Respighi: Roman Trilogy, Il Tramonto

1	Fontane di Roma (The Foun
2	Fontane di Roma (The Foun
3	Fontane di Roma (The Foun
4	Fontane di Roma (The Foun
5	Pini di Roma (The Pines o
6	Pini di Roma (The Pines o
7	Pini di Roma (The Pines o
8	Pini di Roma (The Pines o
9	Il tramonto (The Sunset),
10	Feste romane (Roman Festi
11	Feste romane (Roman Festi
12	Feste romane (Roman Festi
13	Feste romane (Roman Festi
Respighi: Roman Trilogy, Il Tramonto
1.	Fontane di Roma (The Fountains of Rome), symphonic poem, P. 106 17:12
	Composed by Ottorino Respighi
	Conducted by Antonio Pappano
	Performed by Santa Cecilia Academy Orchestra Rome
2.	Pini di Roma (The Pines of Rome), symphonic poem, P. 141 23:05
	Composed by Ottorino Respighi
	Conducted by Antonio Pappano
	Performed by Santa Cecilia Academy Orchestra Rome
3.	Il tramonto (The Sunset), for voice & string quartet/string orchestra, P. 101 15:53
	Composed by Ottorino Respighi
	Conducted by Antonio Pappano
	Performed by Santa Cecilia Academy Orchestra Rome and Christine Rice
4.	Feste romane (Roman Festivals), symphonic poem, P. 157 24:26
	Composed by Ottorino Respighi
	Conducted by Antonio Pappano
	Performed by Santa Cecilia Academy Orchestra Rome

All Music Guide

Fans of Italian composer Ottorino Respighi's "Roman Trilogy -- The Fountains of Rome," "The Pines of Rome," and "Roman Festival" may already have their favorite recordings of these well-known orchestral showpieces. And while they may prefer the strongly colored and robustly rhythmic performances by Toscanini, the conductor who gave the works their premiere, or the brilliantly colored and powerful muscled performances by Muti, the conductor most associated with the music these days, there are still two good reasons to try this 2007 EMI recording. First: with the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia Rome led by the enthusiastic Antonio Pappano, at last the orchestra and the conductor are Italian. And though some could rightly say that the orchestra of the Italian capital is not nearly as virtuosic as the orchestras of the German, Austrian, or London capitals, no one could deny the propulsive energy and bone-deep understanding they bring to the music. Second: with English mezzo-soprano Christine Rice's performance of the relatively rarely recorded symphonic song "Il tramonto," this disc has a passionate and wholly compelling performance of an unusual and invaluable work as a coupling. Recorded in the Sala Santa Cecilia in Rome by producer David Groves, the sound here is big, full, and vivid if a little lacking in cohesion in climaxes. James Leonard

Gramophone

These are unashamed picture-postcards in music, and the images they evoke are always exceptionally vivid.... Pappano's trilogy now stands as a model for a colorful and ideal coupling, particularly with such an apt fill-up as Il tramonto. Edward Greenfield

Daily Telegraph

These are not the usual postcards home but loving portrayals by Italy's top symphonic orchestra of its own city. Antonio Pappano certainly holds back none of the local colour. Matthew Rye