Respighi - The Birth of Venus - Three Botticelli Pictures (3/3)

[Zxc1011123]

Why she standing on a shell over the sea?

[mrfredlicurgo]

Outstanding man, thanks for sharing!!!

[billystewart4]

@mrfredlicurgo

My pleasure. Easy to share what we love...

[4165mc]

Thank you for posting it. It is sublime indeed especially the way it builds around 2.00 onwards.

[billystewart4]

@4165mc

Very welcome. Respighi was a unrecognized master of Baroque reborn, in my humble opinion...

[4165mc]

Beautiful and sad. I first heard this after a woman requested it on classic fm many years ago. she wrote a letter in which she talked about the death of her son and how this piece of music meant so much to her and reminded her of her son. I am haunted by her story whenever i hear it this music.

[lamazopa21]

I'm quite partial to Respighi's music in general but this Botticelli Triptych is surely a masterpiece. It has beautiful flowing melodic lines and rich yet subtle harmony and orchestration.

[EsotericMaestro]

@JCHBONNET - My sentiments exactly! Musical gifts must be treated as separate entities, even if the artists in question were/are guilty (whether fully, partially, or unwittingly).

[jariworld]

Beautiful movement .

[IncaRoad01]

Oh, and Venus it hot. I always had a thing for redheads ...

[IncaRoad01]

1:55 onwards is the business ... you could say

[buchadolph]

Stunning orchestral color. This piece must be heard by all music appreciation students.

[thespinningjenny]

thanks for posting this

[pedleysd]

This movement is such a gorgeous piece. Trouble is, I once heard a live performance which had me in tears and somehow captured the magic more than any of the recordings I've heard. I SO want to have that moment again, but I can't!

[444lioness]

This is my favorite Respighi of all. Glad you shared it. My CD that contains this is from 1993, The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, which is also a fine recording. As you said, he was indeed a genius. Something in this touches me deeply.

[JCHBONNET]

Respighi is a true genius. Unfortunately, he did not clearly condemn Mussolini's fascist regime between the wars and his works were unfairly neglected thereafter. Florent Schmitt suffered the same fate. Art should not be mixed with politics.

[billystewart4]

Agreed,

It is unfortunate that Respighi's political views (or lack of statements against the tyranny of Italy) led to such a poor appreciation for his genius.

I have a large collection of Respighi and, despite his possible ties to fascism, still appreciate the music of a genius of composition.

Thanks for sharing!

[cdc220680]

@JCHBONNET

...yeah, but Wagner did not have progressive political views either but he seems to get a pass, but I always liked some of Respighi's works

[EsotericMaestro]

@JCHBONNET - However, I am sure he was not pro-fascist per se. He just could not bring himself to leave his beloved Italy. He was not all that naïve. For instance, he did actively and lovingly advise Toscanini to leave Italy for his own safety.