Synopsis

On today’s date in 1929, Italian composer Ottorino Respighi capped his trilogy of symphonic tone poems based on Roman scenery and history with the premiere performance of his Roman Festivals.

Unlike the first two installments, The Fountains of Rome and The Pines of Rome, which were both premiered in Rome by Italian orchestras, Roman Festivals premiered in America at Carnegie Hall, with the New York Philharmonic conducted by Arturo Toscanini.

“All three of the compositions are [full of] brilliant instrumental effects. Roman Festivals, however, fairly caps the climax for sheer orchestral sonority …” wrote music critic Olin Downes in his New York Times review the following day. “The first part … is really wild and brutal music, the dramatic idea being the howls and cries of the crowd at the Circus Maximus, the salutations for Nero, the opening of the iron gates and the roaring of beasts, the hymn of the Christians about to be slaughtered ... The passage is short, but of a stunning power.”

But Olin Downes ended his review with a Nero-esque thumbs-down: “All this program material furnishes Mr. Respighi opportunity for descriptive writing, but the music is of no merit,” concluded the review.

Music Played in Today's Program

Ottorino Resphigi (1879-1936): Roman Festivals; Philadelphia Orchestra; Riccardo Muti, conductor; Angel/EMI 47316