Pines of Rome

From Wind Repertory Project
Ottorino Respighi

Ottorino Respighi (trans. Yoshihiro Kimura)


This work also appears under its Italian title, Pini di Roma.


General Info

Year: 1924 / 1995
Duration: c. 21:25
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Orchestra
Publisher: De Haske
Cost: Score and Parts - €315.00   |   Score Only - €51.00


Movements (may be played without pause)

1. Pines of the Villa Borghese - 2:50
2. Pines near a Catacomb - 6:45
3. Pines of the Janiculum - 6:10
4. The Pines of the Appian Way - 5:05


Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo/Flute
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
A-flat Piccolo Clarinet
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Saxophone
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
B-flat Flugelhorn I-II
B-flat Soprano Flugelhorn
B-flat Tenor Flugelhorn
B-flat Bass Flugelhorn
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III-IV
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Piano
Celesta
Harp
Timpani
Percussion I-II, including:

  • Bass Drum
  • Glockenspiel
  • Crash Cymbals (small)
  • Suspended Cymbal
  • Tambourine/Rattle
  • Tam-Tam
  • Triangle


Errata

In score and parts:

  • Flute II, mvt.1, m.192: Second 16th note should be concert D-natural
  • Oboe II, mvt.1, m.192: Second 16th note should be concert D-natural
  • English Horn, mvt.4, m.21: G-natural should be G-flat
  • English Horn, mvt.4, m.22: C-flat is B-natural in the original
  • Bassoon I-II, mvt.3, m.21: E and D-sharp should be D-sharp and C-sharp, respectively.
  • Bassoon I-II, mvt.3, m.23, beat 2: Offbeat should be D-sharp
  • B-flat Soprano Clarinet I (lower part), mvt.1, m192: Second 16th note should be written E-natural
  • B-flat Soprano Clarinet I, mvt.2, m.8, beat 2: Low E-flat not possible on instrument
  • E-flat Baritone Saxophone, mvt.2, m.4, beat 1: Should be G-sharp
  • B-flat Trumpet I, mvt.1, m.158, beat 1: D-natural, not C-sharp
  • B-flat Trumpet, all, mvt.1, m.222-225: Rest measures 222-223; C-natural from m.220-221 in m.224-225
  • Horn in F I-II, mvt.2, m.9: Third triplet notes should be written D-flat
  • Horn in F I-II, mvt.4, m.54, beat 1: B-flat 8th note on "and" should tie to B-flat on beat 2
  • Horn in F III-IV, mvt.2, m.9: Third triplet notes should be written B-flat
  • Horn in F, all, mvt.4, m.54: B-flat should be B-natural
  • Glockenspiel, mvt.1, m.211,213, every two measures until end: Third and fourth 16th should be C-sharp and B-natural, respectively.

- Errata compiled by Thomas Gamboa, University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music (CCM)


Program Notes

Pines of Rome (Pini di Roma) is the second of three tone poems written by Respighi between 1917 and 1929. These tone poems are the most well-known works in his oeuvre. Pines of Rome combines his skill for colorful orchestration with his interest in early music, particularly medieval music and folk songs. This work is based on children’s folk tunes, which he learned from his wife. Premiered on December 14, 1924, at the Teatro Augusteo in Rome, Pines of Rome initially received boos and hisses from the audience at the end of the first movement due to its “discordant trumpet writing,” and the nightingale sound at the end of the third movement wasn’t appreciated much either. The rest of the piece was well received, rewarded with a standing ovation. The work was premiered in the United States by Arturo Toscanini in 1926 and has since become a staple of the repertoire.

In four movements, Respighi notates specifically in the score how he envisioned each movement. He offers the following:

I. The Pines of Villa Borghese
Children are at play in the pine groves of Villa Borghese; they dance round in circles. They play at soldiers, marching and fighting, they are wrought up by their own cries like swallows at evening, they come and go in swarms.

II. Pines Near a Catacomb
Suddenly the scene changes -- we see the shades of the pine trees fringing the entrance to a catacomb. From the depth rises the sound of a mournful chant, floating through the air like a solemn hymn, and gradually and mysteriously dispersing.

IV. The Pines of the Appian Way
Misty dawn on the Appian Way: solitary pine trees guarding the magic landscape; the muffled, ceaseless rhythm of unending footsteps. The poet has a fantastic vision of bygone glories: trumpets sound and, in the brilliance of the newly risen sun, a consular army bursts forth towards the Sacred Way, mounting in triumph to the Capitol.

- Program note by Seth Wollam for the Lone Star Wind Orchestra


Media


State Ratings

  • Maryland: VI
  • South Carolina: VI


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

  • University of California, Los Angeles, (UCLA) Wind Ensemble (Travis J. Cross, conductor) – 28 April 2023
  • University of Oklahoma (Norman) Wind Symphony (Shanti Simon, conductor) - 16 April 2023
  • University of British Columbia (Vancouver) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Robert Taylor, conductor) - 19 November 2022
  • University of North Texas (Denton) Wind Ensemble (Daniel Cook, conductor) – 8 November 2022
  • University of Kansas (Lawrence) Wind Ensemble (Sandro Satanassi, conductor) - 24 September 2022 (Milan, Italy)
  • University of Cincinnati (Ohio) College-Conservatory of Music Wind Ensemble (Thomas Gamboa, conductor) - 9 February 2022
  • Northshore Concert Band (Evanston, Ill.) (Mallory Thompson, conductor) - 14 March 2021
  • Lopez Early College High School (Brownsville, Tx.) Symphonic Band (George Trevino, conductor) - 14 February 2020 (2020 TMEA Conference, San Antonio)
  • United States Coast Guard Band (New London, Conn.) and United States Naval Academy Band (Annapolis, Md.) (Adam Williamson, conductor) – 9 February 2020
  • Bowling Green (Ohio) State University Wind Symphony (Bruce Moss, conductor) – 21 November 2019
  • Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge) Symphonic Winds (Dennis Llinás, conductor) – 28 February 2019
  • Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) Symphonic Band (Shawn Vondran, conductor) – 29 April 2017
  • Ball State University (Muncie, Ind.) Wind Ensemble (Thomas Caneva, conductor) – 28 April 2017
  • University of South Alabama (Mobile) Wind Ensemble (William Petersen, conductor) – 27 September 2016
  • Northshore Concert Band (Chicago) (Mallory Thompson, conductor) - 14 June 2015
  • Lone Star Wind Orchestra (Dallas, Tx.) (Leonard Slatkin, conductor) – 20 December 2012 (2012 Midwest Clinic)


Works for Winds by This Composer


Resources

  • Pines of Rome. Wikipedia. Accessed 21 February 2019
  • Respighi, O.; Kimura, Y. (1995). Pini di Roma [score]. De Haske: Heerenveen, Netherlands.
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