Jesús López-Cobos’ Pines of Rome gets off to a magical start as he revels in Respighi’s glittering orchestral colors, played with high spirits by the Cincinnati Symphony. The Straussian solo-violin-led textures of The Pines of the Janiculum rarely have been played with such aching beauty, and with all that has gone before one would expect a truly spectacular Pines of the Appian Way. But sadly, it’s not to be. While López-Cobos creates the appropriate ceremonial atmosphere, and the orchestral brass unleashes incredible sonic energy, the resulting impact is muzzled because of the virtually inaudible cymbals and tam-tam, which are vital to creating the pagan spectacle Respighi intends. While the percussion does not play so important a role in Fountains of Rome, its reticence here is also nonetheless frustrating, and this does not seem to be the fault of the engineers. A pity.
Metamorphoseon Modi XII was commissioned by the Boston Symphony for its 50th anniversary. It begins with a strong, modal theme followed by 12 very inventive variations in which Respighi shows off his amazing orchestral prowess, leading to a highly dramatic conclusion. Once again López-Cobos’ conducting is exciting, as is the orchestra’s self-assured playing, and here there are no percussion problems. Riccardo Muti on EMI remains the modern choice for Pines and Fountains, but those who aren’t bothered by timid percussion should give López-Cobos a listen. Telarc’s Direct Stream Digital recording reaches extraordinary levels of clarity and impact.
