#pinidiroma — Public Fediverse posts on home.social

KMFA has just been playing what I think is the most popular work of Ottorino Respighi , "Pini di Roma" ( Pines of Rome).

This 1924 tone poem evokes mixed feelings in me. On the one hand, I enjoy its bright orchestral colours, the representation of children playing, and the striring march of the Roman legionaries along the Appian Way in the final movement .

Yet that final movement also brings to mind what disturbs me about this music. Although Respighi was never a member of the fascist party, it is difficult not to think Mussolini's ambition to resurrect the glory of the Roman empire in the fascist Italy of the twentieth century when reflecting on 'The Pines of the Appian Way".

Nor is the problematic nature of the piece confined to that last movement. Is there not a reactionary colouring to the other three movements, whether it be in the resort to sentimentality in the movement, religosity in the second, and the employment of a vulgar literalism in the representation of the extramusical throughout the piece, reaching an anti musical nadir in the third movement's use of a gramophone recording of a nightingale? Is this not the kitsch that would appeal to early twentieth century right wingers keen to reject both European modernism and American jazz?

And yet my feelings still remain mixed. I just enjoy the piece, even while recognizing its problematic aspects. I am also aware that the relationship of fascism to modernism is by no means one of uniform antipathy. In addition, I have to bear in mind that my response to the music is probably shaped by non-musical associations on my own part; when I was in my early teens, my mother gave me an LP with this work on one side, with "The Fountains of Rome" on the other. Perhaps filial sentimentality is clouding my judgement of the music.

Or am I just overthinking?

Respighi: Pini di Roma ∙ hr-Sinfonieorchester ∙ Juraj Valčuha
https://youtu.be/XgE7PUXTrlo?si=dy-PUvG1HLw0QkBK

#Respighi #PiniDiRoma #PinesOfRome
#ItalianMusic #Fascism #C20Music #ClassicalMusic