Ottorino Respighi(1879-1936)

[ritter]

Quoth the BIS liner notes:

Mystery solved!  Thanks, Karlo, and good day to you.

[Roasted Swan]

Your high praise of the work has certainly piqued my interest in hearing the Sinfonia drammatica again.

Downes' is the far finer performance.  The BIS is oddly 'contained' and really not very "drammatic".

[Mirror Image]

Downes' is the far finer performance.  The BIS is oddly 'contained' and really not very "drammatic".

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll give a listen to the Downes.

[kyjo]

I remember it being good fun, with a wizardry wit in there. The orchestral colour and the excitement of the work assure a formidably alluring pieces.

+1 Count me in as another fan of the Belfagor Overture, which, in addition to its rumbustious, colorful outer sections, has a beautifully lyrical middle section. BTW, I can't think of a single (mature) Respighi work I don't like. A remarkably consistent composer with many great works outside the famous Roman Trilogy.

[Mirror Image]

+1 Count me in as another fan of the Belfagor Overture, which, in addition to its rumbustious, colorful outer sections, has a beautifully lyrical middle section. BTW, I can't think of a single (mature) Respighi work I don't like. A remarkably consistent composer with many great works outside the famous Roman Trilogy.

Agreed 100%, Kyle. This is actually what bothers me about this composer and someone like Holst as well. They wrote so many superb pieces, but you'll never hear any works of theirs outside of "the hits" in a concert hall. Thank goodness for record labels like Chandos, BIS, et. al.

[Ian]

I saw a performance of his "Prelude, Chorale & Fugue" last year along with the Saint-Saëns 3rd.

One of my favourite Respighi pieces is "La boutique fantasque". The John Neschling & Orchestre Royale Philharmonique de Liège on BIS is very good. I actually like their "Sinfonia Drammatica" too. I have the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra version too and although more dynamic, the recording is IMO nowhere near as good.

Respighi wrote so many great pieces.

[relm1]

I saw a performance of his "Prelude, Chorale & Fugue" last year along with the Saint-Saëns 3rd.

One of my favourite Respighi pieces is "La boutique fantasque". The John Neschling & Orchestre Royale Philharmonique de Liège on BIS is very good. I actually like their "Sinfonia Drammatica" too. I have the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra version too and although more dynamic, the recording is IMO nowhere near as good.

Respighi wrote so many great pieces.

He was great in his operas too.  I wasn't a fan of his early music like Christus cantata but by the time of his maturity he was consistently solid.