Ottorino Respighi: Fountains of Rome
“The composer sought to express the feelings and the sights evoked in him by Rome’s four fountains at the very time of the day when the characters of these fountains are most in harmony with the surrounding landscape and when their beauty speaks most eloquently to the observer,” wrote Respighi. (1) The Fountain of Valle Giulia at Dawn: “The first part of the poem, inspired by the Fountain of Valle Giulia, evokes a pastoral landscape: flocks of sheep wander and blend into the fresh and misty fog of the dawn of Rome.” (2) Triton Fountain in the Morning: “The sound of a horn suddenly striking up above the orchestra’s trills introduces the second part of the composition entitled ‘Triton Fountain’. It is like a joyful summons to which the naiads and tritons come together in groups while dancing and chasing one another among the fountain’s jets of water.” (3) Trevi Fountain at Noon: “A solemn theme is played by the orchestra. This is Trevi Fountain at high noon. (…)” (4) Villa Medici Fountain at Sunset: “The fourth movement is about a sad theme, which emanates from the quiet murmur of the fountain’s water. This is the hour of sunset, which is full of longing. The air is filled with the ringing of bells, the chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves. Then everything slowly settles in the silence of the night.”
Giuseppe Martucci: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 40
The pianist, conductor and composer Giuseppe Martucci (1856–1909) was an exceptional figure of late 19th century Italian music. Unlike his Italian contemporaries, he never expressed his interest in the genre of the opera as a composer. He remained a devoted advocate of pure instrumental music, and therefore it was no coincidence that he was called the Italian Brahms. He was an outstanding teacher, and one of his most outstanding students Ottorino Respighi described him as the father of the renewal of Italian music: “The new Italian school of music was – so to say – founded by Giuseppe Martucci, whom I always think of with deep sentiments.”
Ottorino Respighi: Pines of Rome
A musical trilogy dedicated to the Eternal City – ‘Fountains of Rome’ (1916), ‘Pines of Rome’ (1924) and ‘Roman Festivals’ (1928) – constitute the most striking summary of Respighi’s style. The composer’s impressionistic vision and mode of expression, his special sensitivity to colours and his brilliant art of orchestration are particularly evident in the above musical works. The composer explained the themes and moods of the movements of the symphonic poem entitled ‘Pines of Rome’ as follows. (1) The Pines of Villa Borghese: “Children are playing in the pine grove of Villa Borghese: they dance in a circle, play soldiers and wage battles just like swallows at dusk. Finally, they become intoxicated by their own noise and run away.” (2) Pine Trees Near a Catacomb: “Here there is the shadows of some pine trees around the entrance to a catacomb; from the depths rises the sound of a sorrowful psalm and the music solemnly spreads out like a hymn, then there is a mysterious fall of silence.” (3) The Pines of the Janiculum: “Tremor ripples through the air. In the gentle light of the full moon, the pines of the Gianicolo unfold. A nightingale sings.” (4) The Pines of the Appian Way: “A misty dawn on Via Appia. Lonely pine trees guard the tragic landscape. Unclearly and without pause, the sound of countless footsteps can be heard. In the poet’s imagination, a vision of ancient glories appears: trumpets sound and in the glow of the newly risen sun a consul’s army marches along the Sacred Road towards the triumphant peak of the Capitoline Hill.”
Ottorino Respighi: Roman Festivals
Composed between 1926 and 1928, the musical work’s four movements evoke the festivals of ancient Rome. This piece was premiered at Carnegie Hall in New York in 1929, and was conducted by Arturo Toscanini. ‘Roman Festivals’ is the longest and most complex piece in the trilogy. In addition, stylistically it is also very diverse, and reflects the influence of Debussy and Ravel as well as that of Stravinsky and Bartók.
Federico Colli and the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
MAY 10 7:30 PM
Müpa
TICKETS