Neschling - Respighi: Impressioni Brasiliane, La Boutique Fantasque (2014)

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Neschling - Respighi: Impressioni Brasiliane, La Boutique Fantasque (2014)

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Ottorino Respighi is most celebrated for his vividly colourful symphonic poems, and above all the brilliantly orchestrated trilogy celebrating the landmarks and history of Rome: The Fountains of Rome, The Pines of Rome and Roman Festivals. Impressioni brasiliane, another triptych in a similar vein – although on a smaller scale – communicates Respighi’s impressions from the summer of 1927, which he spent in Rio de Janeiro. The composer was fascinated by the popular music of Brazil, but also by the nature (the rain forests in the Rio area inspired the first part of the triptych, Notte Tropicale), animal life (a visit to the famous Butantan collection of poisonous snakes and spiders gave him material for the sinuous second part) and, naturally, the carnival, with Canzone e Danza painting a picture of riotous and colourful street festivities. Respighi’s greatness as an orchestrator is evident not only in his original works, but also in his adaptations of music by other composers. One such work is La Boutique fantasque (The Fantastic Toyshop), composed in 1918 for Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, and performed more than 1000 times during the following few years. Respighi's score was based on piano pieces by Rossini, and it accompanies a plot centred on the love of two marionettes, the creations of a toymaker specializing in beautiful dancing dolls. In his shop the dolls perform various dances to attract customers – a tarantella, a Cossack dance, a can-can … – providing Respighi with the opportunity to use every colour on his orchestral palette. On the present disc we hear the complete ballet score, performed by the fine Liège Royal Philharmonic making their first appearance on BIS.

Composer: Ottorino Respighi
Conductor: John Neschling
Orchestra/Ensemble: Liège Philharmonic Orchestra

Reviews: John Neschling, whose previous Respighi album was an instant classic, returns for more and delivers top-quality results yet again. The Liège orchestra summons up Brazilian sounds better than one could imagine; listen especially to the seductive woodwind solos in the nocturne, and in particular the fruity, playful timbre of the clarinets. The Brazilian-born Neschling must have infused these players with the spirit of his home country’s dances, but the nocturne takes up half the piece, and the amount of color and vibrancy achievable under the light of the moon is a testament to composer and performers.

Then there’s La Boutique fantasque, the ballet based on Rossini tunes, forty-five minutes of pure nonstop good times. I should pause to point out that BIS has, once again, produced the kind of recorded sound which actually makes the interpretations themselves even more praiseworthy: absolute and total clarity, but flattering rather than clinical. Every color and effect Rossini dreamed up is audible; his total mastery of the orchestra, and the orchestra’s total mastery of the music, are on vivid, high-definition display. This is a big improvement over my other favorite Boutique, with Alexander Gibson and the Scottish National Orchestra on Chandos.

The piece is unremitting fun, and if I didn’t know it was about toys coming to life in the toy-shop and falling in love, my theory would be that it depicted a three-day-long Italian wedding extravaganza with a whole truck full of wine. I could put the famous second-movement tarantella on repeat — and notice how the cymbal player, not normally someone you’d single out for praise, manages to save the repetitive crash-crash-crash-crash from being sloppy or irritating. The orchestra’s playing throughout is totally exquisite, with the woodwinds again coming up for special commendations. In the “Can-can”, the muted trumpets sound like inspiration for Shostakovich.

My colleague Dan Morgan already wrote that this album is something special and I’m inclined to agree. May there be more Respighi forthcoming from Neschling; after two albums, it’s safe to say he is one of the finest advocates this composer has ever had, delivering all the fireworks and the depth too.