Respighi's Sinfonia Drammatica reveals influences from composers like César Franck, Richard Strauss, Rimsky-Korsakov, and even Wagner, as well as his teacher Giuseppe Martucci.
Composer Biography
The years Respighi composed the Sinfonia Drammatica (1913-1915) were not happy ones for him, marked by a difficult move to Rome and a regretted marriage engagement.
Composition History
Ottorino Respighi's Sinfonia Drammatica was his longest and most ambitious orchestral work at the time of its composition (1913-1915).
Critical Reception
The Roman premiere of Respighi's Sinfonia Drammatica was well-received, with one critic describing it as a work that could help Italy regain its musical primacy.
Performer Biography
Robert Trevino, the conductor on this album, has served as Principal Guest Conductor of the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI and is the incoming Principal Conductor of the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra.
Historical Context
The composition of Respighi's Sinfonia Drammatica took place against the backdrop of the impending and then actual pan-European war, which Italy joined in May 1915.
Compositional Technique
The Sinfonia Drammatica achieves unity through recurring motifs and rhythmic cells, despite its episodic nature with sections contrasting in dynamics, tempo, and orchestral color.
