Feste romane

Feste romane (Roman Festivals) is a richly coloured orchestral celebration of the Eternal City. The symphonic poem was composed in 1928, as the third of Respighi’s Roman Trilogy. Like its predecessors, Fountains of Rome and Pines of Rome, it takes the listener on a tour of the Italian capital. Respighi visits four famous sites and imagines scenes from their history. In the opening movement, “Circenses”, Christians face wild beasts in the arena. We are at the Circus Maximus at the height of the Roman Empire. Nero appears, to the sound of fanfares from three buccine, ancient Roman trumpets that Respighi adds to his orchestra. The Christians sing a quiet but resolute hymn, heard in the strings, but are drowned out by the baying crowd. “Il Giubileo” (“The Jubilee”) represents a medieval pilgrimage. The travellers are tired, but as they approach the city, their spirits are revived by the sound of church bells, heard in the orchestral percussion and piano duet. “L'Ottobrata” (“The October Harvest”) depicts a celebration of the wine harvest at the Castelli Romani, a group of castles outside Rome. Joyous horn calls set the tone, with dancing to follow. There is also a twilight serenade, played on the mandolin, another unusual addition to Respighi’s orchestra. The finale, “La Befana” (“The Epiphany”), is set in the Piazza Navona, one of Rome’s central squares. A midwinter celebration is in full swing, and we hear the sounds of a barrel organ, boisterous dances and popular songs, all combined into a rich montage of themes and textures.