Italian Perspectives
Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943)
5 Études-tableaux (arr. for orchestra by Respighi, 1931)
Ottorino Respighi (1879–1936)
Trittico Botticelliano (1927)
Giuseppe Martucci (1856–1909)
Symphony No. 1 in D minor, Op. 75 (1888-95)
Bamberger Symphoniker/Riccardo Frizza
rec. 2022/23, Joseph-Keilberth-Saal, Bamberg, Germany
Reviewed as lossless download
Pentatone PTC5187419 [83]

This is a very intelligent piece of programming, which could alternatively have been titled Respighi Perspectives, as we have an original work, one of his orchestrations of another composer’s work and a work by one of his teachers.

Apparently, Rachmaninoff was approached by Serge Koussevitzky to orchestrate a selection of his Études-tableaux, but claimed to be too busy. He also refused to let anyone else do the job, until Respighi’s name was mentioned, at which point Rachmaninoff enthusiastically agreed. He chose the five pieces, and explained the stories behind them in a letter to Respighi. It was, of course, Rachmaninoff whom Stravinsky described as “six feet six of Russian gloom”, so his choice of two long, slow and gloomy pieces, one a funeral march, occupying more than half the overall work, is perhaps not unsurprising. The sea depicted in the opening “The Sea and Seagulls” is, for the most part, a calm one, with only a brief interlude of something more violent. It is gently undulating for much of its more than eight minutes, with the seagull interjections by the high woodwinds. “The Fair” is Respighi in Roman Festivals mode, and provides a raucous, happy contrast to the movements either side. “The Funeral March” is, as one would expect, sombre and haunted, though there is a very Respighian triumphant and celebratory outburst towards the end. The most interesting movement is “Red Riding Hood and the Wolf”. It certainly has the widest range of emotions, and Respighi’s depictions of the two characters, and the pursuit through the woods is superb (it could have featured in Fantasia). It ends with three loud, violent chords – clearly one of them has had a grisly ending. The final movement is a rumbunctious march, supposedly oriental in flavour (not something I hear), and ends with all guns blazing, but I don’t think it is one of Respighi’s finest moments.

I have one other recording of the work, with Gianandrea Noseda conducting the BBC Philharmonic on Chandos. The orchestral textures are lighter and more subtle than Frizza’s, but Noseda is significantly slower in the long first and third movements, which I don’t think helps.

Of the three works here, Trittico Botticelliano is, by some considerable margin the most often recorded, with more than thirty in the catalogue; the other two have fewer than ten. For me, that’s because it is, by some considerable margin, the best work of the three. Inspired by three paintings by the Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli – Spring, The Adoration of the Magi and The Birth of Venus – the three movements are shining and shimmering examples of Respighi’s genius with orchestral colours.

This new recording joins three others in my collection: López-Cobos (Telarc), Vasary (Chandos) and Neschling (BIS). The latter has been highly praised by no fewer than four of my colleagues (review ~ review ~ review ~ review), and in sound quality and performance, there is no question that it puts the other two in the shade. How does this new recording stack up against it? Pretty well, I’d say. Perhaps it lingers over The Adoration of the Magi a little too much – more than a minute slower than Neschling – and as with the Études-tableaux, I felt Respighi’s textures were not as lightly and subtly delivered. These are relatively minor quibbles in a generally fine performance ; there is a glow about the playing which is entirely appropriate, even necessary, for this beautiful music. Anyone with an affection for Trittico should hear this.

Respighi studied composition and music history with Martucci in Bologna whilst in his teens. At the time, Martucci was one of the most prominent of the small number of Italian composers who concentrated on works beyond the opera theatre. His first symphony was written around the time Respighi became his student, and shows the strong influence of Brahms and Schumann; Martucci was known as the  “Italian Brahms”. One might also observe that little or no trace of it filters through into his student’s works.

Martucci’s music was championed by Toscanini, and a recording of his performance of the First Symphony exists (review). The symphony runs to around forty minutes, so there is no shortage of ambition from Martucci. It is a good, solid mid-Romantic symphony, where at any point throughout, you will be rewarded by enjoyable drama, passion or warmth, but listened to as a whole, the form and content aren’t strong enough to keep your complete attention. It’s no coincidence that the inner movements are the best, but also the shortest. The first movement has a lot of Beethovenian drama, but is not entirely convincing. The Andante second movement is nostalgic and autumnal, and quite lovely, while the third movement Allegretto is very, very Brahmsian, and is given a really fine performance by Frizza and the Bambergers – the tripping rhythms are beautifully picked out and the movement buzzes with energy. The longest movement is the fourth, at over thirteen minutes and one reviewer describes it as being Elgarian and “in P&C mode” from the start. While I get some sense of that (bear in mind that when this was being written, Elgar would have probably have been unknown in Italy), Brahms remains the strongest presence, but I also hear Mahler.

This becomes the third of Martucci’s First Symphony in my collection, the others being conducted by Francesco La Vecchia (Naxos – review) and Kees Bakels (BIS – review); the latter can be safely ignored as it slogs through the faster movements, and speeds through the Andante. Frizza’s version is the only one to come in under forty minutes, and that helps somewhat in keeping this occasionally sprawling and meandering work more in check. For this, and the fine Allegretto, I’d rank Frizza just above the La Vecchia, but I haven’t heard the Toscanini nor what is apparently the best version, that by Francesco D’Avalos (ASV), which is currently available as a Presto CD. I have to admit that the work doesn’t enthuse me sufficiently to spend almost $NZ50 getting it shipped out here.

The beautiful city of Bamberg has a population of less than 80,000, so it is fortunate indeed to have such a good orchestra, and one which is very well represented in the catalogue: Mahler and Raff symphony cycles on the Tudor label come to mind. It may not have quite the finesse of the very best, but I would be extremely happy to be a regular member of its audience. The acoustic seems fairly resonant, meaning the sound is a little congested, and this may indeed contribute to the textures issue I noted above.

Pentatone has given us a very well-thought out release, with good (or better) performances, though none is sufficiently outstanding to place it at the top of its respective list.

David Barker

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