Sinfonia Of Ldn/Wilson - Ottorino Respighi: Fontane di Roma, Pini di Roma, Feste Romane

Following the widespread critical acclaim of their first two recordings � including a BBC Music Magazine Award � John Wilson and the Sinfonia of London turn to Respighi�s Roman Trilogy for their third release. Born in Bologna in 1879, Respighi trained as a violinist and composer, and travelled extensively. His influences are therefore wide-ranging, from Richard Strauss and Debussy to Rimsky-Korsakov (who taught him orchestration) in addition to a love of � and fascination with � Plainsong and music of the Italian baroque. Fountains of Rome was the first of these three great tone poems, composed between 1913 and 1916, and inspired by a series of photographs given to him by the artist Edita Broglio. Intensely programmatic, the work sees Respighi setting out to evoke �sentiments and visions suggested� by four of Rome�s fountains contemplated at the hour in which their character is most in harmony with the surrounding landscape, or in which their beauty appears most impressive to the observer�... This recording was made in Surround Sound and is available as a Hybrid SACD.