Search - Antonio Pappano :: Respighi: Roman Trilogy; Il Tramonto

The best thing here is Pappano's light, vivacious conducting

11/18/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Respighi was a flashy composer of evocative fluff and antiquarian tidbits who had the enormous good fortune to be boosted for decades by Toscanini. His driven, fierce readings of the Pini di Roma are classics for thrills and spills. Over the years nearly every major conductor has felt called upon to give us a showpiece recording of at least the Pines, if not the complete Roman Trilogy -- it becomes a trail to hear the whole hog. Reiner has a blockbuster with the CSO in Living Stereo that still stands up as all the Respighi anyone needs, unless you happen to be crazy for every;thing he wrote.



Pappano's new EMI recording is quite atmospheric and appealing. He takes a lighter approach than Reiner or Toscanini, clearly wanting us to be charmed rather than overwhelmed. It's also heartening that he uses an Italian orchestra; maybe EMI wants to remind native music lovers that they don't have to turn to outside orchestras for satisfying renditions of their own music. But the Santa Cecilia orchestra can't manage the virtuosity called for by the score, and quite often I thought they were jsut getting by. There's plenty of style and ommitment, though, and if you don't deamnd the Chicago Symphony's dazzling perfection, this is a fine recording on all counts. EMI's sonics seem rather confined to me, again no match for what RCA gave Reiner and the CSO."