Notes and Editorial Reviews
Released and largely overlooked amid the torrent of orchestral music discs in the late 1980s and early '90s, this superb recording of Respighi's Roman Trilogy makes a welcome return to the catalog at mid-price. Its virtues include superb playing by the Philharmonia and very natural recorded sound offering great amplitude and dynamic power. Indeed, if anything the sonics are a touch too natural: anyone who's heard these pieces in a live setting knows that at the climaxes the cymbals can get lost in the general hysteria (as happens here), a problem easily corrected on recordings by careful microphone placement--but that is about the only thing wrong with Chandos' engineering.
Tortelier's ideally-paced performances sound
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extremely exciting. The final build-up in The Pines of Rome is simply huge, and this recording of Feste Romana remains one of the very best ever committed to disc--raucous and poetic in equal measure, with thrilling impact in the closing pages. Nor does Tortelier deny the music its calmer moments: the Fountains of Rome benefits from some excellent, atmospheric wind solos that sound particularly lovely set in a typically ample Chandos acoustic. These are certainly performances that will withstand the test of time, and it's high time that you heard them.
--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Fountains of Rome by Ottorino Respighi
Conductor:
Yan Pascal Tortelier
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Philharmonia Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1914-1916; Rome, Italy
2.
Pines of Rome by Ottorino Respighi
Performer:
Leslie Pearson (Organ)
Conductor:
Yan Pascal Tortelier
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Philharmonia Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1923-1924; Rome, Italy
3.
Feste romane by Ottorino Respighi
Conductor:
Yan Pascal Tortelier
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Philharmonia Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1928; Rome, Italy
Sound Samples
Fontane di Roma (Fountains of Rome), P. 106: I. La fontana di Valle all'alba
Fontane di Roma (Fountains of Rome), P. 106: II. La fontana del Tritone al mattino
Fontane di Roma (Fountains of Rome), P. 106: II. La fontana di Trevi al meriggio
Fontane di Roma (Fountains of Rome), P. 106: IV. La fontana di Villa Medici al tramonto
Pini di Roma (Pines of Rome), P. 141: I. I pini di Villa Borghese
Pini di Roma (Pines of Rome), P. 141: II. Pini presso una catacomba
Pini di Roma (Pines of Rome), P. 141: III. I pini del Gianicolo
Pini di Roma (Pines of Rome), P. 141: IV. I pini della via Appia
Feste romane (Roman Festivals), P. 157: I. Circenses
Feste romane (Roman Festivals), P. 157: II. Il Giubileo
Feste romane (Roman Festivals), P. 157: III. L'Ottobrata
Feste romane (Roman Festivals), P. 157: IV. La Befana
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