In The Studio: Alessandro Crudele

At the helm of the flamboyant London Philharmonic Orchestra, the versatile Italian conductor Alessandro Crudele performs a compendium of programmatic works spanning the artistic life of Ottorino Respighi, including Pini di Roma, Impressioni brasiliane and the Belkis, regina di Saba suite. 

Alessandro says: My intention is to try to encapsulate Respighi’s various souls in one album, which is obviously impossible. So we have the evocative, epic soul in Pines of Rome, the more impressionistic soul in Brazilian impressions and the more mythological soul in Belkis, queen of Sheba. Obviously this is simplistic; Respighi’s music possesses many other facets and even these three works each contains in part the souls I attribute to the others ... The other aspect I have taken into consideration is the period of composition: the Pines is Respighi’s first real masterpiece (perhaps the Fountains of Rome too, but having to choose, I consider the Pines more complete); the Brazilian impressions comes after, let’s say in a period of full maturity, and Belkis belongs to the end of the composer’s production. My last intention was to champion two relatively lesser-known pieces (especially Belkis) by placing them alongside Respighi’s best-known piece.'

The recording will be released in summer 2022.