Search - Ottorino Respighi, Hugh Wolff, Carlo Rizzi :: Respighi: Pines of Rome; Fountains of Rome; Roman Festivals

A good cross-section of Respighi's ouevre

Paul Bubny | Maplewood, NJ United States | 01/28/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This Teldec two-fer reissues performances capably representing two aspects of Ottorino Respighi's musical personality--jumbo-sized canvases of orchestral color and neoclassical (or neo-Baroque) suites of more modest dimensions. Carlo Rizzi and the LPO do the honors in the "Roman trilogy" on Disc 1, and it's one of the most committed, vibrant and observant performances of this oft-performed and oft-abused triptych known to me, with sonics to match. It's also the most expansive at 68 minutes, running a few minutes longer than even the slow-ish readings by Daniele Gatti and the late Giuseppe Sinopoli, and at times it only just manages to avoid sounding self-conscious. No such quibbles about the adroitly paced and proportioned Hugh Wolff contributions on the second disc, with "The Birds," "Three Botticelli Pictures" and two of the three "Ancient Airs and Dances" suites done to a turn. The only quibble is that space obviously prohibited including all three "Ancient Airs" suites."

THE BEST RECORDING

Janet J. Johnston | Winters, CA | 08/30/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."