Respighi: Feste romane; Pini di Roma; Rimsky-Korsakov: Le Coq d'or, suite. Lorin Maazel, the Cleveland Orchestra. Decca Legends 289 466 993-2.(Review)

Respighi: Feste romane; Pini di Roma; Rimsky-Korsakov: Le Coq d'or, suite. Lorin Maazel, the Cleveland Orchestra. Decca Legends 289 466 993-2.

Let's ignore the "Roman Festivals," which are mostly noisy and bombastic, and concentrate on Maazel's interpretations of the "Pines of Rome." They are among the best available. Recorded in 1976, the performances are colorful, sometimes splashy, sometimes subtle, always vivid, and picturesque, everything you'd want from these miniature tone paintings. They don't, perhaps, convey quite the individual expression of Reiner's classic set, but they come close. More important, they culminate in the best, most exciting rendering of "The Pines of the Appian Way" I have ever found. The Roman legions are heard first, of course, from a distance, their march coming closer and closer, sounding all the more ominous as they approach. When they reach our vantage point, the effect is staggering, especially if you ...