Topic: Ottorino Respighi(1879-1936)

[Ratliff]

Consulting my notes, I also enjoyed Respighi's String Quartet and Piano Quintet, listening some years ago. I also find mention of great appreciation of the Piano Concerti with Tozer, but I don't seem to have listened to the Toccata, according to my notes and memory.

[Wanderer]

Consulting my notes, I also enjoyed Respighi's String Quartet and Piano Quintet, listening some years ago. I also find mention of great appreciation of the Piano Concerti with Tozer, but I don't seem to have listened to the Toccata, according to my notes and memory.

Regarding Respighi’s concertante works for piano and orchestra, I enjoy the Toccata (and the Fantasia slava) much more than the piano concerti.

[MusicTurner]

Regarding Respighi’s concertante works for piano and orchestra, I enjoy the Toccata (and the Fantasia slava) much more than the piano concerti.

I like the concertos a lot, the small concerto on Naxos, and Misolidio on Chandos.
 
The recordings of the works on those two labels are very different from each other.

[kyjo]

Regarding Respighi’s concertante works for piano and orchestra, I enjoy the Toccata (and the Fantasia slava) much more than the piano concerti.

+1 I revisited the A minor Piano Concerto last night and found it to be a pleasant but unremarkable work. Also, I greatly enjoy the gorgeous Adagio von variazioni for cello and orchestra:

https://youtu.be/yo5cGnIU56c

[kyjo]

Yes, I have Kyle although can't remember too much about it. My favourites of Respighi are Church Windows, Concerto Gregoriano, Concerto in Modo Misolidio ( ), Botticelli Pictures, Pines of Rome, Ballad of the Gnomes, Metamorphoseon, Poem Autunalle, Suite for Strings and Organ and there is some very fine chamber music:

Indeed, that Chandos chamber CD is excellent. It shows a more intimate side to the composer that many people don’t know about.

[Roasted Swan]

+1 I revisited the A minor Piano Concerto last night and found it to be a pleasant but unremarkable work. Also, I greatly enjoy the gorgeous Adagio von variazioni for cello and orchestra:

https://youtu.be/yo5cGnIU56c

the Adagio is one of his great works - just too short to feature in many concert programmes frustratingly.  Nice alongside some of those short Bruch cello concertante works perhaps?

[Christo]

Also, I greatly enjoy the gorgeous Adagio von variazioni for cello and orchestra:
https://youtu.be/yo5cGnIU56c

the Adagio is one of his great works - just too short to feature in many concert programmes frustratingly.  Nice alongside some of those short Bruch cello concertante works perhaps?

+1
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/yo5cGnIU56c" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/yo5cGnIU56c</a>

[vandermolen]

Thought I should jump on the Respighi bandwagon. Believe it or not I have never owned this CD before now, having just received a second-hand copy. I did, however, own it on audio-cassette in the days before I owned a CD player. 'The Ballad of the Gnomes' really is quite something in its technicolor garishness and yet is is immediately followed by the beautifully lyrical Agagio with Variations for Cello and Orchestra. Then on to the poetic and moving Botticelli Pictures and ending with the fine Suite for Organ and Strings. One of the great Respghi CDs I think with more praise for Geoffrey Simon, Alexander Baillie, Leslie Pearson, The Philharmonia and Cala Records:

[Mirror Image]

Thought I should jump on the Respighi bandwagon. Believe it or not I have never owned this CD before now, having just received a second-hand copy. I did, however, own it on audio-cassette in the days before I owned a CD player. 'The Ballad of the Gnomes' really is quite something in its technicolor garishness and yet is is immediately followed by the beautifully lyrical Agagio with Variations for Cello and Orchestra. Then on to the poetic and moving Botticelli Pictures and ending with the fine Suite for Organ and Strings. One of the great Respghi CDs I think with more praise for Geoffrey Simon, Alexander Baillie, Leslie Pearson, The Philharmonia and Cala Records:

Yes, indeed. That’s a glorious recording, Jeffrey. It’s been reissued on hybrid SACD, which is issue I own:

[vandermolen]

Yes, indeed. That’s a glorious recording, Jeffrey. It’s been reissued on hybrid SACD, which is issue I own:

Yes, that one was quite expensive John so I had to make do with the original CD release which was cheaper (but plays fine). Just to lower the tone, a theme in the Suite for Strings and Organ kept reminding me of Ron Goodwin's score for the film 'Where Eagles Dare'!

[Mirror Image]

Yes, that one was quite expensive John so I had to make do with the original CD release which was cheaper (but plays fine). Just to lower the tone, a theme in the Suite for Strings and Organ kept reminding me of Ron Goodwin's score for the film 'Where Eagles Dare'!

I’ll have to revisit that recording, Jeffrey. It’s been too long since I’ve listened to it.

P.S. I love your avatar. I wonder where you got it?

[vandermolen]

I’ll have to revisit that recording, Jeffrey. It’s been too long since I’ve listened to it.

P.S. I love your avatar. I wonder where you got it?

Yes, it's a long story John and far too difficult and complex to explain, especially as it's almost midnight here.
 

[Mirror Image]

Yes, it's a long story John and far too difficult and complex to explain, especially as it's almost midnight here.
 

 

[Roasted Swan]

A quick heads up.  Just listened to the new John Wilson/Sinfonia of London/Chandos/Roman Trilogy in SACD sound.  Do we need another disc of these pieces.  Almost certainly not, BUT this is astonishing - truly a demonstration disc both in engineering and playing terms.  As with quite a few of his discs, Wilson favours quite brisk, dynamic tempi but the playing is of simply sensational bravura brilliance and the Chandos recording captures weight and detail in a way I've not heard in this piece before and there have been many other demonstration-worthy recordings.  If you think these are works of empty bombast and superficial gesture, walk on by, if you have even the slightest interest in them - this should be heard......

[Symphonic Addict]

If there is any unsung piece by Respighi that does deserve to be heard, it is the Preludio, Corale e Fuga for orchestra, P. 30. It's like an Italian cathedral, but in music. I would sum up like that. It's a majestic creation. It has the best of the composer: craftsmanship, counterpoint, lots of grandeur and heartfelt moods, memorability, splendid orchestration, religious-evoking, etc. A completely uplifting piece of music! Just tremendous indeed.

[relm1]

If there is any unsung piece by Respighi that does deserve to be heard, it is the Preludio, Corale e Fuga for orchestra, P. 30. It's like an Italian cathedral, but in music. I would sum up like that. It's a majestic creation. It has the best of the composer: craftsmanship, counterpoint, lots of grandeur and heartfelt moods, memorability, splendid orchestration, religious-evoking, etc. A completely uplifting piece of music! Just tremendous indeed.

Fascinating....must explore as I quite enjoy this composer.

[Symphonic Addict]

What's your favorite of the Trittico Romano? After meditating for quite a while, Fontane di Roma wins the poll. Ottorino at the peak of his creative power. The sense of pictorialism he adopts knows how to engage and provoke emotions on you. The colourful fresco of the Bolognese music-painter lives for telling us. I'm listening to the Reiner rendition conducting the Chicago SO. Impressive!

[Mirror Image]

What's your favorite of the Trittico Romano? After meditating for quite a while, Fontane di Roma wins the poll. Ottorino at the peak of his creative power. The sense of pictorialism he adopts knows how to engage and provoke emotions on you. The colourful fresco of the Bolognese music-painter lives for telling us. I'm listening to the Reiner rendition conducting the Chicago SO. Impressive!

I still have a soft spot for Pini di Roma, but to be honest, I don’t listen to these works very often much preferring Vetrate di Chiesa, Trittico botticelliano or Belkis, Queen of Sheba for example.

[Symphonic Addict]

I still have a soft spot for Pini di Roma, but to be honest, I don’t listen to these works very often much preferring Vetrate di Chiesa, Trittico botticelliano or Belkis, Queen of Sheba for example.

Ohh, all the potent stuff deployed. Firm favorites those as well.

[vandermolen]

I still have a soft spot for Pini di Roma, but to be honest, I don’t listen to these works very often much preferring Vetrate di Chiesa, Trittico botticelliano or Belkis, Queen of Sheba for example.

+1 (also Metamorphoseon, Ballad of the Gnomes, Concerto Gregoriano and Concerto in Modo Misolidio).