Respighi: Sinfonia drammatica, P. 102 & Belfagor Overture, P. 140

Featuring

John Neschling
Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège
Ottorino Respighi

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Composer Biography

Ottorino Respighi, the composer, received a 'European' education, studying in Bologna, St. Petersburg under Rimsky-Korsakov, and Berlin under Max Bruch.

Composition History

Respighi began the Sinfonia drammatica in Rome in May 1913 while suffering from the psychological consequences of a broken engagement and homesickness, detesting the city.

Cultural Impact

Respighi's sound palette and spirit have influenced film music, with John Williams, composer of over eighty film scores, considering Respighi one of his most important influences.

Performer Biography

John Neschling, the conductor, is the grand-nephew of both composer Arnold Schoenberg and conductor Arthur Bodanzky.

Compositional Technique

The Sinfonia drammatica uses a post-Romantic expanded orchestra, including large string sections, triple woodwind, six horns, three trumpets, three trombones, organ (pedal only), and a large percussion section.

Performer Biography

The Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège (OPRL), founded in 1960, is known for combining the density of Germanic orchestras with the transparency of French ones.

Critical Reception

The Sinfonia drammatica's 1915 premiere received divided critical reception, with some praising Respighi as a master of symphonic music, while others criticized its German influences.