The Birds

On this CD:

1. Pini di Roma (The Pines of Rome), symphonic poem, P. 141
Composed by Ottorino Respighi
Performed by New Philharmonia Orchestra
Conducted by Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos

2. Fontane di Roma (The Fountains of Rome), symphonic poem, P. 106
Composed by Ottorino Respighi
Performed by New Philharmonia Orchestra
Conducted by Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos

3. Gli uccelli (The Birds), suite for orchestra, P. 154
Composed by Ottorino Respighi
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Conducted by Neville Marriner

Tracks:

I. Pines Of The Villa Borghese
II. Pines Near A Catacomb
III. Pines Of The Janiculum
IV. Pines Of The Appian Way
I. Prelude
II. The Dove
The Birds: III. The Hen
IV. The Nightingale
V. Cuckoo
I. Fountain Of Valle Giulia At Dawn
II. Triton Fountain At Morn
III. Fountain Of Trevi At Mid-Day
IV. Villa Medici Fountain At Sunset

Customer Reviews:

Resphigi: Pines of Rome, The Birds Lane; Atlanta Sym. Orch. .......2006-04-18

This is one of the finest performances of these pieces. Under Lane's direction, the Orchestra sounds magnificent and they are in absolute top form. The sound from this Telarc disc can only be described as ravishing. At times, the orchestration, together with the performance and the recording all combine to create some of the most beautiful sounds I have ever heard from an orchestral recording. The engineering is magnificent and this is probably the best sound that Telarc has ever achieved. This is an audiophile's dream recording. Buy this disc and it will give you a lifetime of listening pleasure.

Great modern classical music!.......2005-10-30

Ottorino Respighi is one of the best composers of modern classical music, along with Ravel, Debussy, Poulenc, Hanson, and Shostakovich. In this recording, we hear Gli Uccelli, Pini di Roma, and Fontane di Roma. In this review, I'm going to talk about Pini di Roma and Fontane di Roma.

Pini di Roma, also called Pines of Rome, is a wonderful symphonic poem by Respighi. It has been adopted to film in "Fantasia 2000" and is my favorite work by Respighi. It is made up of 4 sections that are part of one big movement. The first section is called Pines of the Villa Borghese and is in B-flat. It is a lively piece of music featuring a lot of triangle, trumpet, and other instruments which make it sound majestical. The second movement, Pines of the Catacombs, is slightly darker and mysterious in the beginning, but it climbs to it's climax and then finishes off strangely. The third movement, Pines of the Janiculum, is the lightest and starts off in a maritime piano piece and then features soft music. In some recordings, a bird can be heard chirping in this section, since that was the original idea that Respighi had. The fourth movement, Pines of the Appian Way, is also in B-flat and is the best one of them all. It starts out with a constant march and that march follows the song the whole time as it gets louder and louder until it reaches the grand finale.

Foutnains of Rome is another wondeful symphonic poem by Respighi and Pines of Rome was written as a sequel. The first movement is a quiet little movement which creates the scene of a foutain at dawn and has a magical sound to it. The second movement is the shortest and has a great part for the trumpets towards the end. The third movement is the greatest of them all and is in E major. It is about the Trevi Fountain at Midday and bears a striking resemblence to the finale of Pines of Rome. The fourth movement is quieter and more mysterious and features chimes dinging throughout the whole thing and eventually to the quiet and relaxing ending.

Sparkling, scintillating brilliance . . . chiaroscuro beauty.......2004-02-08

This review applies to the works -Pines of Rome-,
-The Birds-, and -Fountains of Rome- performed by
the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and conducted by
Louis Lane on Telarc.
Listening and enjoyment and enthusiasm are all
subjective elements which can't be "quantified" for
everyone's satisfaction. I can only say that I
have "perfectionist" ears and eyes, so I have
real trouble finding personally satisfying sound
reproduction devices as well as particular versions
of classical works which I "get into." There
are some other versions of this work which I like
very much also, conductor Daniel Gatti's with the
Orchestra of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia, conductor
Giuseppe Sinopoli's with the New York Philharmonic
on Deutsche Grammophon, and conductor Jesus Lopez-
Cobos with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra on
Telarc.
What makes me decide to review Lane's recording is
his concern with tempo and dynamics...the transition
from the sunny brilliance of the Pines of the Villa
Borghese to the dark, quiet mystery and softness of
the Pines Near a Catacomb is a wonder, and for me,
breath-taking. The sound clarity and "presence" of
this Telarc recording are outstanding. In the
Pines of the Villa Borghese you can hear the
instruments giving out percussive effects to imitate
the toys of the children. But it is the sunny,
sparkling brilliance and tempo of the orchestra
as well that make this piece scintillating!
Of all of the pieces in the Pines, my own particular
favorite (for its associations) is the Pines of the
Janiculum -- that dreamy, lyrical, almost mystic
portrayal of moonlight among the pines and the
lyrical warbling of the nightingale. I am somewhat
of a connoisseur of the warbling nightingale in these
recordings. I don't like Von Karajan's nightingale; it
does not have the echoing resonance of the symphony
hall, but sounds as if it is recorded in nature; and
the Von Karajan nightingale only tweets, it doesn't
have the glorious, full-throated warble of the
Lane nightingale and some of the other recordings.
The gentle piano introduction to the Janiculum in
the Lane recording, the harmonious pacing -- very
lyrical and peaceful and haunting (in beauty, not
grief or languid weariness), the soulful clarinet,
the caressing strings...all give this recorded
version optimal stars from me.
-- Robert Kilgore.

Music, Not Noise .... Thank you, Louis Lane & Telarc!.......2003-07-21

Ever since Toscanini's RCA recordings (early 1950s), these Respighi tone poems have been played as sonic block-busters, with engineering to match. It seems everybody's idea of this music is driven by the last section of "The Pines of Rome," which famously evokes a march of Roman legionnaries via a steady crescendo of orchestral volume that finally explodes in an orgy of brass playing. But there are subtler pleasures in these pieces, especially in "The Fountains of Rome," and in this recording I've finally found Respighi performances that sound like music, not noise. Not that conductor Louis Lane and the fine Atlanta orchestra underplay the parts that need it; there's plenty of drama here, trust me. But Lane was an assistant to legendary conductor George Szell in Cleveland for many years, and he clearly learned how to achieve proper orchestral balances, even when working with the massively large orchestra favored by late Romantic composers like Respighi. For once, Respighi's orchestral texures register with the necessary nuance and subtlety. And Telarc's sound complements Lane's approach with an appropriate acoustic: very "hi-fi," but not in your face. Instead of garishly spotlighting individual sections, Telarc works its magic to ensure that the entire orchestra registers with a marvelous warmth. Given the subtleties of Lane's approach, I think it's no accident that he chose to couple "Pines" and "Fountains" with Respighi's suite "The Birds" rather than with the more glitzy "Roman Festivals." "The Birds" ("Gli Uccelli") is a Renaissance/Baroque pastiche cut from the same cloth as Respighi's perennially popular "Ancient Airs and Dances." So if you love the Respighi of the "Ancient Airs" and abhor the composer of the flashier tone poems, buy this CD. It may just be the Respighi disc of your dreams! Final word: "Louis Lane and the Atlanta Symphony" might not have the cache of Toscanini/NBC, Bernstein/New York, Karajan/Berlin, and God-knows how many other high-powered teams that have recorded this music. But for my money, this very musical Telarc CD beats the competition hands down. (Also note that this is one of many earlier (late 1980s) Telarc digital CDs that the company has reissued in a new budget series. Same great Telarc sound and sophisticated packaging, but at a very nice price.)

My First Respighi Album, And Still My Favorite........2003-03-15

After seeing Disney's "Fantasia 2000" in the Summer of that year I realized that I had found a new love of Classical music in Respighi's 'Pines of Rome.' I quickly picked up the soundtrack album with James Levine conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in a superb, although abbreviated, performance of 'Pines' for the Fantasia sequel. However this little snippet did not keep me satisfied. For my birthday later that year my father gave me this album of Louis Lane and the Atlanta S.O. performing 'Pines,' 'The Birds,' and 'Fountains.' I was mesmorized by Respighi's music and the images and feeling conjured when listening to it. I had fallen in love.

Naturally this album holds a special place in my heart even today after collecting nearly every Respighi album I could put my hands on. So that makes it doubly difficult for me to critique it. At the very least, this is a fine performance. The tempi are consistent, if a little on the slow side (the 'Fountain at Trevi' being the most clear example). The brass section is strong and stingy (just the way Telarc likes it) sometimes at the expense of loosing the strings in the mix. Louis Lane clearly understood the moods and images Respighi yearned for in his days of composition and succeeds in conveying those through the players.

Technically speaking, this is a beautifully captured performance, no doubt benefiting from Telarc's pure digital recording and mixing methods. I have never heard bass such as that in the climax of 'Pines Near a Catacomb.' When you buy a Telarc Digital album you can be assured there is a high level of clarity; that you will be able to distinguish between all types of instruments during both the soft, gentle moments, and during the greatest crescendos. This CD is no exception.

My only real gripe is that there is no 'Roman Festivals' on this CD to complete the Roman Tone Poem Triptych. I would have loved to hear how Lane handled the most infamous of Respighi's Poems. Instead of the intensity of 'Festivals' we get the frivolity of 'The Birds.' While containing a few light themes to whistle when you're stranded from your music, 'The Birds' seem merely an exercise in orchestral personification. I suppose only so many albums can contain all three poems before it becomes a stale program. The good news is that Telarc released an album with 'Festivals' and 'Church Windows' in 1994 by Jesus Lopez-Cobos and the Cincinnati S.O., another terrific sounding album.

Respighi: Pines of Rome; Fountains Of Rome; The Birds [Australia]
Average customer rating:

Pines of Rome

From Australia With Love

Respighi: Pines of Rome; Fountains Of Rome; The Birds [Australia]
Kertesz , and London Symphony Orchestra
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
ASIN: B000025UK9
Release Date: 2002-01-28

Tracks:

Pines Of The Villa Borghese
Pines Near A Catacomb
Pines Of The Janiculum
Pines Of The Appian
Prelude
Dove
Hen
Nightgale
Cuckoo
Valley Giulia Fountain At Daybreak
Tritan Fountain In The Morning
Trevi Fountain At Noon
Villa Medici Fountain At Sunset

Customer Reviews:

Pines of Rome.......2007-06-14

Respighi is one of my favorite composers, and I've heard these pieces many times. Recently I heard this performance of the Pines of Rome on a local classical music station and was struck by its immediacy and freshness. After buying the disc from Amazon and putting it on my CD player, the impression was heightened. This is a great performance, the best I've heard of the Pines of Rome. It evokes the place settings perfectly. Kertesz is in complete control, and the LSO plays magnificently. The sound quality is amazingly good -- among the best I've heard on CD.

From Australia With Love.......2003-11-01

Thank you Amazon for carrying such a large selection of titles from the Australian "Eloquence" series! While the majority of the performances in this mid-price import line are available stateside (but as different titles or with different packaging), many are not and needless to say I am snapping those CDs up quickly. This delightful disc is one of them. It collects Respighi's "Pines of Rome," "The Birds," and "Fountains of Rome" as performed by Istvan Kertesz and the London Symphony Orchestra. The performances, first released for Decca in 1969, are tremendous, though the disc does log in a bit on the short side -- only 55 minutes. But personally, I'll take anything by Kertesz, no matter how brief. It's a tragedy that Kertesz died in 1973 -- drowning while swimming in the Mediterranean -- at the age of 43. While most conductors live to a ripe old age, too many others have been plucked from us in their prime -- Argenta, Cantelli, Fricsay, and Kertesz among them. Savor the precious few recordings these greats left us. Anyway, I certainly look forward to getting more Amazon deliveries from Australia with love.

Average customer rating:

Panorama: Ottorino Respighi

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
ASIN: B00005IB60
Release Date: 2002-01-15

Tracks:

The Pines Of Rome: I Pini Di Villa Borghese
The Pines Of Rome: Pini Presso Una Catacomba
The Pines Of Rome: I Pini Del Gianicolo
The Pines Of Rome: I Pini Della Via Appia
The Fountains Of Rome: La Fontana Di Valle Giulia All'alba
The Fountains Of Rome: La Fontana Del Tritone Al Mattino
The Fountains Of Rome: La Fontana Di Trevi Al Meriggio
The Fountains Of Rome: La Fontana Di Villa Medici Al Tramonto
Roman Festivals: Circenses
Roman Festivals: Il Giubileo
Roman Festivals: L'ottobrata
Roman Festivals: La Befana

Tracks:

Ancient Airs And Dances: Suite III: Anon.: Italiana (Fine Sec. XVI)
Ancient Airs And Dances: Suite III: Jean-Baptiste Besard: Arie Di Corte (Sec. XVI): 'C'est Malheur Que De Vous Aymer'
Ancient Airs And Dances: Suite III: Jean-Baptiste Besard: Arie Di Corte (Sec. XVI): 'Adieu Bergere Pour Iamais'
Ancient Airs And Dances: Suite III: Jean-Baptiste Besard: Arie Di Corte (Sec. XVI): 'Beaux Yeux Qui Me Voyes Clairement'
Ancient Airs And Dances: Suite III: Jean-Baptiste Besard: Arie Di Corte (Sec. XVI): 'La Voila La Nacelle D'amor Ou Ma Maitresse Arrive'
Ancient Airs And Dances: Suite III: Jean-Baptiste Besard: Arie Di Corte (Sec. XVI): 'Quelle Divinite S'imprime Dans Mon Ame'
Ancient Airs And Dances: Suite III: Jean-Baptiste Besard: Arie Di Corte (Sec. XVI): 'Si C'est Pour Mon Pucellage Que Vous Me Faites L'Amour'
Ancient Airs And Dances: Suite III: Jean-Baptiste Besard: Arie Di Corte (Sec. XVI): 'Andante Cantabile'
Ancient Airs And Dances: Suite III: Anon.: Siciliana (Fine Sec. XVI)
Ancient Airs And Dances: Suite III: Lodovico Roncalli: Passacaglia (1692)
Impressioni Brasiliane: Notte Tropicale
Impressioni Brasiliane: Butantan
Impressioni Brasiliane: Canzona E Danza
The Birds: Preludio (Da Bernardo Pasquini)
The Birds: La Colomba (Da Jacques Gallot)
The Birds: La Gallina (Da Jean-Philippe Rameau)
The Birds: L'usignuolo (Anon., Sec. XVII)
The Birds: Il Cucu (Da Bernardo Pasquini)
Sunset - Irmgard Seefried

Average customer rating:

A Lot on 2 CDs

Ottorino Respighi: Orchestral Works

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Ottorino Respighi: Church Windows/Brazilian Impressions/Roman Festivals
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade/Capriccio Espagnol
Samuel Barber / Thomas Schippers
Babel

ASIN: B000002SEB
Release Date: 1996-08-13

Tracks:

Overture 'Belfagor' - Respighi
The Pines Of Rome - Pini Di Roma: I - The Pines Of The Villa Borghese - Respighi
The Pines Of Rome - Pini Di Roma: II - Pines Near A Catacomb - Respighi
The Pines Of Rome - Pini Di Roma: III - The Pines Of The Janiculum - Respighi
The Pines Of Rome - Pini Di Roma: IV - The Pines Of The Appian Way - Respighi
The Fountains Of Rome - Fontane Di Roma: I - The Valle Giulia Fountain At Dawn - Respighi
The Fountains Of Rome - Fontane Di Roma: II - The Triton Fountain In The Morning - Respighi
The Fountains Of Rome - Fontane Di Roma: III - The Trevi Fountain At Midday - Respighi
The Fountains Of Rome - Fontane Di Roma: IV - The Villa Medici Fountain At Sunset - Respighi
The Birds - Gli Uccelli: I - Prelude - Respighi
The Birds - Gli Uccelli: II - The Dove - Respighi
The Birds - Gli Uccelli: III - The Hen - Respighi
The Birds - Gli Uccelli: IV - The Nightingale - Respighi
The Birds - Gli Uccelli: V - The Cuckoo - Respighi

Tracks:

Three Botticelli Pictures - Trittico botticelliano: I - La Primavera - O. Respighi
Three Botticelli Pictures - Trittico botticelliano: II - The Adoration Of The Magi - O. Respighi
Three Botticelli Pictures - Trittico botticelliano: III - The Birth Of Venus - O. Respighi
Ancient Airs And Dances - Antiche Arie Ed Danze: Suite No.1: I - Ballet 'Il Conte Orlando' - O. Respighi
Ancient Airs And Dances - Antiche Arie Ed Danze: Suite No.1: II - Gagliard - O. Respighi
Ancient Airs And Dances - Antiche Arie Ed Danze: Suite No.1: III - Villanelle - O. Respighi
Ancient Airs And Dances - Antiche Arie Ed Danze: Suite No.1: IV - Passo Mezzo E Mascherada - O. Respighi
Ancient Airs And Dances - Antiche Arie Ed Danze: Suite No.2: I - 'Laura Soave' Balletto Con Gagliarda, Saltarello E Canario - O. Respighi
Ancient Airs And Dances - Antiche Arie Ed Danze: Suite No.2: II - Rustic Dance - O. Respighi
Ancient Airs And Dances - Antiche Arie Ed Danze: Suite No.2: III - Campanae Parisiensis & Aria - O. Respighi
Ancient Airs And Dances - Antiche Arie Ed Danze: Suite No.2: IV - Bergamasque - O. Respighi
Ancient Airs And Dances - Antiche Arie Ed Danze: Suite No.3: I - Italiana - O. Respighi
Ancient Airs And Dances - Antiche Arie Ed Danze: Suite No.3: II - Arie Di Corte - O. Respighi
Ancient Airs And Dances - Antiche Arie Ed Danze: Suite No.3: III - Siciliana - O. Respighi
Ancient Airs And Dances - Antiche Arie Ed Danze: Suite No.3: IV - Passacaglia - O. Respighi

Customer Reviews:

A Lot on 2 CDs.......2002-01-05

Belfagor is interesting for its rarity. Rousing overture. Pines and Fountains acceptable. Acceptable is OK for Fountains, but Pines call out for outstanding Triptych and Ancient Airs and Dances are excellent. Considering the bargain price, this 2-fer is a winner.

Respighi: Belfagor Overture; Pines of Rome; Fountains of Rome; etc.

Average customer rating:

Respighi: Belfagor Overture; Pines of Rome; Fountains of Rome; etc.

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0007RO58O
Release Date: 2005-05-24

Tracks:

Overture 'Belfagor' - London Symphony Orchestra
I. The Pines Of The Villa Borghese - London Symphony Orchestra
II. Pines Near A Catacomb - London Symphony Orchestra
III. The Pines Of Janiculum - London Symphony Orchestra
IV. The Pines Of The Appian Way - London Symphony Orchestra
I. The Valle Giulia Fountain At Dawn - London Symphony Orchestra
II. The Triton Fountain In The Morning - London Symphony Orchestra
III. The Trevi Fountain At Midday - London Symphony Orchestra
IV. The Villa Medici Fountain At Sunset - London Symphony Orchestra
I. Prelude - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
II. The Dove - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
III. The Hen - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
IV. The Nightingale - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
V. The Cuckoo - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields

Tracks:

I. Spring - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
II. The Adoration Of The Magi - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
III. The Birth Of Venus - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
I. Ballett 'Il Conte Orlando' - Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
II. Galliard - Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
III. Villanelle - Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
IV. Passo Mezzo E Mascherada - Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
I. 'Laura Soave' Balletto Con Gagliarda, Saltarello E Canario - Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
II. Rustic Dance - Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
III. Campanae Parisienses & Aria - Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
IV. Bergamasque - Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
I. Italienne - Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
II. Arie Di Corte - Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
III. Sicilienne - Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
IV. Passacaglia - Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra

Respighi: Pini di Roma ("Pines of Rome"), Fontane di Roma ("Fountains of Rome"), Gli Uccelli ("The Birds")

Average customer rating:

Pines, fountains and birds opening an untrodden gate

Respighi: Pini di Roma ("Pines of Rome"), Fontane di Roma ("Fountains of Rome"), Gli Uccelli ("The Birds")
Ottorino Respighi , Edo de Waart , and San Francisco Symphony
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000E2PJ
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Customer Reviews:

Pines, fountains and birds opening an untrodden gate.......2003-08-11

To depict Rome is an interesting task. This aim classifies this music in the impressionistic tradition : to create an atmosphere that evokes a place, a vision, and behind it all, some older references. Very dark catacombs, brilliant birds, the glory and power of the Roman Empire, the delicacy of dawn or dusk on Roman fountains, the frenzy of the Triton, etc. But this music is more important than that. It also represents a transitory period in the history of western music, particularly of Italian music. To go beyond the brilliance turned recipe of the opera and to integrate the impressionistic trend so clearly represented by French composers, but also the expressive and descriptive current largely represented by the Russians or more generally by the Slavs. Even deeper Respighi, like d'Annunzio, tries to find old roots on which to build the new power of Italy. He will thus rediscover Monteverdi and many others and will develop a symphonic music for this new Italy led by Mussolini. That has little to do with fascism but it has a lot to do with a newly united nation that wants to conquer a position in the world. So Rome has to be the head of it, and old traditions from the Roman Empire to the Renaissance have to be the heart of it. That sounds at times eclectic but it gives a variety that can interest all Italians. We must also note that the inspiration of this music may come from the whole of Europe and thus it may try to take a universal dimension. The criticism we have to level at Respighi is that he did not develop enough his own creativity, he did not take the road he was at times showing and that should have led him to a completely different musical expression : the vision of a world in which man is always divided between his roots deeply embedded in traditions and his branches deeply involved in the transformation of history, the world and the birth of some unknown reality that some declare monstrous and some consider revolutionarily innovative.

Tracks:

Trittico botticelliano: La Primavera
Trittico botticelliano: L'Adorazione dei Magi
Trittico botticelliano: La nascita di Venere
Gli Uccelli: Bernardo Pasquini: Preludio
Gli Uccelli: Jacques de Gallot: La Colomba
Gli Uccelli: Jean Philippe Rameau: La Gallina
Gli Uccelli: Anonymus: L'Usignuolo
Gli Uccelli: Bernardo Pasquini: Il Cucu
Antiche danze ed arie per liuto - Suite No. 1 (16th Century): Simone Molinaro: Balletto detto 'Il Conte Orlando' (1599)
Antiche danze ed arie per liuto - Suite No. 1 (16th Century): Vicenzo Galilei: Gagliarda (c 1550)
Antiche danze ed arie per liuto - Suite No. 1 (16th Century): Anonymus: Villanella (c 1600)
Antiche danze ed arie per liuto - Suite No. 1 (16th Century): Anonymus: Passo mezzo e Mascherada (c 1600)
Antiche danze ed arie per liuto - Suite No. 3 (16th, 17th Century): Anonymus: Italiana (c 1600)
Antiche danze ed arie per liuto - Suite No. 3 (16th, 17th Century): Giovanni Battista Besardo: Arie di Corte (16th Century)
Antiche danze ed arie per liuto - Suite No. 3 (16th, 17th Century): Anonymus: Siciliana (c 1700)
Antiche danze ed arie per liuto - Suite No. 3 (16th, 17th Century): Lodovico Roncalli: Passacaglia (1692), Maestoso

Tracks:

Pini di Roma: I pini di Villa Borghese
Pini di Roma: Pini presso una catacomba
Pini di Roma: I pini del Gianicolo
Pini di Roma: I pini della Via Appia
Fontane di Roma: La fontana di Valle Giulia all'alba
Fontane di Roma: La fontana del Tritone al mattino
Fontane di Roma: La fontana di Trevi al meriggio
Fontane di Roma: La fontana di Villa Medici al tramonto
Feste Romane: Circenses
Feste Romane: Il Giubileo
Feste Romane: L'Ottobrata
Feste Romane: La Befana

Customer Reviews:

THE BEST RECORDING.......2005-08-30

You won't go wrong in purchasing this recording performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Carlo Rizzi. This is a must buy for any Respighi aficionados.

The Best.......2003-04-05

In my opinion, this is the best recording of either The Birds or the Ancient Airs and Dances available. If you're looking to find a good recording of the Pines of Rome and Fountains of Rome, I guess it's hard to go wrong with the LSO, but personally I own two other copies by Atlanta and Chicago that I like better.

Oboe players! As one oboist to another let me suggest that you would do well to own this album. This is Kathy Greenbank in top form; her rendering of The Dove is probably some of the most beautiful playing I have ever heard, and certainly the best performance of this solo that you will find anywhere.

Pines of Rome, Fountains of Rome, The Birds
Average customer rating:
Pines of Rome, Fountains of Rome, The Birds

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000E43K
Release Date: 1989-09-13

Dorati Conducts Respighi
Average customer rating:

The Italian Neo Classicism and his major musical Ambassador!

Excellent sound (and performances!)

Terrible sound

Dorati's Respighi milestone

Re-issue of Merc. Living PresenceLP retains original flavor

Dorati Conducts Respighi

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000057KP
Release Date: 1990-09-12

Tracks:

The Birds: 1. Prelude
The Birds: 2. The Dove
The Birds: 3. The Hen
The Birds: 4. The Nightingale
London Symphony Orchestra: The Cuckoo
Brazilian Impressions: 1. Tropical Night
Brazilian Impressions: 2. Butantan
Brazilian Impressions: 3. Song and Dance
The Fountains Of Rome: The Fountain Of Valle Giulia
The Fountains Of Rome: The Triton Fountain
The Fountains Of Rome: The Fountain of Trevi at Mid-day
The Fountains Of Rome: The Villa Medici Fountain
The Pines Of Rome: The Pines of the Villa Borghese
The Pines Of Rome: The Pines Near a Catacomb
The Pines Of Rome: The Pines of the Janiculum
The Pines Of Rome: The Pines of the Appian Way

Customer Reviews:

The Italian Neo Classicism and his major musical Ambassador!.......2005-10-16

Joined even by the musical language and taste, Respighi develops a different estheticism respect to Ildebrand Pizzetti, more polished and mystic. The excessive instrumental decoration and affection for the dense color and, in the meantime, refined are derived directly substantially from Rimsky Korsakov and Richard Strauss, despite the generous discursiveness of the architectonic lines is very close to the great German musical tradition. Respighi is more inclined to naturalism and the return of the great orchestral masses with special emphasis in the search of new expressive elements based in the use of the color and the history or, in other words, in the preservation of the memory.

The Birds is a suite for reduced orchestra. Once more the pantheist gaze of this composer points out the influence of the Italian Neo classicism leaded by Casella. Five clavichordists fragments of the XVII inspired by the song of several birds (about pages of Pasquini, Phillipe Rameau and Jacques de Gallot and a British anonym ).It can feel the deliberated hedonistic avidity so typical of this Century as a clear response to the Rationalism Age: the triumph of the triviality over the reason empire.

Brazil has been always a radiant beacon in the febrile imagination of Europe: From Julio Verne to Alexander von Humboldt; from Darwin to Darius Milhaud, the search for the most essential sample of virginal nature has inflamed and nourished the ancestral landscapes of Europe: the wild Amazon river, the intricate, compact and dense jungles; the visible attraction for the mystery of unknown, touched the soul of Respighi composing a fabulous biographical sketch.

The fountains of Rome have in Toscanini a serious and hard to beat rival and the pines of Rome have found in Victor de Sabata. Nevertheles, Dorati makes a vibrant and emotional performance that, even it does not reach the colossal heights of these named conductors. Here you have a remarkable of what Respighi signified for the Italians. After Verdi 's death, the musical horizon experienced a notable lack of inspiration; despite the fact many Italian composers were seduced for the new musical proposals, Toscanini and De Sabata were not exactly fervent or devoted fans of the new musical forms, specially Toscanini, and both pages Pines and Fountains are works which talks about the Grandness and monumentality of Rome: once more Respighi goes in search of tradition conceived as the human form of measuring the time.

A magnificent choice and one of my beloved albums in Dorati 's discography.

Excellent sound (and performances!).......2005-09-28

Excellent sound (and famous performances!), exactly as we've come to expect from every (justly renowned) Mercury Living Presence reissue. How splendid and satisfying it is to have the original MLP LP resurrected in compact disc format! If you're a fan of Respighi's masterpieces, you owe it to yourself to experience anew (or to become newly acquainted with) Dorati's famous renditions.

Terrible sound.......2001-12-18

The sound on the Pini and Fontane is really a horrible experience. Gli ucelli, recorded in London has a much better sound and a better orchestra, at least I think so. Dorati is usually good and reliable and so he is here but Respighis music is actually not so much to write home about.

Dorati's Respighi milestone.......1999-05-13

Dorati was always one of Respighi's biggest champions and it's too bad he didn't get around to recording more. This disk is a delight to have in Wilma Cozart's excellent rehab of her own original tapes.

While the other works are among the best recordings of them made, it's the Brazilian Impressions that excites the most. Like Milhaud, Respighi was astounded by his trip to Brazil and opened up a creative horizon for him that counteracted his serious, depressive illnesses. The Impressions indicate a direction that led to other triumphs like the great ballet "Queen of Sheba", the opera "Maria Egiziaca", the sublime orchestral "Metamorpheosen" that gives any great orchestra a workout like Bartok's Concerto.

If you have the old LPs, stick with them because there is an element of dynamic splendor somehow muted here. But if your LPs are to the point where there is more scratch than music, buy this disk and keep these old friends in your life.

Re-issue of Merc. Living PresenceLP retains original flavor.......1999-04-23

Mercury's Living Presence series caused a sensation when introduced around 40 years ago but sounds dated in today's standard. Nevertheless, the pieces retain their original charm in CD format. "Butantan" sends a shiver down the spine as Living Presence accurately conveys a Brazilian snake venom research colony. Worth investigating for historic reasons alone