- Composed between 1926-28, Feste Romane (Roman Festivals) was the third and final programmatic work of Respighi’s “Roman Triptych” (also including The Fountains of Rome and The Pines of Rome).
- Feste Romane has four movements:
- Circenses (Circuses)
- Giubilio (Jubilee)
- L’Ottorbrata (October Festival)
- La Befana (The Epiphany)1
- As noted in its title, the first movement “Circuses” immediately hurls the listener into the violent world of an Imperial Roman Circus Maximus. The second movement is a jump in time and references medieval pilgrims making their journey of devotion to the ancient city. The third movement captures the city’s harvest celebrations, and the finale represents the crowd assembling in the Piazza Navona on the night before Epiphany (January 6th) and all the revelry happening throughout.2
Sources
- “Feste romane (Respighi, Ottorino),” IMSLP, accessed December 10, 2024, https://imslp.org/wiki/Feste_romane_(Respighi,_Ottorino).
- John Mangum, “Feste Romane,” L. A. Phil, accessed December 10, 2024, https://www.laphil.com/musicdb/pieces/1750/feste-romane.
Cut IDs
22256 42307 49159 14762