Meet a Composer: Ottorino Respighi
Years Lived: 1879-1936
Period of Composing: Late Romantic
Country: Italy
Ottorino Respighi was an Italian composer who is best known for his
orchestral works. You may have even heard his
Pines of Rome in the Fantasia 2000 sequence
with whales!
Respighi came from an artistic family; he had grandparents who
were sculptors and musicians, and his father was a pianist. Although
he was not interested in music at first, by the age of eight he
started violin lessons. After his teacher hit him on the hand
with a ruler for making a mistake, he took a short break
from lessons. Soon after, he returned to music (with a new teacher!) and later composed some
very famous works!
In his early twenties, Respighi went to Russia to play in the orchestra
of the Russian Imperial Theatre in Saint Petersburg. While there he
studied composition for five months with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (who
also taught composers such as
Stravinsky
and Prokofiev!).
Respighi went on to compose ballets, operas, and orchestral music, but
perhaps his most famous set of pieces are his three tone poems (a single
movement work that depicts a story, scene, or mood) about Rome—Fountains of Rome (1916), Pines of Rome (1924), and Roman Festivals (1928).
If you have Disney+, you can watch Fantasia 2000 to listen to Pines of Rome featuring whales!
Listen to six of Respighi's best works compiled by BBC Music Magazine.
Visit Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids to read more about Respighi and hear some of his music.
This Academic Kids site includes further information about Respighi.
Respighi wrote the music, based on piano pieces by Rossini, for the ballet The Fantastic Toyshop. See some clips on YouTube from the ballet danced here by the Portland Ballet.
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