CD REVIEW
– RESPIGHI
: ROMAN TRILOGY
Sinfonia
of London - John Wilson
Chandos CHSA 5261
(60:06)
Old friends from
RFS meetings and more recent
admirers of his charismatic
conducting will welcome this
release from John Wilson. It is
his third album directing the
superlative Sinfonia of London
that he has re-formed with a
hand-picked line-up of
instrumental talent led by Andrew
Haveron.
Ottorino Respighi
was an Italian composer
(1879-1936) whose three best
known orchestral showpieces are
brilliantly scored and brashly
imaginative; and revelled in by
conductors such as his friend
Arturo Toscanini onwards.
Fountains of
Rome (1914-16) depicts four
of the city's fountains at a
different time of day. The third
is the famous Trevi at midday. The
Pines of Rome (1923-24),
arguably his most popular work,
is a tribute to scenes around his
country's capital, some
contemporary and some recalling
the glory of the Roman Empire.
Nigel Simeone's informative notes
remind us that it was composed at
a time of turbulence in Italy,
with thousands of Fascist troops
entering the city in support of
Benito Mussolini on 28 October
1922.
Festivals of
Rome (1928) has four
movements: 'Circuses', 'The
Jubilee', 'The October Festival'
and 'The Epiphany'. The
least known work here but first
on the disc, it employs even
larger forces than its
predecessors, including lots of
percussion, an organ, four-hand
piano and mandolin.
All is stunningly
played and recorded at The Church
of St Augustine, Kilburn, London
in the renowned Chandos sound.
Fine accounts of these works are
not in short supply, but this
need not fear comparison with any
of them.
And if it is not
to your liking, then there is
still the prospect on this label
of John's 'Eric Coates Orchestral
Works' Volume 2.
© Peter
Burt 2020
|
