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Respighi: Church Windows; Brazilian Impressions; Belkis Queen of Sheba, Metamorphoseon; Roman Trilogy
Chandos

Respighi: Church Windows; Brazilian Impressions; Belkis Queen of Sheba, Metamorphoseon; Roman Trilogy

$21.99

Details

Composer
RESPIGHI, OTTORINO
Artist
Simon, Tortelier
Format
CD
Label
Chandos
Released
May 28, 2013
Catalog #
CHAN 241-45
UPC
095115244524

About

The ‘Roman Trilogy’ is among Respighi’s best-known and best-loved works. Fountains of Rome and Pines of Rome are comprised of four distinct sections, each again depicting a particular fountain, or pine grove, in Rome, at a particular time of day. The final chapter in the trilogy, Roman Festivals, is inspired by, as the title suggests, four Rome-based festivals.

Respighi based his Church Windows on Three Piano Preludes on Gregorian Melodies. The preludes were published in 1922, and orchestrated three years later, Respighi adding one further movement, making it a four-piece symphonic suite. Each of the individual movements was given an appropriate sub-heading, illustrating a biblical or religious scene that might have appeared in actual stained-glass windows. The first movement, for instance, is slow and stately, its constant forward moving accompaniment suggesting ‘the passing of a chariot beneath a brilliant and starry sky’, hence the name ‘The Flight into Egypt’.

Brazilian Impressions took its inspiration from the composer’s colourful and vibrant memories of a trip to South America. The opening movement is a deeply atmospheric nocturne, depicting dance rhythms and folksongs heard in the distance on a warm, tropical Brazilian evening. A less pleasant memory perhaps is recalled in the second movement, namely a visit to the Butantan Reptile Institute, the sliding movements and angry whirring of the rattle-snakes perfectly depicted in the music.

The ballet score for Belkis, Queen of Sheba evokes the wondrous journey undertaken in the year 1000 B.C. by Belkis, the Queen of Sheba, in response to an imperial message from Solomon, the King of Israel. The full eighty-minute ballet required an enormous orchestra including such unconventional instruments as sitars and wind machines, a chorus and vocal soloists, and a narrator to relate the story in verse. Two years after completing the ballet score, Respighi extracted a purely orchestral suite, which is recorded here.

Metamorphoseon, commissioned by Serge Koussevitzky to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1930, consists of twelve variations, or ‘modes’. The day after the work’s premiere performance, The Boston Traveller wrote: ‘...a colossal achievement... His is a rare genius for melody, an absolute technical command and above all, brilliant orchestration.’

Review:

Sumptuous, meaty performances, featuring Tortelier's vigorous Roman trilogy. The Philharmonia's rich sonorities enjoy a spacious Chandos recording.

– BBC Music Magazine

Tracklist 36 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 I. La fuga in Egitto (The Flight into Egypt) 05:37
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. La fuga in Egitto (The Flight into Egypt)
    Duration
    05:37
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  3. 2 II. San Michele Arcangelo (St. Michael Archangel) 05:48
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. San Michele Arcangelo (St. Michael Archangel)
    Duration
    05:48
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  4. 3 III. Il Mattutino di Santa Chiara (The Matins of St. Clare) 05:31
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Il Mattutino di Santa Chiara (The Matins of St. Clare)
    Duration
    05:31
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  5. 4 IV. San Gregorio Magno (St. Gregory the Great) 09:38
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. San Gregorio Magno (St. Gregory the Great)
    Duration
    09:38
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  6. 5 Theme: Andante moderato 01:48
    Track
    5
    Title
    Theme: Andante moderato
    Duration
    01:48
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  7. 6 Modus I: Moderato non troppo 01:53
    Track
    6
    Title
    Modus I: Moderato non troppo
    Duration
    01:53
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  8. 7 Modus II: Allegretto 01:37
    Track
    7
    Title
    Modus II: Allegretto
    Duration
    01:37
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  9. 8 Modus III: Lento 02:22
    Track
    8
    Title
    Modus III: Lento
    Duration
    02:22
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  10. 9 Modus IV: Lento espressivo 02:38
    Track
    9
    Title
    Modus IV: Lento espressivo
    Duration
    02:38
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  11. 10 Modus V: Molto vivace 00:36
    Track
    10
    Title
    Modus V: Molto vivace
    Duration
    00:36
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  12. 11 Modus VI: Vivo 00:43
    Track
    11
    Title
    Modus VI: Vivo
    Duration
    00:43
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  13. 12 Modus VII: Cadenza 06:38
    Track
    12
    Title
    Modus VII: Cadenza
    Duration
    06:38
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  14. 13 Modus VIII: Andantino mosso 01:21
    Track
    13
    Title
    Modus VIII: Andantino mosso
    Duration
    01:21
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  15. 14 Modus IX: Lento non troppo 02:18
    Track
    14
    Title
    Modus IX: Lento non troppo
    Duration
    02:18
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  16. 15 Modus X: Molto allegro 00:41
    Track
    15
    Title
    Modus X: Molto allegro
    Duration
    00:41
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  17. 16 Modus XI: Molto allegro 00:51
    Track
    16
    Title
    Modus XI: Molto allegro
    Duration
    00:51
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  18. 17 Modus XII: Vivo non troppo 02:05
    Track
    17
    Title
    Modus XII: Vivo non troppo
    Duration
    02:05
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  19. 18 I. Circenses 04:31
    Track
    18
    Title
    I. Circenses
    Duration
    04:31
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Performer
    Leslie Pearson
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Yan Pascal Tortelier
  20. 19 II. Il Giubileo 06:36
    Track
    19
    Title
    II. Il Giubileo
    Duration
    06:36
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Performer
    Leslie Pearson
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Yan Pascal Tortelier
  21. 20 III. L'Ottobrata 07:41
    Track
    20
    Title
    III. L'Ottobrata
    Duration
    07:41
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Performer
    Leslie Pearson
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Yan Pascal Tortelier
  22. 21 IV. La Befana 05:35
    Track
    21
    Title
    IV. La Befana
    Duration
    05:35
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Performer
    Leslie Pearson
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Yan Pascal Tortelier
  23. Disc 2
  24. 1 I. La fontana di Valle all'alba 04:39
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. La fontana di Valle all'alba
    Duration
    04:39
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Performer
    Leslie Pearson
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Yan Pascal Tortelier
  25. 2 II. La fontana del Tritone al mattino 02:44
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. La fontana del Tritone al mattino
    Duration
    02:44
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Performer
    Leslie Pearson
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Yan Pascal Tortelier
  26. 3 II. La fontana di Trevi al meriggio 03:38
    Track
    3
    Title
    II. La fontana di Trevi al meriggio
    Duration
    03:38
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Performer
    Leslie Pearson
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Yan Pascal Tortelier
  27. 4 IV. La fontana di Villa Medici al tramonto 05:38
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. La fontana di Villa Medici al tramonto
    Duration
    05:38
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Performer
    Leslie Pearson
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Yan Pascal Tortelier
  28. 5 I. I pini di Villa Borghese (The Pines of the Villa Borghese) 02:49
    Track
    5
    Title
    I. I pini di Villa Borghese (The Pines of the Villa Borghese)
    Duration
    02:49
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Performer
    Leslie Pearson
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Yan Pascal Tortelier
  29. 6 II. Pini presso una catacomba (Pines Near a Catacomb) 06:33
    Track
    6
    Title
    II. Pini presso una catacomba (Pines Near a Catacomb)
    Duration
    06:33
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Performer
    Leslie Pearson
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Yan Pascal Tortelier
  30. 7 III. I pini del Gianicolo (The Pines of the Janiculum) 07:10
    Track
    7
    Title
    III. I pini del Gianicolo (The Pines of the Janiculum)
    Duration
    07:10
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Performer
    Leslie Pearson
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Yan Pascal Tortelier
  31. 8 IV. I pini della via Appia (The Pines of the Appian Way) 05:15
    Track
    8
    Title
    IV. I pini della via Appia (The Pines of the Appian Way)
    Duration
    05:15
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Performer
    Leslie Pearson
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Yan Pascal Tortelier
  32. 9 I. Il Sogno di Salomone (The Dream of Solomon) 07:58
    Track
    9
    Title
    I. Il Sogno di Salomone (The Dream of Solomon)
    Duration
    07:58
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  33. 10 II. Danza guerresca (War Dance) 02:51
    Track
    10
    Title
    II. Danza guerresca (War Dance)
    Duration
    02:51
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  34. 11 III. La Danza di Belkis all'aurora (The Dance of Belkis at Dawn) 06:19
    Track
    11
    Title
    III. La Danza di Belkis all'aurora (The Dance of Belkis at Dawn)
    Duration
    06:19
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  35. 12 IV. Danza orgiastica (Orgiastic Dance) 05:13
    Track
    12
    Title
    IV. Danza orgiastica (Orgiastic Dance)
    Duration
    05:13
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  36. 13 No. 1. Notte Tropicale (Tropical Night) 09:42
    Track
    13
    Title
    No. 1. Notte Tropicale (Tropical Night)
    Duration
    09:42
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  37. 14 No. 2. Butantan (In a snake-garden near Sao Paulo) 04:50
    Track
    14
    Title
    No. 2. Butantan (In a snake-garden near Sao Paulo)
    Duration
    04:50
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon
  38. 15 No. 3. Canzone e Danza (Song and Dance) 04:06
    Track
    15
    Title
    No. 3. Canzone e Danza (Song and Dance)
    Duration
    04:06
    Composer
    Ottorino Respighi
    Ensemble
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Geoffrey Simon