Search - Ottorino Respighi, Daniele Gatti, Orchestra dell'Accad Nazi di St Cecilia :: Ottorino Respighi: Roman Festivals / The Fountains of Rome / The Pines of Rome - Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia / Daniele Gatti

You feel as if you're there

J. Buxton | Waltham, MA United States | 01/12/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the best recording and interpretation of these much loved works available. I bought this on the recommendation of Gramophone magazine, and it doesn't disappoint. Having lived in Rome for two years, listening to this disc transports me back to the time and evokes thoughts and feelings from when I was there. I lived on Janiculum Hill and the "Pines of the Janiculum" on this disc puts a perfect image in your mind of what it is really like. Isn't that the magic you look for in music? The Santa Cecilia Academy is quickly becoming a world class orchestra once again under Gatti, and it is encouraging to know Italian musicians can still bring the best insight into Italian music. An amazing accomplishment. Don't hesitate if you like these works."

Pretty Good

A. Tohline | Athens, OH | 06/05/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this CD early in my classical music loving days because I wanted a recording of one of the pieces in our HS marching band show. Appian Way, the Grandioso finale from Pines of Rome, did not disappoint me in the least.
The way this CD was recorded necessitates turning up the volume really loud in some spots, because the quiet passages are really quiet and the loud passages are stentorian to say the least.
These are Respighi's best works, grandly and beautifully evocative of festivals, fountains, and ferns (fine, pines, but I was going for alliteration), and this recording is one of the better ones. I won't give it a five-star rating, but it's definitely up there."