Pines of Rome

2024 marks not only the 100-year anniversary of George Gershwin’s RHAPSODY IN BLUE, but also Ottorino Respighi’s tone poem THE PINES OF ROME. I will be conducting this amazing work with the Scottsdale Symphonic Orchestra on May 12!

THE PINES OF ROME tells a tells a fascinating story in musical pictures. Over the course of four movements representing different areas of the city, the tone poem gives us a history of the city as if “the trees could talk.” We travel from day to night, ending with the dawn; and from the contemporary city of the 20th century gradually backwards in time to the Roman Republic. We hear children playing, growing up to become soldiers marching in the distance and gradually entering the city center. This piece was also notable to be the first “classical” concert piece to include a pre-recording to be played along with the orchestra – which happens to be a recording of the first live bird ever recorded! Come on out to learn about this absolutely magical piece!