Ottorino Respighi wasn’t a native of Rome, but he got there as quickly as he could. And then he set to writing lots of music about the place. Conductor Franz Anton Krager and Houston Symphony Principal Trumpet Mark Hughes teach all about Respighi, some of his Roman tone poems, and why he was a master of orchestration. Krager and Hughes will be performing Respighi together at the Texas Music Festival on June 11. It’s going to be fantastico!

Music in this episode (all by Ottorino Respighi):

  • “Circenses.” Festa Romane. Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra with Mariss Jansons. EMI 49964.
  • Excerpts from Pines of Rome. Chicago Symphony with Fritz Reiner. RCA 68079.

Audio production by Todd “Totally Tubular” Hulslander with “Like, ohmygawd!” by Dacia Clay and editing by Mark DiClaudio.

Thanks to Susan Farb Morris for her help with this episode!