Ottorino Respighi was in the vanguard of the 20th-century rebirth of Italian symphonic music. Famed for his Roman Trilogy, Respighi was also prominent in the synthesis of pre-Classical melodic styles and late-Romantic harmonies and textures. These are the elements that make the Ancient Airs and Dances so captivating and expressive, as Respighi draws on dances by 16th-century composers to brilliant effect. The Concerto all’antica is an early, beautifully poetic work that again draws on ancient styles, in a recording that uses the first printed critical edition of the work by Salvatore Di Vittorio, published in 2019.

Conductor Salvatorre Di Vittorio and the Chamber Orchestra of New York have an outstanding history of interpreting Respighi’s music. Their release of Gli uccelli (‘The Birds’), Trittico botticelliano and the Suite in G major on 8573168 ‘are performed in the most refined and transparent versions one can imagine’ according to Pizzicato (★★★★★).

The world premiere recording of Respighi’s Violin Concerto in A major (revised and completed by Di Vittorio) on 8572332 was declared ‘an essential issue’ by Classical Net, and New York’s WQXR Album of the Week: ‘the concerto is somewhat reminiscent of Respighi’s teacher Rimsky-Korsakov, but it also inhabits the lush, romantic sound world of Bruch and Brahms.’

Davide Alogna also performed the world premiere recording of Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s Violin Concerto no.3 for Naxos (8574003). Musica gave it 5 stars, with MusicWeb International commenting: ‘we have here a fine enough performance for the work to be judged on its own merits and, whilst this Third Concerto is not in the league of the Second, it’s a curiosity worth hearing.’