La Primavera: what a joyous beginning to this new Orchestre Philharmonique Royal De Liège release! The high spirits and strong sense of motion kick off Respighi’s Trittico Botticelliano. Like Botticelli’s garden that inspired this work, we can hear the sparkling trills and hunter-like calls. A change of mood in the following movement creates an aura of mystery that’s spacious but concise. Botticelli’s La Nascita di Venere inspired the third movement; strings leave us feeling unsettled before winds slice through with a simplistically striking melody (presumably representing the figurative beauty of Venus).

In Il Tramonto, mezzo soprano Anna Caterina Antonacci brings to life a lyrical poem, singing with an assurance tainted with a human essence as she shares a tumultuous tale of love. When Vetrate di Chiesa (Church Windows) begins, we hear a fullness whose absence so far I’d not observed. The excitement of San Michele Arcangelo embodies the sound of crashing waves, followed by all the pride and bravery of its titular character battling the beast! By the time we reach San Gregorio Magno, a disturbing calm-before-the-storm precedes a crescendo and centre stage of startling effect. Beyond, the entire ensemble seems to ring as church bells, and the musicians conclude with a finish worthy of applause even sitting at home in your living room. One of the strongest albums you’ll hear for a while.


Composer: Respighi
Composition: Trittico Botticelliano, Il Tramonto, Vetrate di Chiesa
Performer: Anna Caterina Antonacci ms, Orchestre Philharmonique Royal De Liège, John Neschling
Catalogue Number: BIS BIS2250

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