Unclear Respighi: Ormandy's Pini Di Roma Needs Volume.

The Good: Good melodies and orchestrations, Good mix of music
The Bad: Volume is way off
The Basics: A dud of a recording, this disc was poorly engineered to the point of being inaudible in too many places.


I have a very limited knowledge of the works of Ottorino Respighi. Indeed, before I raided my father's classical music collection for everything he had of Respighi's, all I had heard was an amazing piece played once on my Public Radio Station. The piece was called "Metamorphosia" and the rendition I heard was absolutely amazing. It was a long, sweeping piece that went through an entire orchestra, with a myriad of tempos. It was truly a transformation set to music.

So, I was eager when I found a recording of the Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Eugene Ormandy in my father's collection. I wanted to hear more Respighi, even if my father did not have "Metamorphosia." Unfortunately, from almost the first moment I began playing this disc, I was disappointed. After the first track, the volume falls off severely. Not only are the pieces more sublime, but the actual volume of the tracks plummets. I originally played the disc in my car while driving and I had the disc turned up to sixteen (four is loud for me!) and I couldn't hear a thing. So, I took it out at home for the subsequent listens and found the recording to be problematic there, in the quiet of my house, too! Through much of the disc, the instrumentals are inaudible, even with the volume turned up almost to full on my stereo!

With three suites, over twelve movements (tracks), Pini Di Roma, in this recording clocks out at just under an hour.

Pini Di Roma begins with "I pini di Villa Borghese," a rousing brass and cymbal exhortation that acts as a fanfare. It erupts with sound that swirls around energetically to introduce the suite. There is a very noble, almost celebratory, feel to this first piece and it is enough to energize the listener.

It is too bad, then, that it crashes abruptly into "I pini presso una catacomba," the second movement. On this recording, the piece is so soft that the instrumentals of the woodwinds that take over after the rousing brass of track 1 are almost inaudible for the first two minutes. Then, clarinets, flutes and light trumpets creep in like a dawn, slowly building to a crescendo that is, at its worst, audible. Unfortunately, the light volume and meandering melody of the piece leave no impression and after several listens to the disc, I gave up trying to evaluate it, much less hear it. Near the end, it does reach an almost empiric sense of grandeur - and volume - but without the contrast of the beginning the effect is diminished.

Track three, "I pini del Gianicolo" is no better. It is quiet and after eight listens, I detect a lone violin, oboe and clarinet in the early portion, but other than that, the tune meanders below any listenable level until four minutes in. Then, the violins and light woodwinds sweep in like a breeze wafting clouds over a knoll. The piece is pastoral and simple and by the time it reaches a decibel level where it can be heard, any sense of continuity for the movement is utterly shattered.

On "I pini della Via Appia" the problem persists and it is worth noting here that: 1. No, my ears are not clogged, 2. No, there is nothing making noise to distract me from this disc, and 3. No I have no beef with Ormandy or the Philadelphia Orchestra. Moreover, I am predisposed toward giant, epic musical pieces, which might be why I found myself enjoying the Grieg c.d. I borrowed at the same time as this. I like longer pieces, too, so this seems like music I would like. After two minutes, there is a fanfare of brass and woodwinds that rises in this piece that adds a sense of menace that sparks the imagination. It erupts into a revelatory tune that is truly grand and big and it is almost worth waiting through the quiet times for!

Unfortunately, this is not just a problem with the first suite. "Fontane Di Roma" begins quiet with "La Fontana di Valle Giulia all'alba" and that does not change until trumpets and brass herald the opening of "La fontana del Tritone al mattino," track six. This piece is one of the few that may be heard in its entirety. For two and a half minutes, the listener is caught up in a sweeping ditty that has woodwinds frolicking around a menacing brass tune and its is intriguing.

After that, though, it slips back into the whispy woodwinds and light strings for the ethereal "La Fontana di Trevi al meriggio" and then "La Fontana di Villa Medici al tramonto," which suffer the same way the other tracks do.

For all of the reviews I have written, I have never walked out of the theater. There has never been a movie so poor that I didn't suffer through watching it (sure, I might have pummiced my feet while doing it, but I sat through it!). This particular recording is one that I have listened to eight times, or attempted to. I have played it in four different players and even checked another copy of it out from the library; the recording itself is engineered so poorly as to be almost impossible to hear through almost the entire album. It is impossible to intelligently evaluate the music when it cannot be heard.

Fortunately, "Feste Romane" breaks the cycle! "Circenses" is a loud, energetic brass and string driven track that has the sound and feel of gladiators entering a ring. Musically, there is a grandeur to this piece that energizes the listener from its first notes, especially after the dull and inaudible tracks that precede it. It is bold, sweeping and sounds like it carries menace when it begins to accent short notes with deep-toned instruments, making for a compelling and dangerous-sounding track. It is exciting and if the entire album had been like this track, I could see myself painting something mysterious, powerful and dark to it.

When track nine ended big and brassy, my heart sank and with good reason; "II Giubilio" takes approximately two minutes before it builds to a volume one can here it at. After its initial peak, it collapses to an oboe and descends into obscurity again, popping out occasionally to jerk the listener around.

It is followed by "L'Ottobrata" and "La Befana."

This album might contain good music, but the pieces are so poorly rendered on the recording as to make it not worth anyone's time and attention. I struggled for days with this album and the subsequent review; no need for you to do the same.

For other instrument-driven music reviews, please check out my takes on:
The Masterpieces Collection: Grieg Volume 4
Metamorphoseon - Ottorino Respighi
Appalachian Journey - Yo-Yo Ma

0/10

For other music albums, be sure to visit my Music Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2012, 2008 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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Metamorphoseon Not How I Remembered, But Still Decent Respighi

The Good: An intriguing Classical artist well performed
The Bad: Moments where the volume kicks down too low
The Basics: Despite having movements in the first two suites that go inaudible, the power and sophistication of Metamorphoseon makes this a disc worth picking up!


Some months back, I heard a piece on my local public radio station and I was so thrilled by it, that I have been in a search for it since. I could have sworn it was called the "Metamorphosea," but a little bit of research into it quickly lead me to Ottorino Respighi and the Metamorphoseon. As I tracked down an album that had the Metamorphoseon, I encountered an abysmal Respighi recording and one that was generally decent (reviewed here!), but still did not contain the suite I was looking for.

So, one might imagine my pleasure when I was at Barnes & Noble spending off my profits from a recent day's work and I discovered a recording that had the "Metamorphoseon Modi XII." I picked up on the spot. Having listened to it now several times, I find myself struggling to recall exactly what it was I heard on NPR that drove me to hunt this piece down. I recall the Metamorphoseon being a piece that evolved from one section of the orchestra to another, developing from quiet to forceful along the way and being striking for the contrasts and changes that occurred over the course of the song. And there is instrumental diversity in this presentation of Metamorphoseon, but it's somehow just not as striking as it originally was to me.

With three suites, comprised of twenty-one tracks, this Respighi album clocks in at 62:04 and showcases the talents of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Jesus Lopez-Cobos. The three suites, "Pines Of Rome," "Fountains Of Rome" and "Metamorphoseon Modi XII" are performed using a very rich sense of the orchestra, adeptly combining strings, woodwinds and an impressive brass section. Notably absent in the works in this recording is a noticeable percussion section. Instead, the other instruments are responsible with keeping their own time and the recording has a somewhat sleepy quality through much of it - at least at the beginning - as a result.

The album opens with the Pines Of Rome Suite. The first movement is "Pines Of The Villa Borghese," a two and a half minute trumpet and brass-driven fanfare that quickly establishes a sense of majesty and movement that heralds something great approaching. Unfortunately, the six-minute second movement is almost inaudible. I understand that the "Pines Near A Catacomb" is supposed to be quiet, flute and light-string driven, but for the first minute and a half coming off of the first movement, this movement is impossible to hear at moderate volume levels. And if one does not want to have to constantly adjust one's stereo to listen to the disc, this becomes a problem. In the middle of the piece, it rises up into a quietly listing tune that is basically the musical interpretation or equivalent of the wind. It is only in the latter half of the piece that a bassoon comes on, establishes a theme and the track builds into a majestic melody that implies age, grandeur and a sense of deep endurance.

"The Pines Of The Janiculum" follows and it is another quiet piece. The unfortunate aspect of either the piece or the recording is that for the first two minutes, the piece plays with quiet flutes and light woodwinds and strings barely eking out a sound. We hear music playing, but there is no coherent melody and the theme is dropped like breadcrumbs along a path. The piece becomes audible as a single woodwind begins to build up the orchestra, leading the string section - with an impressive harp - into a theme that is evocative of spires and mystery. This is a foggy, ethereal piece and by the time it becomes something, it is over.

That sense continues into "Pines Of The Appian Way," which again begins quiet and without any distinct melody. In the middle, though, the bold woodwinds and brass take over to present an adventurous theme that rises into an invigorating sense of two nobles meeting. There is a sense of majesty that comes as the piece climaxes, not of conflict but of grand presentation.

"The Fountains Of Rome" Suite begins with "Fountains Of Valle Giulia at Dawn," a four minute movement that sounds like the musical equivalent to a still pond with a gentle breeze blowing over it. As the piece progresses, mid-range woodwinds take over to provide a sense of movement and the general sense the piece is one of peace and careful exploration. None of the instruments push too hard, express too loudly and instead, the movement quietly establishes a serene location.

The "Triton Fountain At Morn" then begins as something of a striking contrast. Guided by a brass section, the piece breaks like the dawn with a stronger sense of movement and a strange undertone of menace. The brass and woodwinds chase each other around the scales, like a bigger fish chasing a smaller one. The small fish - in this case the lighter woodwinds - escapes by leaping out of the water in little arcs that keep it ahead of the jaws of its predator. Still, there is less a sense of menace than a frolicking chase and the movement is fun.

It also moves quite well into the sweeping crescendos of "Fountain Of Trevi At Mid-day," one of the few pieces on the album to employ drums. Tympanies pair with french horns to create a rousing sense of grandeur and movement. Everything parts for the arrival of something great in this piece and whatever it is strides in as the piece comes to an end.

Whatever it is that feels like it is arriving at the end of that movement, it certainly is not the meek thing that defines the "Villa Medici Fountain at Sunset," a movement that starts out timid, raises only up to present and then fades out completely. This is a mellow sunset piece and it is evocative of fading away with little to remember it by. This is a piece that goes gently into the good night with light strings and woodwinds drifting off.

And then came the "Metamorphoseon Modi XII," the piece I bought this disc for. Comprised of thirteen movements, the Metamorphoseon begins with a fairly deep theme being established with a brass and low woodwind section and then having other instrumental groups come in to transform the theme. It is, truly, a musical metamorphosis and in this recording it does utilize the entire orchestra adapting a basic theme for various instruments as it continues. The piece is about change and growth, so there are sudden bold downturns where flutes will be cut off by cellos and brass to present a musically abrupt event.

The piece flows wonderfully, though, and it is enough to recommend the disc for the twenty-three minutes. While the first two suites are erratic in their quality, Metamorphoseon is consistent in its sound level and it is in a constant state of movement. The music grows, it changes, whole sections of the orchestra rise up and fall out throughout the piece making for one of the most compelling and intriguing works of Classical music I've yet heard. As one who likes Mussorgsky's "Great Gates Of Kiev," Metamorphoseon sounds extraordinary and well-developed.

As a result, this disc is one that I am keeping in my permanent collection, at least until I find a better recording or one that pairs the Metamorphoseon with something more consistently audible. But for those - like me - who are just getting into Respighi, this is the best place to start I've yet found.

The best track is “Metamorphoseon” and the low point is the almost entirely inaudible "Pines of the Janiculum."

For other instrument-driven music reviews, please check out my takes on:
Appalachian Journey - Yo-Yo Ma
Mozart Musical Masterpieces - Classic Composers
Heroes Symphony - Philip Glass

7/10

For other music reviews, please visit my Music Review Index Page for an organized listing of all the music reviews I have written!

© 2012, 2008 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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A Classic Recording Of Respighi And Debussy Holds Up Even Now!

The Good: Good music, Volume, Decent orchestration.
The Bad: I tend to like one composer per disc . . .
The Basics: Often rousing and voluminous, this recording satisfies those looking for a decent mix of anthemic and bold and quiet and pastoral.


For those who do not follow my reviews regularly, I recently raided my father's classical music collection to expand my knowledge of Classical music. There, I found some truly wonderful albums and a pretty terrible recording of Respighi's works. Having recently become intrigued by Respighi, this left me disappointed. Severely.

Fortunately, my father had a second disc that had Respighi's music on it. It was the "Living Stereo" recording of Debussy's "La Mer" and Respighi's "Pines Of Rome" and "Fountains Of Rome." I tend to prefer my Classical with one composer per disc, but I decided to give this one a whirl and I find myself genuinely pleased with that decision. This is not a bad pairing of artists and the renditions seem quite good. Moreover, I can hear each and every note on every track at a volume that is reasonable!

With eleven tracks, clocking in at 62:10, Fritz Reiner conducts the Chicago Symphony in this classic recording of classical music. Recorded in 1959 and 1960, the combined tracks bring the album up to a duration that does not insult the c.d. medium. Reiner conducts a full orchestra and the notes are universally clear and precise, which is surprising given how some digitally remastered albums sound.

Debussy's suite "La Mer" opens the album. It has three movements and uses the full range of an impressive orchestra. "From Dawn Till Noon On The Sea" is the first movement and it starts with mid-range woodwinds and brass and escalates almost immediately into a soft, but sweeping theme. I tend to like Classical music pieces that are big and epic and this piece is not that. Instead, it is ponderous and contemplative, mixing an undertone of high strings playing softly with clarinets, oboes and the like to present a piece that has a hard to define melody. Instead, the piece is about growth and when the brass section comes in eventually, it is only to present a musical climax. It is like seeing land at the edge of a vast expanse of water. In other words, it is hard to define the water, but the contrast with the land makes a noticeable impression.

By contrast, "Play Of The Waves" is quick and involves a decent amount of interplay between the strings and woodwinds. There is an oboe that plays off a harp at the beginning that is particularly capricious and one has the sense of a shoal full of life and movement. "Play Of The Waves" includes fast trills that zip around the higher end of the scale and a remarkably complete use of the orchestra's string and woodwind sections. This evokes images of watching nature - not in its glory - so much as in the chaos of its movement. In the latter half of the piece, when bigger instruments come in, including some brass (french horns?) there is the sense of creatures of different scales interacting and it creates an intriguing piece of music.

The suite concludes well with "Dialogue Of The Wind And The Sea," a piece that sounds like a storm or chase at sea. The woodwinds keep up a fast tune while the strings keep a determined beat along with the percussion section. And on this track, the brass section erupts with big, bold waves of sound. The piece creates a sense of chaos and danger before settling into a much more serene play of the lighter orchestral instruments. The strings are allowed to flow as opposed to keep time and the suite ends with a feeling of calm and peace that is quite inspiring and evocative.

This sense of serenity lends itself well to the start of the Respighi pieces. The "Fountains Of Rome" suite begins with "The Fountain Of Valle Giulia At Dawn," a quiet pastoral piece dominated by subtle woodwinds and light strings. The song is very quiet - almost to the point of being too quiet, but it is not a function of the recording. This is a soft, dreamy piece.

The second movement, "The Triton Fountain At Morning" is more of what I like from Respighi and classical music in general; the piece is full of grand instrumentals, crescendos and a strong sense of movement. The brass and strings play off one another well, creating the sense of something grand and worth contemplating. There are sweeping dashes between the strings and woodwinds and they are broken up with occasional fanfares by the brass section. It is a rousing theme and I am sure if I were driving while listening to it, I would get caught for speeding.

This musical trend continues into "The Fountain Of Trevi At Midday" which is a soaring, brass-dominated anthem that sounds like the arrival of a king. Not a march, but rather a musical dawning of the extraordinary, this movement in the suite is powerful, bold and has the impression of completely controlling the listener. It is captivating in the way one hopes an energetic anthem will be and it deigns to give the clarinets their moment in the end and that, too, is very suave.

The suite is closed out by the movement "The Villa Medici Fountain At Sunset," a much quieter piece. Here the woodwinds and strings ease the listener into a gentle night. It is the sound of cleaning up after a festival. Sure, the brass section pops up here or there, like the memory of something at the earlier party. For the most part, though, this is a quiet, meandering piece that brings the energy of the previous movement in for a quiet landing.

It should be noted that the "Fountains Of Rome" movements blend seamlessly into one another, creating the sense of travel around a realm. Usually, the instrument that finishes one track begins the next, lending to a sense of musical continuity that is very tasteful.

The "Pines Of Rome," despite the title suggesting trees, is a much more active piece. "The Pines Of The Villa Borghese" is a brass-centered movement that instantly evokes images of grand structures in the mind of the listener. It is a short opening to the movement, but it breaks the listener out of their reverie from the prior track.

The "Pines Near A Catacomb" again has Respighi's trademark anthemic chase sounds. The brass is punctuated by cymbals as the song creates the sense of big and dangerous, much the way the composer on Star Trek did for the episode "The Doomsday Machine." Instead of flinching away from the potentially horrifying, the musical cues force the listener to rush headlong into danger and musically it is the equivalent of watching a stunt that is both impressive and foolhardy. The piece then becomes quieter, letting the tubas and deeper orchestral pieces create a new melody that builds up over the latter half of the piece into a reflection on the initial brashness.

With "The Pines Of The Janiculum," takes a much more serene turn, allowing the woodwinds and violins to take over to create a pastoral setting. It is quiet, sublime and peaceful. This movement is one to relax to; it lulls the listener in to the sense that they are in a safe place with a cool breeze blowing over them. It is unfettered by anything deeper or dangerous.

The work is closed out by "The Pines Of The Appian Way," a quiet piece that continues along the same way as the prior track. Midway through, though, the brass section breaks out, creating a new dawn, a new sense of rising up from the instrumentals, taking the piece into an ascension that closes the work dramatically and with much fanfare.

The overall album is a little too erratic to recommend the work for while driving (the quieter pieces could well put one to sleep if driving at night!), and the same thing with using for a romantic mood or even dining. This is good music for doing something both active and creative and this is a good recording for those who want a soundtrack for an activity like that.

The best track is Respighi's "The Pines Of The Villa Borghese," the low point is "The Fountain Of Valle Giulia At Dawn," which is just a little too quiet.

For other Classical music reviews, please check out my takes on:
Nocturnes, Volume 1 - Chopin
Karajan Gold Tchaikovski
Pictures At An Exhibition and Night On Bald Mountain - Mussogrsky

7/10

For other music reviews, please be sure to visit my index page on the subject by clicking here!

© 2011, 2008 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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