Respighi: Roman Festivals (Feste Romane)

"I feel very honoured and privileged to be able to conduct this music with the Orchestra of the Academy of Santa Cecilia not only because it's my orchestra now but because the Fountains and the Pines of Rome were written for this orchestra and were premiered by this orchestra. And the Roman Festivals were premiered by the New York Philharmonic with Toscanini conducting but this orchestra played the Italian premiere." Antonio Pappano

“Pappano's gift to constantly delve well beyond the reputation these tone-poems have as technically brilliant display pieces devoid of deeper content. Try to listen, for instance, to the plangency of the woodwind playing at the rapt opening of 'Fountain of Valle Giulia', or the translucent sifting of textures in a magical 'Villa Medici Fountain', without becoming riveted.” BBC Music Magazine, November 2007 *****

"I doubt if you'll find better performances in the catalogue" - Irish Evening Press

“…I doubt whether these scores have ever been more meticulously prepared or engineered. No matter how intricately textured Respighi’s multi-layered scores become you can hear every tiny detail emerging, even in the orgy of sound unleashed by Roman Festivals. A sonic revelation.” Classic FM Magazine, October 2007

“…what a gift for immaculately precise instrumental detail.” Gramophone