Composer Of The Week

Donald Macleod explores the richly evocative musical landscape of Ottorino RespighiThis week, we’re invited to explore the richly evocative musical landscape of Ottorino Respighi. The colourful inventiveness of his most popular music was often inspired by images, places or stories, like his trio of ‘Tone Poems’: Pines of Rome, Fountains of Rome, and Roman Festivals. These works and others were frequently championed by celebrated conductor, Arturo Toscanini, and Respighi rose to become one of the leading Italian composers of the twentieth century. He remains hugely popular with orchestras and audiences today. Respighi’s trademark orchestral brilliance betrays the influence of his Russian mentor, Rimsky Korsakov. He was also fascinated by early music and sometimes incorporated antique styles into his works. In this series, Donald Macleod explores Respighi’s life and music from different perspectives, including his associations with Bologna, Rome and the USA, the important presence of his wife, Elsa, and also hi