Here we have Respighi displaying his understanding of the Baroque, little surprise considering his ability to transcribe the works of some of the Baroque greats including Vivaldi and Monteverdi.
Respighi however did not simply write a Baroque Sutie. No, he composed a Baroque inspired piece with the flair that made him famous in works like the Roman Trilogy.
Here are the first 2 movements from the Suite; Preludio, a Prelude which seems to honor Bach to its very core, and Aria (which, incidentally, was composed first of the 4 pieces and was performed as a stand-alone work in 1902 before being placed within the framework of this Suite), a melody of such depth that led some to call it Respighi's own "Air on a G string".
Of course, Respighi's own distinct color is felt and heard throughout, regardless of the inspiration for the pieces.
Performing is The Philharmonia (of London) led by Geoffrey Simon with Leslie Pearson on the organ.
Enjoy!
Thank you for the interesting commentary.
terrygillett1 4 months ago 2
@terrygillett1
Happy to share what little I know...
Thanks for the comment.
Best,
Billy
billystewart4 4 months ago