OTTORINO RESPIGHI
(1879 - 1936)
At
the turn of the 19th Century, Italian instrumental music became revitalized
under the influence of a group of dynamic young composers, one of which
was Respighi. He came from a vigorous musical family and, under their careful
tutelage, he soon showed evidence of musical ability. After completion of
his formal musical education he went to Russia to study with the great Rimsky-Korsakov.
Respighi was greatly influenced by his tutor's highly colored techniques
as well as by the works of Ravel and Richard Strauss. He was especially
intrigued by Strauss' symphonic poems and developed this form with considerable
success. Three of these, Fountains of Rome, Pines of Rome
and Roman Festivals are excellent examples of Respighi's use of stunning
orchestral effects. In the Pines of Rome, he uses a phonograph recording
of a nightingale's song because he felt that no combination of musical sounds
could duplicate nature's song! The Birds similarly adheres to Respighi's
determination to transfer Nature's music to the symphony orchestra.Program Notes by J. Palmer Saunders©