Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936)
Gli uccelli (“The Birds”), P 154 (1928)
Antiche danze ed arie: Suite No. 1, P 109 (1917)
Antiche danze ed arie: Suite No. 2, P 138 (1923)
Antiche danze ed arie: Suite No. 3, P 172 (1931)
Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège/John Neschling
rec. 2021, Salle Philharmonique, Liège, Belgium
BIS BIS-2540 SACD [76]
This is the seventh volume in John Neschling’s Respighi series for BIS. I’ve either reviewed or bought all the previous instalments. The earlier releases have been warmly welcomed by a variety of MusicWeb colleagues, not least Dan Morgan. However, as the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end and I understand this is the final instalment in the series. That’s a shame but, with the exception of the composer’s concertos, I find it hard to think offhand of a significant orchestral work that has escaped Neschling’s scrutiny. At the foot of this review, I’ve provided links to reviews of the earlier releases in this series. Neschling began his survey with the orchestral ‘big guns’ of the Roman Trilogy but he concludes with the four suites which are on a more intimate scale. As has been the case in all but the very first volume, he’s working with the Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège.
As Jean-Pascal Vachon reminds us in his useful notes, all the music on this disc sprang from Respighi’s “passion for early music”. He observes, rightly, that although these arrangements of pieces from the past were “written with his usual care…[they] are nevertheless without any pretensions of authenticity”. That’s absolutely correct, but I’d add that every one of the seventeen short movements here recorded shows great respect for the music that inspired Respighi; he brought the music alive in a new way through his imaginative flair for orchestration. Though the orchestral palette may be less richly resourced than in, say The Pines of Rome, these more modest arrangements consistently delight through their colour, wit and invention. Indeed, one might argue that in these suites Respighi’s achievement as an orchestrator is all the greater since he deliberately restricted himself in terms of the forces at his disposal.
The five movements of Gli uccelli display an abundance of wit and charm. The pieces which Respighi clothed in orchestral dress are harpsichord or lute music from the seventeenth- and eighteenth centuries. Respighi used a fairly modest orchestra consisting of pairs of flutes, clarinets and bassoons plus a single oboe (one flute doubles piccolo). Two horns and two trumpets are required, in addition to celeste, harp and strings. Neschling and his players demonstrate with panache how inventive is Respighi’s use of these forces. In ‘La colomba’ they convey the gentle melancholy of the music, while the tender eloquence with which the oboist plays illustrates the eponymous dove beautifully. It’s hard to resist the clucking of the hen in ‘La gallina’. The scoring of ‘L’usignuolo’ (The nightingale) is especially subtle and I greatly enjoyed the delectable woodwind playing that’s on offer in this performance. Finally, the orchestra brings a refined lightness to ‘Il cucù’ before Respighi’s reprise of the sprightly opening ‘Preludio’ draws the suite to a very satisfying conclusion. This stylish account of Gli uccelli is a delight from start to finish.
The three suites of Antiche danze ed arie call for different forces. The First suite requires 2 each of flutes, oboes and bassoons, cor anglais, 2 horns, a trumpet, harp, harpsichord and strings. I didn’t realise until I read the BIS booklet that, unusually, the harpsichord part is written for four hands. The opening ‘Balletto’ is suitably courtly in this performance. In the following ‘Gagliarda’, Neschling ensures that there’s a crisp bite to the rhythms; the slower section, with its flowing wind solos, provides excellent contrast. The restful third movement, ‘Villanella’, features another fine solo contribution by the orchestra’s principal oboe. In the concluding ‘Passo mezzo e Mascherada’, courtly episodes alternate with passages of colourful vigour to give entertaining contrast. I really enjoyed this performance of the suite.
For the Second suite, Respighi expanded his forces slightly: piccolo, pairs of flutes, oboes, clarinets and bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, harp, harpsichord/celeste and strings. These are the largest forces deployed in any of the three suites, but even so the composer is restrained in the use of his orchestral palette. I liked all of the performance but the spirited account of ‘Danza rustica’ was a particular pleasure. I enjoyed even more the following ‘Campanae parisienses’. Here, the bell-like sounds in the orchestra are ear-catching; but what really stands out is the movement’s central section, an Aria. This is gorgeously played by the Liège orchestra; the string tone is really rich.
For the Third suite Respighi restricted his scoring to strings and, as Jean-Pascal Vachon observes, the suite seems “more austere”; he draws attention to the more serious character of the music as compared with the other two Suites. As an example, the opening ‘Italiana’ is based on “a simple, popular song” of the turn of the seventeenth century. However, Respighi’s treatment of the song gives it gravitas. The third of the four movements. ‘Siciliana’ is very soothing, especially as played here. In the concluding ‘Passacaglia’ the brief variations become ever more animated. This Suite isn’t as immediately attractive as the other two but one cannot but admire Respighi’s craftsmanship.
I enjoyed this disc very much. It’s a stylish and entertaining conclusion to John Neschling’s excellent Respighi series. He conducts the music with a light, affectionate touch and the Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège respond to his direction with alert, skilful playing. I listened to the stereo layer of the SACD and found that the sound was up to BIS’s usual impeccable standards. The recordings are detailed, clear and realistic.
I’m sorry that there won’t be more Respighi from John Neschling but he’s ended his series on a high note. ~
Previous review: David Phipps (May 2023)
MusicWeb reviews of John Neschling’s Respighi series
Roman Trilogy ~ Brazilian Impressions ~ Metamorphoseon ~ Sinfonia Drammatica ~ Church Windows ~ Transcriptions
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