I remember taping the 'Concerto in modo misolidio' off the radio & being 'grabbed' by it! The library had the Chandos cd & the Sinfonia Drammatica. They got played allot for a while,but I admit I haven't heard them for a while. The Concerto in modo misolidio (maybe the catchy title doesn't help?) is very lush & OTT,has one or two moments where Respighi's inspiration seems to wander a little,but,oh my goodness,it's fun to listen to,like Korngold's Sinfonietta,it really lifts you up & I seem to remember that the slow movement has a wonderful tune. The Sinfonia Drammatica is another one. Please sir,can we have it at the Proms!!!

Pizzetti's Canti della Stagione alta,(for Piano & orchestra)in a very similar vein,has some wonderful tunes that seem as if they have come out of some wonderful romantic movie,or maybe a Fellini? I love the way Pizzetti brings the melody in the first movement back at the end. Again very OTT,I suppose & Hollywood,but like the Respighi,it lifts you up. It does have one or two moments of bombast,but the orchestration is so lush! I have the Marco Polo recording,incidentally,which is very good for that company. Marvellous stuff,in it's own,not too subtle,way! I recently bought the Accord release of his opera 'Fedra'. No english language libretto,annoyingly,but his orchestration is so rich & dramatic I didn't really mind that much. Having said that,omissions like that don't really help a neglected opera composers cause!

For anyone curious about this opera,the Accord set is very well performed & recorded. Having said that,not all Pizzetti cd's are that good. The recent Naxos cd of his 'Concerto dell'estate' was quite pleasant,but still a MAJOR disappointment after the wonderful Hyperion recording of (some of) his orchestral music & his very beautiful & imho,masterly, 'Messa di Requiem'.
And,back to Respighi!
