelve movements of Pictures at an Exhibition — among them the Promenade, Gnomus and The Great Gate of Kiev — and Night on Bald Mountain. Each recording has its own page with a preview and the licence.
Can I play Mussorgsky in my shop, restaurant or at an event?
That is public performance, not sync. Sync and master rights cover embedding this recording in your audiovisual projects. Public playback may require separate permission or collection-society fees from the venue or operator. The Artyfile licence covers embedding the recording in your own videos.
Sources & note
- EU term of protection: life + 70 years (Directive 2006/116/EC)
- EU sound recordings and performers: 70 years from release (Directive 2011/77/EU)
- UK: Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, s. 12–13A
- US: Public Domain Day 2026 (Duke CSPD)
General information, not legal advice. As of October 2026.